Minutes - Anti-Privatization Committee
HELD THURSDAY & FRIDAY, JANUARY 12 & 13, 2012
AT EDMONTON AUPE HEADQUARTERS
The meeting was called to order at 0900 a.m. with Karen Weiers in the Chair.
ROLL CALL
Present: Karen Weiers Chair/VP Local 095 Airdrie
Julie Jacques Vice Chair Local 047 Spruce Grove
Nancy Woods Secretary Local 054 Sherwood Park
Bruce Macdonald Local 046 St. Albert
Melanie Roy Local 009 Calgary
Andy McDonald Local 004 Fort Saskatchewan
Jason Pilot Local 071 Edmonton
Brian Cook Local 012 Coaldale
Amber Chaudhry Local 006 Edmonton
Staff Advisor: Desiree Schell Staff Advisor
Guests: Jordan Thompson AUPE Education
Gil LaFlamme AUPE Education
Guy Smith President
Trevor Zimmerman Organizing
Kevin Davediuk Negotiator
Bill Rigutto AUPE Union Rep, Disputes & Arbitrations
Bill Dechant Executive Secretary Treasurer
STATEMENT OF EQUALITY
Acknowledged by Committee
WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS
Round table introductions.
CONTACT SHEET
Reviewed new binder contents, explained contact lists.
ADOPTION OF AGENDA
(1) MOTION: To adopt the Agenda.
Properly moved and seconded. CARRIED
ADOPTION OF PREVIOUS MINUTES FROM DECEMBER 7, 2011
(2) MOTION: To adopt the minutes of December 7, 2011
Properly moved and seconded. CARRIED
CORRESPONDENCE
Incoming:
a) Local 47 Michener Hill – Karen and committee received thank you letter. Read to committee.
b) Local 46 Request – Sub-committee requested to attend one of our standing committee meetings to learn more about what we do and what they should be doing. Their old committee has dissolved and did not pass on any of their information. Responded that we would be willing to come to them.
c) Local 03 Request – Meeting today at Wingate and requested our presence to assist in getting the sub-committee going.
Outgoing:
a) Letter sent re: introducing new committee and Local 71 BVC rally
b) Letter sent re: rally at Rivera – Churchill Long Term Care
c) Letter sent re: rally for ATB in St. Albert
d) Letter sent re: rally for ATB in Calgary
REPORTS
a) Recommendations from previous committee were already reviewed at December meeting.
OLD BUSINESS
a) Convention Resolutions – Three resolutions brought forward from 2011 Convention to work on and also three resolutions still being worked on from previous year (stats, privatization campaign and secrecy campaign). Compiling statistics as to how many people we are losing in AUPE due to privatization is still ongoing, but we are not being notified (especially from government) of these losses, so our acquired statistics are not accurate. Karen will email the president asking who we will be working with to act on developing a series of documents outlining the economic impact to communities due to the loss of unionized jobs.
b) Documents Developed – Karen distributed a copy of all documents the committee as developed so far, along with the Presentation tool kit and the mini course package. Reviewed Facilitators Guide and its purpose.
c) Local Liaisons – 33 Locals, 8 Committee members – 4 Locals assigned to each member and Karen will retain Local 95.
d) Contact Sheet – Already discussed.
e) Contracting Out Language – Andy and Amber will begin compiling existing language from any available contracts.
f) Pamphlet Icon – Still do not have the “Fight Back” portion under the icon.
g) Member Update – Want a “blurb” on the website to inform members of the icon and its purpose.
h) Secrecy Campaign – President Smith updated committee (see below).
i) Privatization Campaign – President Smith updated committee. Secrecy and especially privatization campaigns are being done on a broad aspect to touch all areas of privatization and to include a bit of history as to how privatization/contracting out has been happening. The challenge is laying a framework of what documentary will look like. Government is making decisions on things they have no background information on and they don’t follow up re: the impact and results of their actions. Privatization is being done based on idealogic and philosophic basis, not for any good reason. It is not being monitored or regulated, and the attitude is engrained with this government. We need to challenge privatization/contracting out on this basis. The campaign will be done on the basis of international comparison and will go back historically to at least the Lougheed government building public systems and how they have been eroded, particularly with the Klein administration. We need to build the cornerstone to stop government from privatizing further. Guy has had a discussion with Premier Redford regarding her platform and following through on same. She had pledged to have an analysis of all government departments, especially the financial areas but they need to include the costs of contracting out/privatization. Need to know the outcome and what she will be looking at.
