Brothers and Sisters:
I am pleased to submitmy activity report since the last meeting of the Atlantic Regional Council as the Regional Executive Vice-President, Atlantic. My activities are set out under the following headings: Regionalization, Negotiations/Mobilization and Political Action.
Regionalization (Atlantic)
Expedited review of the Gander Regional Office
I am currently leading the consultation process of the expedited review of the Gander Regional Office. To date the Atlantic Council, RVPs and NVPs with members in Newfoundland and Labrador, staff and CULE have been consulted. In September, Iwill hold conference calls and face to face meetings with local presidents and RWCs, HR Committees and Area Councils in the St. John’s and Gander Regions.
PEI Job Study
On June 13, a working group made up of the City of Charlottetown, the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and the Government of Prince Edward Island released a report on the scope and impact of potential federal job cuts on Prince Edward Island. The study, completed by McInnes Cooper, included these key findings:
· There are 35 federal government units (departments, agencies, crown corporations etc.) on PEI which amount to 3827 permanent federal positions.
· It is estimated that over the next 3 years 379 to 458 positions (between 10-12% of the federal workforce on PEI) will be eliminated.
· This will generate additional non-government job losses of between 247 and 298 for a total job loss projection ranging from 626-756 positions
· This represents a PEI GDP decline of between $50.46 and $61.02 million or about 1.01 to 1.22% of provincial GDP.
The report was released at a press conference that garnered broad media and public attention. National Vice-President Chris Aylward spoke for PSAC, incorporating messaging from “We are all affected.” Gary Corbett spoke for PIPSC. The group is continuing to work together.
Atlantic Federal Job Loss Study
PSAC Atlantic and PIPSC have commissioned the Nova Scotia chapter of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to conduct a study on the economic impact of federal cuts to jobs and services throughout the Atlantic Provinces. We hope to release the study in September.
Young Workers Retreat
The Atlantic Young Workers Retreat took place May 22 and 23 at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. The event brought together 22 young PSAC members eager to hone their activist skills and network with each other. Our guest Brigette Depape presented on a panel with Halifax and Dartmouth District Labour Council President Kyle Buott and Rebecca Rose, CFS Maritimes Organizer. The panel presented tools and tactics for young workers to effect political change. Brigette Depape also spoke at the opening of the Atlantic School.
Atlantic School
Over 70 members attended the 2012 Atlantic School in Antigonish, NS. The theme of the school was “Protecting our Members’ Rights.” Two courses were offered: Advanced Stewards Trainingand Duty to Accommodate. Participants took part in a demo where each hand delivered “affected letters” to the office of Minister of National Defence Peter MacKay. Each class also developed chants to use at future demos.
Negotiation and Mobilization
Fredericton Airport
The prolonged strike at Fredericton Airport is not over yet. A Return to Work Protocol is almost complete and the parties are not far from reaching an agreement. However, the employer has fired numerous workers and our members are particularly vulnerable right now.
We are all affected
The Atlantic Region hired four students this summer, one in each of the Gander, St. John’s, Halifax and Moncton offices. Their primary responsibility was to build and promote the “We are all affected” campaign. This was successfully carried out by promoting the campaign at community events such as St. John’s Tely 10 in which I ran with the “We are all affected” team. Students also collected stories from members, business owners, municipal leaders and average Atlantic Canadians about how cuts to federal jobs and services affect them. 13 profiles were written and shared on the website and through social media where they have been very well received and widely shared.
Political and Social Action
St. Andrew’s biological Station
PSAC and UEW national and regional leadership have joined forces with PIPSC and a community group called SOS (Save Ocean Sciences) to fight cuts at Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ St. Andrews Biological Station in St. Andrews, NB. The station’s Contaminants and Toxicology program has been eliminated, its library is being moved and some of its employees have received “affected” letters. National Vice-President Chris Aylward spoke on a public panel in St. Andrews alongside PIPSC’s Gary Corbett and local experts on July 18th. UEW President Todd Panas also attended the event and met with the membership. The following week PSAC National President Robyn Benson and the REVP traveled to St. Andrews to take part in a public demonstration where over 400 people gathered to form a human SOS. We continue to work with SOS and PIPSC on this matter.
UNDE pre-empts MacKay’s announcement with press conference
On July 23, UNDE National President John McLennan and I held a press conference with NDP Members of Parliament Yvon Godin and Peter Stoffer to raise the profile of the impact of cuts to National Defence at CFB Gagetown. 145 UNDE members at CFB Gagetown have received affected letters. In a community of roughly 9000, the fallout will be significant. The press conference was planned knowing that Peter MacKay would be making an announcement at the base the following day. Member gathered outside MacKay’s press tent and waved affected letters at the convoy of cars when it arrived and left. John McLennan requested a meeting to hand deliver the letters but was denied.
