Report of the National President - Executive Council

Report of the National President - Executive Council
December 2019

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:

Since the last Executive Council meeting, I have continued discussions with the employer regarding our negotiations and the impasse we are in. I have clearly expressed our members' frustration with the current situation and I have reiterated once again 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 already raised. 

Following the idea presented by the President of Local 20029 (Surrey Tax Centre, B.C.) at the Presidents’ Conference last September, we decided to highlight the fact that on October 31, 2019, it had been three years since the collective agreement of our members has expired. We have provided our members with a solidarity pin to wear with pride in their workplace to send a clear message to the CRA that we are all very frustrated with the way the negotiations are going and we ask that negotiations resume as soon as possible.

The pins were sent to the PSAC Regional Offices and then distributed to all our Locals so that all UTE members could receive a copy. A document prepared jointly by our Second National Vice-President, Brother Adam Jackson, and myself also accompanied the pins.

AGMs AND VISITS OF CRA OFFICES:

As indicated in my activity report, I had the pleasure of attending Annual General Meetings during the month of October and at the same time toured some offices located in the Prairie, Greater Toronto and Atlantic regions.

I had the opportunity and privilege to speak with several of our members. Not surprisingly, the two (2) main topics of discussion are bargaining and the last federal election.

MEETINGS WITH THE CRA:

During this period, I participated in face-to-face and telephone meetings with senior executives of the Agency on a number of important issues including staffing and, in particular, the administrative conversion of term employees and seasonal work at the CRA.

POLITICAL ACTION:

During the federal election campaign, and until election day on October 21, I gave numerous interviews to the print media, radio and television in six targeted federal ridings in Mauricie and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean as well as in Quebec City and Montreal to denounce the Conservative Party of Canada's desire to implement a single tax return in Quebec, administered by Revenu Québec, if it won the election. This proposal was a real threat to the jobs of members of the Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) not only in Quebec, but across Canada.

In conclusion, since the Conservative Party failed to form the next government, the threat of a single tax return in Quebec has been repelled for the time being.

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS (CLC) GENERAL ASSEMBLY:

In preparation for the 29th General Assembly of the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) to be held from Monday, May 4 to Friday, May 8, 2020 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, we have provided the PSAC with an updated list of all UTE Local Presidents as requested.

WEB/COMMUNICATIONS:

Our website is working well and updates are occurring in a timely fashion. 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:

All IT systems have been running well. Regular software maintenance of internal computers, servers and network was performed. We purchased new iPads for the RVPs and UTE management. We will shortly be upgrading the computers at the National office.

DONATIONS / SPONSORSHIPS:

Donations/Sponsorships
Dons/Commandites
As of November 19, 2019 / Au 19 novembre 2019

RECIPIENT/BÉNÉFICIAIRE

CITY/VILLE

AMOUNT

APPROVED BY

   

MONTANT

APPROUVÉ PAR

BUDGET

 

18,000.00

 