j) Shirts
i. Spreadsheet – will update.
ii. Next Plan – give to attendees at Anti Privatization Conference.
iii. Sell at Labor School – Bill Dechant agreed to have two boxes of t-shirts trucked to Labor School and Joanne will sell them. If more shirts are needed, he will truck up on the Wednesday.
k) Anti Priv Policy 19-1, 19-2, 19-3 – Refer to the “Klein years” and are from 2000 and 2002. Committee feels they need to be updated for more current language – something that is more general and can continue to be used in the future, without revisions related to changes in government or economics. Need to refer to “Privatization” as well as “Contracting Out”. Trevor and Des will work on this to bring back to the committee for reviewing.
l) Pamphlet/Brochure
i. New Pamphlet – “Don’t Give Up”- tabled
ii. New Pamphlet – Public – tabled
iii. New Tip Sheet – Uniform information for speaking with Locals/Chapters.
m) June Conference – Jordan attended to consult with us.
i. Date and Location – June 11 & 12, 2012 with de-brief on June 13, 2012 . Will be held at Four Points Sheraton 75 St & Argyll Rd.
ii. Speakers and Introduction of – Will be available for the entire two days of the conference. We have hired Diana Gibson, Bill Rigutto, Elaine Bernard and Alan Sears. Will attempt to obtain a speaker from Occupy Edmonton. Will address the introduction of the speakers at next meeting.
iii. Workshops – Elaine: Global repercussions – Workshop on what we have experienced and what is current. Alan: Global alternatives – Workshop on creating direct actions and tangible actions. Diana: Evidence of our position – Workshop on ?PERM (anti-Privatization Early Response model). Bill: Pro-active collective bargaining language; research what other unions have done – Workshop on fan out lists.
iv. Conference Layout – Application Form will be a standard form, but is not yet completed. It will include speaker pictures, short bios and possibly a brief on what they will speak about. Will be sent to Locals and Chapters with return deadline of February 15. There will be two speakers/day – one in morning and one in afternoon with each followed by breakout workshops. Ideally, committee liaisons will attend/run workshop attended by their Local liaisons. Order of speakers – First Day: Elaine Bernard, Alan Sears, Occupy Edmonton. Second Day: Diana Gibson, Bill Rigutto. There will be buffet lunches and expensed dinners. Will require a microphone for the speaker & two on floor, flipcharts or whiteboards for breakout rooms; projector and laptop for speaker presentations. Workshops will relate to what the speakers present.
v. Give Aways – T-shirts? Will request shirt size on applications so we can determine how many shirts we actually need to order.
n) Strike Pay – Kevin & Trevor spoke with committee. Were able to double strike pay for Michener Hill and doing so gave the members a tremendous sense of support and an uplift, encouraging them to fight for their contract. Attempting to do same for Churchill downtown and Riverbend Square. Cannot do this with a mature contract. Would like to do this in other sectors but need a resolution to develop a database reflecting where public sector are positioned compared to private sector. If there is a push for this, especially in private/contracted areas, it will be a dis-incentive to privatize. The resolution will need to be brought back to PE to be passed. Want to help improve private/contracted wages rather than decrease public wages and this will also protect wages and benefits for public workers. Trevor and Kevin will compile language for the motion and rationale.
o) Local Issues
i. Local 1 – Distance Learning Centre – information forwarded to Karen related to job loss and statistics.
ii. Local 2 – AISH clients – Email received regarding use of services (lawnmowing, etc) and new restrictions to only being able to use one private service provider (inspectors). Costs are prohibitive to AISH clients and also the contracted providers are not adequately trained, creating safety issues for all involved. Apparently a plan is in the process of being established by the Local’s subcommittee and their MSO.
iii. Local 2 – Audit Companies – Concerns that the job of conducting audits, currently being done by union members, have been tendered to third parties. Committee has offered some suggestions and is awaiting more information.
