Report of the National President - Executive Council

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:

On July 23, we officially received a notice from the Federal Public Sector Labour Relations and Employment Board informing us that the Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing dates will be January 6 and 20, 2020.  Despite the fact that this timeline is similar to those of the other bargaining tables also moving to the PIC, I believe that this waiting period is unacceptable, but there is nothing we can do about it.

During the PIC hearing, we will present our views on the issues that need to be addressed in our workplaces in addition to the wage increases we deserve.

Although we obtained hearing dates, we could not remain idle.

We held a meeting of the UTE-PSAC National Strategy Coordinating Committee (NSCC).

Following this meeting, we established an action plan for Locals and members for the summer period. The PSAC has prepared a detailed document entitled "Action Plan - Summer 2019.

Here are some of the activities that were suggested:

• meet MPs at barbecues;
• hold luncheon meetings with members;
• organize demonstrations.

In addition, speaking notes and the bargaining lobby kit were also updated and sent to Locals for distribution.

Since the last Executive Council meeting, I have had discussions with the employer regarding the round of bargaining and the impasse we are in. I have clearly expressed my frustration with the current situation and reiterated that our bargaining team is ready to return to the bargaining table at any time as long as the employer is prepared to address the important concerns raised by our members. 

As part of the e-mail campaign to the Minister of National Revenue, the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, I would like to inform you that more than 4,000 members have written to the Minister and the Member of Parliament for their ridings.

In closing, I would like to mention that the Honourable Joyce Murray, President of the Treasury Board, finally replied to my letter of May 2. In her written response dated July 17, 2019, she assured me that "all collective bargaining mandate requests are given due consideration to ensure that the CRA can pursue timely negotiations”.

AGMs AND VISITS OF CRA OFFICES:

The next round of Annual General Meetings (AGMs) will begin in October 2019. Once again, we will make every effort to ensure that one of the UTE national officers can attend the various meetings, as it is very important for the National Office to be represented at AGMs held by Locals, especially since contract negotiations are at a standstill and we are awaiting the Public Interest Commission (PIC) hearing.

Nothing is more beneficial to us than to hear directly from members and gather their views on the various issues that affect them. That is why I also encourage Locals to organize a tour of the various CRA offices with their Regional Vice-President and a National Officer to get a better understanding of the workplaces in which our members operate and to meet people who may not attend their AGM. These tours must generally be held in conjunction with the AGMs in order to keep expenses at an acceptable level.

Finally, I ask Locals in the same region to coordinate their AGMs to optimize the use of National Office staff and resources.

MEETINGS WITH THE CRA:

I have had meetings in person and over the telephone with CRA senior management on various issues and current topics such as:

• Negotiations
• CRA interference in our mobilization activities
• Leave without pay for union business

POLITICAL ACTION:

On August 12, we officially launched the campaign " The single tax return in Quebec: don't let the Conservatives fool you " to denounce the Conservative Party of Canada's desire to implement a single tax return in Quebec, administered by Revenu Québec, if they win the next federal election to be held in Canada this fall.

Throughout the summer, I worked closely with the marketing firm Point Blank Creative that we hired to carry out this campaign, both in terms of designing and editing the content of advertising messages until the official launch on August 12, 2019.

The campaign included ads in social media, print media and radio.

With this campaign, we wanted to vehemently denounce this dubious proposal from the conservatives. This proposal is a real threat to the jobs of members of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) not only in Quebec, but across Canada.

This campaign was a success, reaching nearly a quarter of a million voters across Quebec just before the federal election was called. Considering the timeline, budget and the fact that this project was our first campaign of its kind, the results were very good according to the marketing firm.

The message was successful in attracting public attention and encouraged voters to visit our website for more information.

This campaign allowed me to give several interviews to the print media, radio and television in different places in Quebec and in the National Capital (Ottawa). In fact, at the time of writing these lines, I am receiving more requests for interviews on this issue of the Quebec single tax return.

According to several surveys of voting intentions in the six federal ridings we targeted, there was a steady downward trend in support for the Conservative Party throughout the period of our campaign. Although it cannot necessarily be concluded that this is entirely due to this one campaign, we believe that there is a potential link.

I would like to thank the members of the UTE Political Action Committee for their excellent work in developing this campaign. I would also like to acknowledge the good work done by our Communications and Web Officer, Sister Susan Duncan, who worked closely with the people of Point Blank Creative.