PIPSC invites PSAC to protest cuts in Moncton
PIPSC held a rally on June 1st in downtown Moncton to protest cuts to public services and invited PSAC to join. The speakers were Debi Daviau (PIPSC), Dominic LeBlanc, Yvon Godin and I. Those attending the rally brought a jar of peanut butter for the Moncton Food Bank.
Coalition formed to fight the closure of Parks archeological facility
Parks Canada’s regional archeology and conservation laboratory in Dartmouth is slated for closure under the pretense that it will save $4 million dollars. Four regional facilities across Canada are being shut down and some 30 million artifacts consolidated at a central facility in Gatineau, Quebec. The facility in Dartmouth is only two years old. It offers state of the art laboratories and storage that have allowed for the preparation, handling, studying and preservation of roughly 2 million artifacts. Significant resources went into building this facility and into moving the collection into it. Parks Canada has 17 years remaining on this lease. Across the country four regional centres are closing that employ 178 PSAC members. 29 are at the Atlantic centre. They have all been notified that they have are surplused. PSAC, UNE, the Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq, the Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council, la Fédération acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse, as well as several archeologists, have formed a coalition to fight this move. We have lobbied NDP MP Robert Chisholm. We are planning to hold a press conference once the house is in session. We are also reaching out to the other affected PSAC regions and asking them to get on board.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the membership, PSAC Atlantic Council, RVP/NVP’s, local leadership and staff for their commitment and hard work in the Atlantic Region.
Lastly, you will find enclosed, the details of my activities from June through September.
Respectfully Submitted for your approval,
Jeannie Baldwin
Regional Executive Vice-President, Atlantic
ACTIVITIES REPORT
JUNE 2012
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Date(s) |
Event |
Location |
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1 |
PIPSC Rally in protest against cuts to Public Services |
Halifax, NS |
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4 |
Meeting of the Alliance Executive Committee |
Ottawa, ON |
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5-7 |
Meeting of the National Board of Directors |
Ottawa, ON |
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10-13 |
Meeting with John McLennan and Serco Tenders |
Goosebay, NL |
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19 |
Area Council Meeting |
Charlottetown, PE |
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20 |
Prince Edward Island Job Study Teleconference |
Teleconference |
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21 |
NS Area Council 1 Action Planning Session |
Halifax, NS |
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25 – 26 |
Meeting of the Alliance Executive Committee |
Ottawa, ON |
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27-29 |
Strategy Committee Meeting |
Ottawa, ON |
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JULY 2012 |
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Date(s) |
Event |
Location |
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3 |
Call in Radio Show re: Work Force Adjustment |
Call In |
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18 |
Save Ocean Science Public Forum |
St.Andrews, NB |
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21 |
St.John’s, NL Pride Parade |
St.John’s, NL |
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22 |
Tely 10 Road Race |
St.John’s, NL |
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23-24 |
Press Conference with John McLennan |
Fredericton, NB |
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25 |
Save Ocean Science Rally |
St.Andrews, NB |
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28 |
Halifax Pride Parade |
Halifax, NS |
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AUGUST 2012 |
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Date(s) |
Event |
Location |
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1 |
Signing of the Charlottetown Airport Agreement |
Charlottetown, PE |
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16 |
Teleconference re: Viability of the Gander Regional Office |
Teleconference |
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20-24 |
Annual Leave |
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22 |
Teleconference re: Viability of the Gander Regional Office |
Teleconference |
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SEPTEMBER 2012 |
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Date(s) |
Event |
Location |
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5 |
Teleconference with the Alliance Executive Committee |
Teleconference |
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5-6 |
Teleconference with Local Presidents in NL Region RE: Gander RO |
Teleconference |
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6 |
Videoconference with PSAC National Human Rights Committee |
Videoconference |
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10-11 |
Meeting of the Alliance Executive Committee |
Ottawa, ON |
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12-14 |
Meeting of the Management Team |
Ottawa, ON |
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15 |
September 15th Day of Action |
Antigonish, NS |
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17-19 |
Meetings with Serco |
Goosebay, NL |
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19 |
Meeting with Chairpersons of RWCs, Area Council & Membership re: Gander RO |
Gander, NL |
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20 |
Meeting with Chairpersons of RWCs, Area Council & Membership re: Gander RO |
St.John’s, NL |
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20 |
Videoconference re: Women’s Programming |
Videoconference |
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24 |
Teleconference with Regional GLBT Council Directors and Andrée Cote |
Teleconference |
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26 |
Teleconference with Regional Women’s Council Directors and Andrée Cote |
Teleconference |
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