iv. Local 3 – OH&S Officers – ADM asked to look into privatization model for the GOA OHS. This has since been dispensed with.
v. Local 6 & 9 – OBSD & PDD – (Outcome Based Service Delivery) Committee to review OBSD & PDD handouts for discussion at next meeting.
vi. Local 045 – Rumour is that AHS wants to eliminate LPN’s in ER department at Foothills Medical Centre. Action being taken by members of that Local/Chapter. Indications from Dr. Eagle, CEO’s, management etc. stating no decisions have been made. Members will continue to stay on top of this.
vii. Local 071 – Lakeland College – Management discussing contracting out the electrician position & grounds maintenance worker position as they say they are having difficulty recruiting to them. Union does not agree, and the Local and their MSO were provided with information and documents providing direction on how to take action.
viii. Locals 1, 4 & 12 -SAJA, NAJA (South & North Alberta Jubilee Auditoriums) – Jobs being contracted out and members had no incentive to fight for jobs as it only affected 4 people. Contracts now completed.
ix. Local 095 – Volunteers, Transcription, Retail Foods PLC – Concern about the amount of bargaining group work that is being done by Volunteers. Information is being compiled. It appears in transcription services that a contract company is being used for “overload” but when an in house transcriptionist leaves, they are not being replaced. Work is being sent to the contracted company. Members of the subcommittee are checking into this. Activists are still watching the process of retail foods at the PLC which was disclosed during bargaining that the Employer is looking at contracting it out.
x. Locals 1, 4 & 12 – Mill Woods Research Centres – Will be service by contract. No one is losing their job, they are being moved to other sites. Jobs will be lost through attrition.
NEW BUSINESS
a) Meet with Local 003 at Wingate at 4:30 (January 12th) – Several issues presented.
i. A building will be provided to carry out remote visits (teleconference) and the plan is to contract an administrative person for surveillance of same. Concern is that this position is ideal to accommodate current employees requiring modified duties and also that there are safety and security issues. Roadblock is that this position is not currently in the contract.
ii. Infrastructure issues: Maintenance was in house and has been outsourced. Contractors sometimes have difficulty gaining security clearance. Work is not being done properly, workers are not consistent so there are trust issues and work is not being done in a timely or completed manner and this creates safety and security issues. Also outdoor maintenance used to be done by inmates as part of their programs and is now contracted out. Local 003 is waiting on the Local 004 Infrastructure template so they can use it to develop action.
iii. Retiring probation officers want to come back to work as contracted employees to do the percentage reports which is currently being done by in-house members. Committee feels this could be managed and acted on.
iv.Peace River Jail is falling apart and the rumoured intention is to close it and bring inmates to the new Edmonton Remand Centre. Peace River is now the last correction facility north of Edmonton. This will impact the employees, their families and the community.
b) Jasper Park – Committee feels their priority is to address privatization that directly affects our members.
c) Brief Cases – Cory Levesque is returning his briefcase for our use.
(3) MOTION: to purchase 1 briefcase for a new committee member
Properly moved and seconded. CARRIED
d) Education Articles
i.Battle of Wages – Committee to review for discussion at next meeting.
ii.Occupy Bail out – Committee to review for discussion at next meeting.
e) Evaluate Productivity of Meeting – Members feel the meeting has been engaging, productive and informative.
f) Communication with Sub Committee members – Inform of new liaisons and that the liaison willing to attend Local meetings; talk about the upcoming conference.
g) PIA – Conference is April 19, 20 & 21 @ Chateau Louis Conference Centre.
(4) MOTION: to send three Anti Privatization Standing Committee members to the PIA Conference April 19 – 21, 2012
Properly moved and seconded. CARRIED
NEXT MEETING DATE
The next meetings for the Anti Privatization Committee will be held on March 12 & 13, April 17 & 18 and May 10 & 11, 2012, commencing at 0900 a.m. at Headquarters, Edmonton.
ADJOURNMENT
(5) MOTION: To adjourn.
Properly moved and seconded. CARRIED
The meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Karen Weiers, Chair
Distribution: Anti Privatization Committee
Provincial Executive