Ottawa Professional Fire Fighters' Assoc

Ottawa

282.50

Marc/Doug

Lindsay MacLellan

Stratford PE

200.00

Marc/Doug

National Wall of Rememberance Assoc

Kingston ON

450.87

Marc/Doug

ANAVETS Magazine

Kingston ON

337.87

Marc/Doug

CFFF Annual Review

Ottawa

337.87

Marc/Doug

Nicholas Thompson

Toronto

500.00

Marc/Doug

Evangeline Figure Skating Club

Miscouche PE

400.00

Marc/Doug

Ben Anthony

Traverse PE

300.00

Marc/Doug

MADD

Ottawa

428.27

Marc/Doug

Tracy Lanteigne

Bathurst NB

50.00

Marc/Doug

Phillipe Neveu

Bathurst NB

100.00

Marc/Doug

Mona Richard

Bathurst NB

200.00

Marc/Doug

Melanie Charlong

Bathurst NB

50.00

Marc/Doug

Ecole Carrefour Etudiant - volleyball

Bathurst NB

100.00

Marc/Doug

Linda Roy

Bathurst NB

200.00

Marc/Doug

Denis Boudreau

Bathurst NB

50.00

Marc/Doug

Kristine Leclerc

Ascot Corner QC

500.00

Marc/Doug

Viktor Bender

Brossard QC

125.00

Marc/Doug

Raffi Sahakian

St-Hubert QC

245.00

Marc/Doug

Justin Leinhos

Chambly QC

350.00

Marc/Doug

Youth Centres Canada

Ottawa

337.87

Marc/Doug

Cassandra Shephard

Winnipeg MB

500.00

Marc/Doug

Ancoura

Ottawa

100.00

Protocol

Canadian Cancer Society

Ottawa

100.00

Protocol

Kidney Foundation of Canada

Ottawa

100.00

Protocol

SPCA of Prince George

Prince George BC

100.00

Protocol

Courageous K9

Ottawa

315.27

Marc/Doug

Kingston Elite Cheerleading - Ella Bonham

Kingston ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Mitchell Oldford

Dartmouth NS

300.00

Marc/Doug

MTFG - Memorial Donation

Toronto

100.00

Protocol

Workers United Local 2347

Niagara Falls ON

500.00

Marc/Doug

BMHA peeweeAA2019

Barrie ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Dartmouth 21U Baseball

Dartmouth NS

200.00

Marc/Doug

Boys and Girls Clubs of Cape Breton

Sydney NS

300.00

Marc/Doug

Fraser Valley Softball Team

Surrey BC

300.00

Doug/Adam

Kaden Rennie

Elmsdale PE

200.00

Marc/Doug

Steven Smallwood

Summerside PE

200.00

Marc/Doug

VTSO Softball

Vancouver

300.00

Marc/Doug

1st Pathfinder & Ranger Unit

Summerside PE

250.00

Marc/Doug

Teeing Off For Tata’s

Summerside PE

300.00

Marc/Doug

Caleb Dawson

Summerside PE

250.00

Marc/Doug

KW Klobberfest Tournament 2019

Kitchener ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation

Sydney NS

300.00

Marc/Doug

Worker's History Museum

Ottawa

500.00

Marc/Doug

Mount Doug Secondary School

Victoria BC

300.00

Marc/Doug

Mito Foundation

Oakville

500.00

Marc/Doug

Chateau Laurier - Tree of Hope

Ottawa

1,500.00

Council

Neebing Minor Hockey - Michael Figliomeni

Thunder Bay ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Eleanor Drury Children's Theatre

Thunder Bay ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Michaela Crupi

Thunder Bay ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Canadian Walk for Veterans

Stratford ON

250.00

Marc/Doug

Rayside Balfour Novice Icecats

Sudbury ON

350.00

Marc/Doug

U19 Wave High Performance Team

Charlottetown PE

250.00

Marc/Doug

Bantam A Westfort Rangers

Thunder Bay ON

300.00

Marc/Doug

Sydney Ball

Thunder Bay ON

250.00

Marc/Doug

Jennifer Lee

Mount Pearl NL

250.00

Marc/Doug

Tanya Hagel - Airdrie Minor Hockey Assoc Pee Wee

Airdrie AB

150.00

Marc/Doug

Tanya Hagel - Calgary Blizzard Soccer Club

Airdrie AB

150.00

Marc/Doug

Total spent / Total dépensé

 

16,810.52

 

Balance - UTE / Solde SEI

 

1,189.48

 

Presidents' Use / A l'usage du président

 

2,000.00

 

The Mission - Help with Christmas dinners

Ottawa

   

The Ottawa Food Bank - In lieu of Christmas cards

Ottawa

   

The Snowsuit Fund of Ottawa

Ottawa

   

Moisson Outaouais

Gatineau QC

   

Total spent / Total dépensé

 

0.00

 

Balance - President / Solde - Président

 

2,000.00

 

Total Balance - Donations - UTE and President /

     

Solde total - Dons - SEI et Président

 

3,189.48

 

Extraordinary Donations from Surplus /

     

Dons Extraordinaires provenant du surplus

 

5,000.00

 

Total spent from surplus / Total dépensé du surplus

 

0.00

 

NON-UTE UNION EVENTS:

Non-UTE Union Events
Événements syndicaux autres que ceux du SEI
As of November 19, 2019 / Au 19 novembre 2019

RECIPIENT

REASON

AMOUNT

BÉNÉFICIAIRE

RAISON

MONTANT

 

BUDGET - 2019

     

20,000.00

 

2018 Carry Over /
Report de 2018

     

16,927.58

 

TOTAL BUDGET - 2019

     

36,927.58

Kristen Strachey

AFL/CLC Winter School

Jan 13-18/19

   

1,876.00

Zita Lambert

AFL/CLC Winter School

Feb 10-15/19

   

1,376.32

Lea Serron

AFL/CLC Winter School

Feb 10-15/19

   

1,130.63

Valerie Illingworth

SFL-CLC Spring School Program

May 6-10/19

   

1,754.97

Catherine Dal Margo

Conf régionale des femmes 2019

26-28 Apr, 2019

   

495.00

Les Smith

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

393.70

Joanne Coish

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

489.72

Brad Slater

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

532.36

Terri Pridham

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

418.70

Sarah Osbourne

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

449.73

Mila Khaskin

Prairie School for Union Women

June 9-13, 2019

   

1,465.82

Angela Davison

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

355.00

Marilyn Gallant

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

393.70

April Ramsay

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

355.00

Darryl Payne

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

   

482.36

Philippe Chrétien

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 18-20, 2019

Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, QC

 

686.78

 

TOTAL SPENT / DÉPENSES

     

12,655.79

 

BUDGET AVAILABLE / DISPONIBLE

     

24,271.79

Approved - No Claim Received

 

Location

Advance

Approved

Approuvé - Aucune réclamation reçue

 

Location

Avance

Approuvé

Raffi Sahakian

Conférence Régionale AFPC

Nov 4-6/16

Estérel

 

188.00

Saïda Alibhay

Conférence Régionale AFPC

Nov 4-6/16

Estérel

 

188.00

Martine Decelles

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 19-21/18

Quebec

 

734.00

Raffi Sahakian

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 19-21/18

Quebec

 

734.00

Esther St. Louis

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 19-21/18

Quebec

 

744.50

Pamela Salem

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 19-21/18

Quebec

 

678.37

Nadia Gharmoul

Conf régionale des femmes 2019

26-28 Apr, 2019

Qc

 

140.00

Chris Di Liberatore

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

Moncton NB

 

294.45

Glenn Steele

PSAC Atlantic H & S Conference

June 7-9, 2019

Moncton NB

 

425.00

Sabrina Williams

FTQ-camp des jeunes

Sep 18-20, 2019

Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, QC

 

700.00

Allana Capstick

Atlantic PSAC Woman’s conference

Oct 4-6, 2019

Gagetown

 

50.00

Sharon Clark

Atlantic PSAC Woman’s conference

Oct 4-6, 2019

Gagetown

 

50.00

Danielle Boucher

Conf. santé et sécurité APFC

Nov 29-Dec 1

Montreal

 

855.00

Sébastien Tremblay

Conf. santé et sécurité APFC

Nov 29-Dec 1

Montreal

 

1,350.00

Susan Dodds

PSAC Health & Safety Conf.

Nov 29-Dec 1

Montreal

 

1,100.00

 

NET BUDGET AVAILABLE / DISPONIBLE

   

16,040.47

GRIEVANCES:

GRIEVANCE REPORT
SEPTEMBER 7TH to NOVEMBER 30th, 2019

During this period, twenty-nine (29) new grievances were received in the National office. Fifty-seven (57) grievances were presented and seventy-five (75) replies were received from CRA and three (3) grievances were withdrawn.

 

OPENED INVENTORY

REC’D

NOT PRESENTED

AWAITING
REPLY

ADJ.

