Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

Minutes of the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee,January 16, 2008

In attendance:

• Diane Beaulieu – Chair
• Patt Holmes
• Val Bergey
• Barb Mazur
• Sandy Stephens
• Narinder Minhas
• Colette Savarie
• Regina Brennan

Regrets:

• Lucy Fildes

Continue reading below, or download the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee meeting minutes - Jan 16 2008 (pdf)

1. Call to order and welcome introductory round

2. Election

• agreed to hold the next meeting with the election of officers on March 8, right after the breakfast. Agreed to book a room at the Ramada Hotel if possible, otherwise use HEU or BCGEU Hall.
• This committee will have no delegate to the PSAC - BC Regional Convention because they were deemed inactive.

3. International Women’s Day.

• Check with other unions about what they are doing, and look for posters and theme ideas. Colette and Regina to check with Jim Sinclair about what the BC Fed is doing. Patt suggested that the Sharon McIver case is a possible group in need of funding assistance. UNBC does an IWD event. HEU and BCGEU do events as well. CEIU is doing a Loonie auction. Currently doing a survey to choose who to donate proceeds to.
• Women from the committee will attend the breakfast at the Ramada Hotel on March 8th. Colette is invited to attend. Patt has the Women in Motion information.

4. Financial Report.

• $394.81 in the bank. Some discussion about the state of the books and the work that needs to be done to get more funding. Books to be handed off to the new Treasurer on March 8th.
• That the Prince George Regional Women’s Committee purchase a table of 10 seats, to be divided equitably among the 5 affiliated locals, to the March 8 International Women’s Day breakfast organized by the Prince George and District Labour Council. Tickets to be purchased by Sandy. M/S/C Patt Holmes/Narinder Minhas. Carried

5. Defending Public Services

• Review of handouts and activities. Letter from John Gordon (see attached) asking to work across Component lines to ensure co-ordination. Questionnaire from National Women’s Conference on re-organizations and what is happening in the workplace. Interesting statistics in the last National Board of Directors minutes. Patt will share all this information with the new Regional Women’s Committee executive. Colette will forward the Saskatchewan questionnaire.

6. PSAC Regional Council Rep for Women report

• Patt gave a verbal report.

7. Goals for the Regional Women’s Committee

• The planning and setting of goals was tabled to be dealt with by the new executive. Colette proposed using the remaining funds from the Regional Women’s Conference cycle to hold meetings with each committee to do some planning and goal setting.

8. Training and Building Capacity

• Sandy has sent out a questionnaire on education. She needs the completed forms back by January 21.

9. Round table

• Barb – Is working on her CRA women’s committee. They are holding a women’s self defense course. Contact Barb if you are on an employer committee.
• Colette – pass
• Regina – Is on the board for her Women’s Center now and also put together a woman’s self defense course.
• Sandy – She will get the IWD breakfast tickets and will email when she has them.
• Val – pass
• Patt – showed us her beautiful PSAC quilt.
• Narinder – pass
• Diane – handed out bargaining stickers.
• We had a brief discussion on improving the communications network for this committee, to ensure notices of meetings are sent out on a timely basis to all concerned.

Adjourned at 6:55pm

With the assistance of a Conciliation Officer, the Prince Rupert Airport and the Public Service Alliance of Canada reached a tentative agreement on January 25, 2008. The three (3) year agreement was ratified by the membership on February 6, 2008.

The agreement provides for economic increases of 2.25% in each year of the agreement. It also contains many improvements to the benefits and insurance plans and the vacation leave provisions.

The revised collective agreement has an expiry date of November 30, 2009.

The next North Central Area Council meeting will be held …

• Saturday February 16, 2008, 10AM
• HEU Hall (corner of 3rd and Dominion), Prince George

Agenda:

1. Elections for the positions of President, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Vice-Presidents,Secretary,and Treasurer.
2. Election of a delegate to the BC Region convention in Vancouver–April 18-20, 2008
3. Bargaining Update

For more information, please email Colette Savarie.

Northwest B.C. Area Council Meeting September 8, 2007

Attendance:

• Phyllis Bortignon USGE 20071
• Barry Cunningham UCTE 20213
• Penny Dickson CEIU 20926
• Benilde Gomes USGE 20071
• Scott MacPhee UCTE 20213
• Nikki McVey CEIU 20926
• Colette Savarie PSAC BC Regional Representative

Call to Order: Benilde opened meeting at 11:15am

Adoption of Agenda: Motion made to accept Agenda as read and carried.

Continue reading below or download the NorthWest Area Council meeting minutes - Sept 8 2007 (pdf)

(more…)

Northwest B.C. Area Council Annual General Meeting March 24, 2007

Attendance:

Phyllis Bortignon USGE 20071

Penny Dickson CEIU 20926

Benilde Gomes USGE 20071

Dale Gueret UEW 20147

Scott MacPhee UCTE 20213

Sean McGovernCEUDA 20042

Nikki McVeyCEIU 20926

Jack Rudd PSAC CULE Regional Representative

Terry Intermala Prince Rupert Unemployed Society

Call to Order: Benilde opened meeting at 7:10pm

Adoption of Agenda: Motion made to accept Agenda as read and carried.

Continue reading below or download the NorthWest Area Council meeting minutes, March 24 2007 (pdf)

|inline

Join the PSAC Regional Education Program for an Open House and Union Cafe on Friday, March 23rd

• Regional Education Program Open House and Union Cafe
• Friday, March 23rd 7pm-9pm
• Coast Prince Rupert Hotel, 118 6th Street, Banquet Room

The PSAC Regional Education Program is hitting the road to talk to members about your education needs! We’ve just started a new 3 year cycle for the program, and we need your help in identifying the short and long term goals and direction of our program. This is your union education program so come out and tell us what kinds of courses and training you’d like to see offered!