UTE 2020 CONVENTION IN WINNIPEG:

Last July, I travelled to Winnipeg with some National Office employees to finalize several logistical and administrative details for our union's next Triennial Convention in July 2020 in the Manitoba’s Capital. We took the opportunity to meet for the first time with the local Convention host committee and to meet again with representatives of the hotels where the convention participants will be staying. Finally, we conducted several tours of interesting places with representatives from Winnipeg Tourism.

WEB/COMMUNICATIONS:

Our website is working well and updates are occurring in a timely fashion.  We have started work on items for the 2020 UTE Convention including the logo, poster and letterhead paper.  Locals will receive two posters each at the Presidents’ Conference.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

All IT systems have been running well. Regular software maintenance of internal computers, servers and network was performed.

DONATIONS / SPONSORSHIPS:

Donations/Sponsorships
Dons/Commandites
As of September 9, 2019 / Au 9 sepembre 2019

NON-UTE UNION EVENTS:

Non-UTE Union Events
Événements syndicaux autres que ceux du SEI
As of September 9, 2019 / Au 9 septembre 2019

GRIEVANCES:

GRIEVANCE REPORT
JUNE 1^ST TO SEPTEMBER 6^th, 2019

As noted in our last report, we have now fully transitioned to the Microsoft Power BI System for grievance tracking.

During this period, four (4) grievances were presented and two (2) replies were received from CRA. One (1) grievance was withdrawn by the member and closed.

1. Grievance in abeyance pending HRT and WSIAB complaints. The complaints are still active and outside legal counsel has carriage of the file. The complaints are currently held in abeyance.
2. Grievances were previously held in abeyance at grievors request pending receipt of information requested from ATIP. Grievor has recently received information and has provided it to our office and the grievances have just been presented.
3. These grievances are held in abeyance pending a statutory freeze complaint scheduled for Sept 9 to 12, 2019
4. Memorandum of Settlement signed – awaiting employer to implement the terms of the settlement.
5. Pending disposition of a test case
6. Pending tax appeal

There are presently forty-three (43) grievances in the National Office inventory which have not yet been presented at the Final Level dealing with a variety of issues.

POLICY GRIEVANCE

There was one (1) new grievance filed during this period.

CLASSIFICATION GRIEVANCES

There were eleven (11) new classification grievances filed during this period and there are five (5) classification grievances outstanding.

INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY REVIEWS (ITPRs)

There was one (1) new ITPR received in the National Office this quarter. Seven ITPRs reported in the last quarter were heard in July 2019, but not concluded after four days of hearing. Further hearing dates to finalize these ITPRs will be secured in the fall. With respect to the three remaining ITPRs for which we have previously reported, one has now been withdrawn and the other two are awaiting hearing dates.

CRA POLICY GRIEVANCES

There were no new CRA Policy Grievances received in this quarter. 

PRESIDENT’S ITINERARY

DATE               ACTIVITY                                              PLACE

MAY 2019

27                      Meeting with the Political Action Committee                                  Ottawa
27                      Meeting with the Minister of National Revenue - presentation of the business case for the return of Counter Services              Ottawa
29                      Site visit of Montreal TSO and AGM - Local 10008                      Montreal

JUNE

3                        Conference Call – Bargaining                                                          Ottawa
4                        Membership Appreciation Event - Ottawa TSO Local 70010          Ottawa
8                        Membership Appreciation Event – Winnipeg Locals                       Winnipeg
10-13                Executive Council Meeting                                                               Ottawa
13                      NUMCC meeting                                                                              Ottawa
17                      Component Presidents Meeting                                                       Ottawa
18-21                PSAC NBoD Meeting                                                                         Ottawa
18                      Meeting - PSAC NBoD Committee on Representation Issues         Ottawa
21                      Meeting with PSAC – Unassigned UTE members                           Ottawa

JULY

2-5                    Visiting venues for UTE 2020 Convention                                     Winnipeg
10                      PSAC-UTE NSCC Meeting                                                               Ottawa
30                      Conference Call with Point Blank Creative                                     Ottawa

AUGUST

1                        Conference Call with Point Blank Creative                                     Ottawa
2                        Conference Call with Point Blank Creative                                     Ottawa
22                      Conference Call with Point Blank Creative                                     Ottawa
29                      Conference Call with Point Blank Creative                                     Ottawa
30                      Special NBoD Meeting – Treasury Board Bargaining                     Ottawa

SEPTEMBER

5-7                    Interregional Conference – Quebec and Montreal Regions        Laval

Acronyms

AGM – Annual General Meeting
NBoD – National Board of Directors
NSCC – National Strategy Coordinating Committee
NUMCC – National Union-Management Consultation Committee
TSO – Tax Services Office

MEMBERSHIP:

Respectfully submitted,

Marc Brière
National President