Feb /1994 – Dec /2012

5073

0

0

27

Jan /2013 – Dec /2015

640

1[1]

0

283

Jan /2016 – Dec /2016

483

0

0

75

Jan /2017– Dec /2017

362

0

0

177

Jan /2018 – Mar /2018

67

29[2]

2

10

Apr /2018 – June /2018

39

0

2

14

July /2018 – Aug /2018

10

1

1

9

Sept /2018 – Dec /2018

83

0

0

14

Jan /2019 – Mar /2019

23

1[3]

1

4

Apr /2019 – May /2019

15

5[4]

5

2

June 1/2019 – Sept 6 /2019

50

28

13

3

Sept 7/2019 – Nov 30/2019

29

20[5][6]

1

0

TOTAL

6874

85

25

618

  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. These grievances are held in abeyance pending a statutory freeze complaint scheduled for Sept 9 to 12, 2019
  3. Pending tax appeal
  4. Pending disposition of test case
  5. Held in abeyance while RVP tries to resolve regionally
  6. Held in abeyance pending (ULP) Unfair Labor Practice complaint (2) grievances

There are presently eighty-seven (87) 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 were no new policy grievances filed during this period.

CLASSIFICATION GRIEVANCES

There were no new classification grievances filed during this period.

INDEPENDENT THIRD-PARTY REVIEWS (ITPRs)

There were no new ITPR’s 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 finalized these ITPRs will be secured in the fall. There are 3 other ITPR’s for which we are awaiting hearing dates.

CRA POLICY GRIEVANCES

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


PRESIDENT’S ITINERARY

DATE             ACTIVITY                                                                                      PLACE

SEPTEMBER 2019
11                      Final Report - Pre-electoral period Campaign                              Ottawa
12                      Follow-up discussion with the Commissioner                                Ottawa
20                      Conference call with AC, HRB                                                    Ottawa
24-25                Executive Council                                                                        Ottawa
26-28                Presidents’ Conference                                                                Ottawa

OCTOBER 2019
1                        Meeting with PSAC - Unassigned members                               Ottawa
6                        Pacific Region regional meeting – Mock Convention                   Kelowna
9                        Site visit of Winnipeg CCSC and AGM – Local 50032              Winnipeg
10                      Site visit of Winnipeg TC and AGM – Local 50031                   Winnipeg
11                      Meeting – PSAC’s Federal Election Coordination Committee    Winnipeg
15                      Site visit of Bathurst and AGM – Local 60006                           Bathurst
18                      Media interview for Federal Election                                          Montreal
18                      Rally at a Conservative Party of Canada gathering                     Drummondville
19                      Media interview for Federal Election                                         Chicoutimi
22-24                PSAC NBoD Meeting                                                              Ottawa
25-27                UTE National Equal Opportunities Conference                          Ottawa
28                      Conference Call - Bargaining                                                     Ottawa
30                      Site visit of Toronto West and AGM – Local 00051                  Mississauga

NOVEMBER 2019
5                        Site visit of St. John’s TC and AGM – Local 90000                      St. John’s
6                        Site visit of St. John’s TSO and AGM – Local 90001                   St. John’s
12                      Conference Call – Host Committee UTE Convention 2020         Ottawa
15                      Conference Call – PSAC’s National Joint Strategy Committee   Ottawa
18-20                Funeral – Robert Alan Campbell                                                   Saint John

Acronyms

AGM – Annual General Meeting
NBoD – National Board of Directors
TC – Taxation Centre
TSO – Tax Services Office
AC, HRB – Assistant Commissioner, Human Resources Branch


MEMBERSHIP:

 

OCTOBER 2019 / OCTOBRE 2019

       
 

FULL

RAND

SUSPENDED

TOTAL

     

SUSPENDUS

 

ATLANTIC REGION / RÉGION DE L'ATLANTIQUE

       

Saint John (60005)

339

4

 

343

Bathurst (60006)

91

1

 

92

Moncton (60008)

106

   

106

Halifax (80003)

299

7

 

306

Sydney (80004)

116

2

 

118

St. John's T.C. / C.F. de St. John's (90000)

731

10

 

741

St. John's T.S.O. / St. John's B.S.F. (90001)

443

23

 

466

Charlottetown (90002)

151

1

 

152

Summerside (90006)

940

26

2

968

 

3216

74

2

3292

QUEBEC REGION / RÉGION DE QUÉBEC

       

Jonquière (10004)

545

31

 