Light refreshments will be served.

Negotiations between the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Prince Rupert Airport Authority were held from March 13 to 15, 2007. The parties reached agreement on several issues. However, several major issues remain outstanding including vacation, benefits, and wages.

The first negotiation session was held from January 9 to 11, 2007. The next meeting dates are yet to be confirmed. The collective agreement expired November 30, 2006.

Draft Minutes of the Prince George Area Council meeting

November 4, 2006

In attendance:

• Patt Holmes
• Debbie Stangrecki
• Sandy Stephens
• Val Bergey
• Ren MacDonald
• Freda Anthony
• Julie Jacobsen
• Ruth Stewart
• Diane Beaulieu
• Floyd Knelsen
• Narinder Minhas
• Judy Fowlie
• Doreen Le Ves Conte

|inline

Northwest BC Area Council October 21, 2006 meeting in Prince Rupert

Attendance:

• Penny Dickson (CEIU Local 20926)
• Benilde Gomes (USGE Local 20071)
• Phyllis Bortignon (USGE Local 20071)
• Michael Ballard (UEW)
• Gabe McLean (UCTE Local 20215)
• Sean McGovern (CEUDA Local 20042)

Call to Order: Benilde called meeting to order at 7:38 p.m.

Continue reading below, or download the NorthWest Area Council meeting minutes, October 21 2006 (pdf)

|inline

Fraser Valley Area Council Annual General Meeting

• Wednesday Nov 1, 2006 dinner 5-6, meeting 6-8 pm
• Cross Roads Restaurant 1821 Sumas Way Abbotsford
• Agenda:

• Election of Officers
• Financial Report
• By-Law amendment (see attached pdf)
• Bargaining
• District Labour Council

Attendance:

• Barry Cunningham (UCTE)
• Sean McGovern (CEUDA Local 20042)
• Penny Dickson, (CEIU Local 20926)
• Lynnda Rydgaard (USGE Local 20071)
• Phyllis Bortignon (USGE Local 20071)
• Benilde Gomes (USGE Local 20071)
• Jack Rudd (PSAC CULE) Regional Representative

Call to order: Benilde called meeting to order at 6:16 p.m. and welcomed Jack as our guest.

Continue reading below, or download the NWAC minutes May 27 2006 (pdf)

|inline

Here is the upcoming education and meeting schedule for June …

For the full schedules, visit the education page or the calendar pages. Apply online for these courses.

Northwest B.C. Area Council April 22, 2006 Meeting in Prince Rupert

Attendance:

• Barry Cunningham (UCTE)
• Sean McGovern (CEUDA)
• Phyllis Bortignon (USGE Local 20071)
• Benilde Gomes (USGE Local 20071)
• Mike Ballard (UEW) - regrets

Call to order: Benilde called meeting to order at 7:32 p.m.

Minutes of January 26, 2006 meeting: Barry motioned to accept the minutes of the previous meeting.
Sean seconded the motion.

Download the Northwest Area Council meeting minutes, April 22 2006 (pdf) or continue reading below.

|inline

Here are some recent additions and changes to the PSAC education schedule:

Visit the education page to see all the courses scheduled to date. Register for these courses online.

Please note some recent additions the PSAC BC education schedule …

Visit the education page to see all the courses scheduled to date. Register for these courses online.

The BCGEU Aboriginal Council is supporting this important initiative by distributing “Stop Violence Against Aboriginal Women” buttons, and gathering donations to support the walk.

Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George has been dubbed the “highway of tears” because of the heartbreak associated with the many cases of young women who have vanished or whose bodies have been found along the road. Most of the women have been Aboriginal.

The walk begins in Prince Rupert on Saturday, March 11, with the first steps taken by Florence Naziel, and other supporters. Florence is a 56-yearold grandmother from the Frog Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation. Her cousin’s daughter went missing along Highway 16. Florence is challenging herself to walk 20–30 kilometers a day and she invites anyone who wants to support her in her mission to honor the families of the missing or murdered women.

|inline

Hadani Ditmars, an internationally known journalist based in Canada, will be speaking in Prince George at the College of New Caledonia on Wed., March 8th/06 at 7:00pm. (International Women’s Day)

The meeting is organized by the Northern Women’s Forum and the Active Voice Coalition. Everyone is invited to participate in this event and meet Ms. Ditmars.

Sponsored by: Status of Women Committee - Faculty Association of College of New Caledonia.

Unfortunately, the March 4/06 IWD breakfast hosted by the Local Labour Council is now sold out. A dozen sisters from PSAC will be in attendance.

Northwest B.C. Area Council January 29, 2006 Meeting

Attendance:

• Michael Ballard, UEW 20147
• Phyllis Bortignon, USGE 20071
• Barry Cunningham, UCTE 20213
• Albert DeMedeiros, UCTE 20215
• Penny Dickson, CEIU 20926
• Benilde Gomes, USGE 20071
• Scott MacPhee, UCTE 20213
• Gabe McLean, UCTE 20215

Special Guest Speaker: Patty Ducharme, PSAC REVP-BC spoke to members regarding the changes she expects to see happen within PSAC since the federal election this past week. Patty foresees a freeze in hiring within PSAC and other cutbacks from the newly elected Progressive Conservative Minority government.

Download the Northwest BC Area Council January 29th meeting minutes or read below.

|inline