Betty Bannon Item 10

The Committee met on January 11th and 12th and the following is a report of their deliberations:

Agenda: 

1. Courses (continuation)
2. Sustainable Development Motion (December 2008)
3. Council Individual Learning Plans
4. Auditor General Report regarding Staffing and our submission
5. Trusteeship (continuation)
6. Training for Council (Orientation for new members)

1.  Courses (continuation): 

The committee conducted a further review of the UTE courses, the number and individual participants and the cost of such courses vs the value derived from the courses.  At this time the committee is satisfied that the courses we have are sufficient and are of definite value to the participants and the organization.  We will continue to monitor the needs and value of our UTE Courses.

The PSAC Courses are also an option.  Many of our members have availed themselves of several of the courses offered by the PSAC.  We also had a seat on the PSAC Leadership Skills Committee and Ad Hoc Advisory Education Committee.  It was also noted that the UTE courses are more attuned to the specific needs of our members while the PSAC courses may be of a more general nature due to the variety and scope of their participant’s background.  Their courses cross all Component and Direct Charter Local boundaries.  However, several of their courses have excellent content. 

2.  Sustainable Development Motion (December 2008) 

The following resolution was referred to the Executive Committee.

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SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

M/S Jean-Pierre Fraser/Robin Johnson

Whereas sustainable development is a priority for our members; and

Whereas the UTE should position itself as a leader in sustainable development; and

Whereas the UTE does not have a sustainable development committee or a policy on the subject; and

Whereas the UTE supports the CRA’s sustainable development program; and

Whereas the UTE  has a number of committees responding to the needs and requirements of its members.

Be it resolved that the UTE ask the PSAC to stop distributing the newsletter Union Updates/Parlons Syndicat in a dual version (English and French) at the next meeting of the NBoD; and

Be it further resolved that the UTE take the necessary action to reduce the use of paper, beginning immediately with the upcoming presidents’ conferences, but not limited thereto.

For example:

The UTE can take the following action with respect to upcoming Presidents’ Conferences:

• Use 8 1/2 by 14 envelopes for participants.
• Stop printing the UTE directory for participants, and the list of members of the executive committee, since this is all available on the UTE website.
• Stop including in participants’ envelopes information on the policy on perfume, members with CPR training and harassment complaints.
• Stop placing documents in dual versions (English and French) in the envelopes for participants, except for resolutions submitted, and request that each delegate and observer registered specify in which language they wish to receive documents in future.
• Ask participants to keep the UTE theme song and their name badges for future use.

Be it lastly resolved that the UTE adopt a sustainable development policy by December 31, 2009.

M/S Pamela Abbott/Shawn Bergeron

That the motion be referred to the Executive Committee.

MOTION TO REFER CARRIED.

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The committee first had a general discussion on the motion and the feasibility and desire to enact the recommended suggestions, as well as, looking to see if there were other suggestions that could be explored.  Pierrette Labrie, the Administrative Assistant to the President was also asked to address the committee, to gather her thoughts and further suggestions regarding the motion.  It was noted that due to some of the information in the motion that it was not understood exactly what, how and why the Presidents Conference packages are put together the way they were.  The committee believed that this information should be in the minutes and provided at the next Presidents Conference to all participants.

It was agreed:

• That we would no longer provide a copy of the UTE phonebook/directory since it was available on the website.
• That we would use whatever envelope size was suitable to contain the Conference material.
• That we would post the names of the First Aiders and individuals with CPR on the meeting room and Hospitality Suite doors, as well as, to introduce them on the floor of the meeting.
• That we would continue to include the following in the packages:  The “no scent” policy handout, the harassment statement with the names of the individuals to contact if there is an issue or question and the words to Solidarity Forever.  It was recognized that not all individuals may be in the hall when such announcements are made, there may be new members attending and may need to refer to the documents and not all participants know the words to Solidarity Forever.  For the participants list, none of the committee members had ever attended any meeting that the list of participants wasn’t provided.  In fact there were several instances cited where the list had been used by RVPs, Staff or National Officers. 
• That we will ask the participants if they wanted to receive the Agenda and the participants / observers lists electronically prior to the Presidents Conference and if the answer is “yes” then we would no longer provide such documents in their package.
• That we would continue to provide the packages by language of the participants.  Currently, either by self declaration or by staff suggestion, the packages are as follows:  25 Bilingual, 20 French and the balance in English.  Any extra packages are always done in Bilingual format since we do not know the language of the individual who may need a package as they were not registered.  However, we will confirm the numbers at the next Presidents Conference with the participants in attendance, recognizing that the same individuals may not be at the next meeting.  This should give us a good picture as to whether our current numbers are close to being correct.  All current packages are not prepared in Bilingual format.

The committee also felt strongly that we should also outline in our minutes the things that we current do to support sustainable development in our Union. 

• Our weekly mailing is electronic and has been for some time
• The National Office recycles paper, plastic and cans
• We shred all confidential documents for recycling
• We reuse Regional name cards for the Presidents Conference and Conventions,
• We reuse the plastic name holders for the Presidents Conference
• We sit on the PSAC Green Committee
• We are proceeding to digitalize our Central filing
• Any Power Point presentations are forwarded electronically and not distributed at the Presidents Conference

Based on the above information it was also agreed that UTE did not require a “Policy” for Sustainable Development at this time.

3.  Council Individual Learning Plans : 

The Committee reviewed the Individual Learning Plans submitted by Council members and provided feedback to the National President.  No names were divulged in this process.

4.  Auditor General Report regarding Staffing and our submission:

Shane updated the committee on this item and advised that our submission was currently being worked on and would meet the deadline that the motion laid out.

5.  Trusteeship (continuation): 

The Committee reviewed a draft Checklist for Trustees and proposed additional items to be added.  The final checklist will be shown to Council for their input as well. 

6.  Training for Council (Orientation for new members): 

The Committee was advised as to the current practice of orientating new Council members and it was agreed that a checklist would be developed to include the following in any orientation:

• Leave requirements
• Communication with their locals
• Role while on a committee and how committee positions are filled
• Overview of some Regulations (Expenses/Regional Inter-regional Conferences/Budgets and accounting/Donations etc)
• What reports are expected and what format
• How council operates (motions for business vs open discussion items)
• Chain of command both politically of the position, their role on a committee, with staff, council and locals etc.)

Respectfully submitted,

Betty Bannon,
Chair of the Committee