576

Shawinigan South / Shawinigan-Sud (10005)

1189

22

 

1211

Québec (10006)

283

1

 

284

Trois-Rivières (10027)

20

   

20

Chicoutimi (10110)

80

1

 

81

 

2117

55

 

2172

MONTREAL REGION / RÉGION DE MONTRÉAL

       

Sherbrooke (10007)

84

   

84

Montréal (10008)

610

11

 

621

Rouyn-Noranda (10009)

32

1

 

33

Montérégie South Shore / Montérégie Rive Sud (10017)

127

2

 

129

Laval (10028)

255

5

 

260

Outaouais (70035)

55

   

55

 

1163

19

0

1182

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION / RÉGION DE LA CAPITALE NATIONALE

       

Ottawa Headquarters / Administration centrale d'Ottawa (70000)

1164

52

9

1225

Ottawa East / Ottawa-Est (70001)

384

73

5

462

Ottawa Centre / Ottawa Centre (70004)

647

133

11

791

Ottawa I.T.S.O. / B.I.S.F. d'Ottawa (70009)

169

14

1

184

Ottawa T.S.O. / B.S.F. d'Ottawa (70010)

370

45

 

415

Ottawa Connaught Bldg. / Édifice Connaught (70021)

222

46

2

270

Ottawa Albert St. / rue Albert (70022)

280

55

1

336

Ottawa Technology Centre / Centre de technologie d'Ottawa (70030)

859

197

2

1058

 

4095

615

31

4741

NORTHERN & EASTERN ONTARIO REGION / RÉGION DU NORD ET DU SUD DE L'ONTARIO

     

Peterborough (00008)

70

5

 

75

Kingston (00011)

84

   

84

Belleville (00012)

148

9

 

157

Thunder Bay (00020)

76

4

                                               

80

Sudbury T.C. / C.F. de Sudbury (00042)

2192

114

 

2306

 

2570

132

 

2702

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO REGION / RÉGION DU SUD-OUEST DE L'ONTARIO

       

Hamilton (00014)

843

36

1

880

Kitchener (00015)

305

9

 

314

St. Catharines (00016)

206

2

 

208

London (00017)

245

4

 

249

Windsor (00018)

158

1

 

159

 

1757

52

1

1810

GREATER TORONTO REGION / RÉGION DU GRAND TORONTO

       

Toronto East / Toronto-Est (00001)

586

26

 

612

Toronto Centre / Toronto Centre (00013)

347

34

 

381

Toronto North / Toronto-Nord (00048)

692

33

4

729

Toronto West / Toronto-Ouest (00051)

446

6

 

452

Barrie (00052)

117

2

 

119

 

2188

101

4

2293

PRAIRIE REGION / RÉGION DES PRAIRIES

       

Regina (40022)

155

2

 

157

Winnipeg (50021)

388

22

 

410

Winnipeg T.C. / C.F. de Winnipeg (50031)

2136

54

 

2190

Winnipeg C.C.S.C. / C.A.S.R. de Winnipeg (50032)

173

3

 

176

 

2852

81

0

2933

ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION / RÉGION DES MONTAGNE ROCHEUSES

       

Calgary Call Centre / Centre d'appels de Calgary (30022)

327

4

 

331

Calgary (30024)

366

26

2

394

Edmonton (30025)

600

128

4

732

Lethbridge (30027)

21

   

21

Saskatoon (40023)

241

5

 

246

 

1555

163

6

1724

PACIFIC REGION / RÉGION DU PACIFIQUE

       

Prince George (20002)

111

2

 

113

Kelowna (20003)

54

   

54

Fraser Valley T.S.O. / B.S.F. de Fraser Valley (20007)

480

10

 

490

Penticton (20026)

270

   

270

Vancouver (20027)

634

13

1

648

Victoria (20028)

247

21

 

268

Surrey T.C. / C.F. de Surrey (20029)

1066

189

 

1255

Pacific Region Call Centre / Centre d'appels de la région du Pacifique (20050)

366

8

 

374

 

3228

243

1

3472

         

Unallotted

258

538

 

796

Respectfully submitted,

 

Marc Brière
National President