Minutes of the Equal Opportunities (EO) Committee

Equal Opportunities Committee
Minutes of the Equal Opportunities (EO) Committee
March 1 - 2, 2017

IN ATTENDANCE:

Madonna Gardiner, Chairperson
Greg Krokosh, Co-Chairperson
Jennifer Phillips, Elected by the Locals
Lisa Halbach, Aboriginal Peoples
Ian MacFarlane, GLBT
Cheryl Seymour, Women
Georges Ten, Racially Visible People
Jim Austin, Persons with Disabilities
Lyson Paquette, Technical Advisor
Sylvie Bastien, Administrative Assistant

1. CALL TO ORDER

Madonna welcomes the members of the committee.  She also wishes a special welcome to the new members selected last December 2016.  

Madonna looks forward to work with the members of the committee.

2. COMMITTEE WORK/ADMINISTRATIVE

Hours of session

Hours of sessions are accepted.  On March 2, CRA has agreed to provide the UTE EO committee with the session on   CRA Positive space. This is new training the CRA is providing to employees with regard to the LGBT group and creating awareness.

E-mail for the new representatives

UTE e-mail addresses had been set for all members of the committee.  It is important for committee members to check the email regularly. Anytime someone has a problem with the email such as the password is not working members should contact Alex Thon in UTE to get the issue fixed.

Contacts lists for the Equity Groups

The contacts lists will be set up for all equity groups.  Alex, the UTE IT officer provides an information session on the setting up/ maintaining and updating the contacts lists.   The lists will be finalized in the near future.   Each representatives of the equity groups are responsible for the maintaining and the monitoring of their own equity groups contacts lists.

Follow-up: Madonna, Sylvie, Alex. – set-up of the lists.

When the contacts lists will be ready it will be important to use it to communicate with the members. All communications must be approved by the EO Committee chairperson and in both official language before being sent. Moreover, it will be important to include the EO Committee members when communication is sent.

Locals will be informed of the contacts lists and encourage to promote the members interested to register.

Follow-up:  Madonna, Lyson, Sylvie.

Discussions Items by the EO Committee

Madonna is explaining how the EO committee are asked to discuss items / subjects.  The items come from different sources but need to be approved by the UTE National President.  

Expenses / Expense Claims

Madonna explains the administration of the expenses claim.

Terms of Reference, Review / Discussion

The committee reviewed the Terms of Reference. Some changes are proposed and a working document will be prepared for the next meeting. Any changes to the terms of reference will have to be brought to Executive Council for approval.  Madonna will give council a heads up that this maybe on the agenda for the June meeting.

Follow-up:  Lyson, Madonna

Madonna explained that it will be important for each equity groups representatives to keep the alternates informed of our works.  There is no official role for the alternates other than to step up to replace the representative in the event they can no longer fulfill their role, but as discussed, it is important to keep them updated.

Follow-up:  Equity Group Representatives to touch based with the alternates.  (if communication has to be made in a language different than that of the representative you can communicate with Lyson for assistance)

3. UPDATE ON PSAC NATIONAL EQUITY CONFERENCE MARCH 2017

Madonna explained the process for the selection of delegates for the PSAC Equity Conference. The conference is being held in Toronto March 23rd to 28th.  This is the second time the PSAC conference is holding all five equity conferences at the same time in the same place.  This allows for the groups to interact and participate in workshops etc. of more than one group.

4. RESOLUTIONS TO UTE CONVENTION

Madonna explained to the committee that we are having our UTE convention in July in Ottawa.  We have a deficit budget and the committee will be discussing possible resolutions that specifically relate to EO.  As the committee cannot send resolutions to Convention, Madonna and Greg will bring any resolutions that the EO committee would be in support of to executive council meeting in March in the hope they would get approval from council and be forwarded to convention.  A brain storming session was held to get ideas. 

The committee prepared resolutions for review by the UTE Executive Council.  They are attached to the minutes, Appendix 1.

Follow-up:  Madonna

Discussion on the CRA Terms of Reference – National Employment Equity and Diversity Committee

The committee discussed the employer changes to the CRA Terms of Reference dated September 2016.  The new terms of reference include the concept of diversity.   Even though the diversity is a very important issue, the committee is concerned that:

  • The employer did not consult with the union regarding these changes.
  • Diversity is not referred to in the Employment Equity Act.
  • Is diversity should be recognized outside of EE with specific terms of reference, directives, etc.

Madonna will write to the employer expressing our concerns.

Follow-up:  Madonna 

Discussion on the CRA Employment Equity Plan and follow up.

The committee review the documents provided by the employer.    The committee concludes that detailed information such as regional gaps, etc.  will be useful to better understand the data. Madonna will try to have a CRA representative coming at our next meeting to explain the data and answer our questions.

Follow-up Madonna

5. FUTURE MEETINGS

The committee members look at the work to be done and the availability.  The Terms of Reference required at least 4 meetings per year.  Teleconferences may also be used in lieu of in person’s meetings.  

Follow-up:  Madonna

The next meeting will be held on June 6-8, 2017.