Lethbridge Area Council Minutes - Apr 9 2013

Minutes of the Meeting of the Lethbridge and District Area Council
April 9, 2013

In attendance:

Greg Krokosh (30027), President; Sherry Hunt (30048), Vice-President; David Pearson (30048), Secretary/Treasurer; Raj Hari, PSAC Regional Rep; Shannan Little (30048); Ray Wilson (30048), Stephanie Erb (30048); Herhald Mark (30048); Shirley Stolk (30048); Susan Krysztofiak (30048);Tasma Ramsey (30027); Diane White (30027); Christine Krokosh (30027); Rhonda Dixen-Bellows(30027); Christopher Allen (30027); Tyler Melling (30027); Maria Fitzpatrick (70041); Dave Degenstein (30036); Marlene St. Onge (30036)

Guests:

Robyn Benson (National President), Shannon Phillips (CEP 445))

Called to order: 1800 hours

Agenda:

1) Agenda was adopted as presented

2) Minutes of the October 24, 2012 meeting was read and adopted with corrections

3) Area Council Treasurer reported as adopted

• As of April 9, 2013, the bank balance: $1,619.84

2) ClC Political Action Conference - Sister Little

• There were 1800 activist attended the conference in Toronto
• The Rand formula appears to be under attack and the labour movement must protect it
• We must say 'My Union' or 'Our Union' and not 'The Union'; the union is US - its members
• We must promote our union successes

3) Guest Speaker- Sister Benson

• Sister Benson spoke on her experiences as the newly minted PSAC National President. It was easier to meet MP's as a REVP. A successful meeting with Ministers is judged by its length and is not what is said.
• Cuts to the public services - the public are suffering; this government does not see it as a problem
• We need to get our members out to vote in all elections - get out the vote campaign will happen for the next election
• The Unions are under attack by the Right: PSAC is hated ; Right to work (the right to work for less) is being talk about- could be in the form of one of the following:

1. Federal government employees under the National Joint Council,
2. Federally regulated employees, or
3. Employees under the Canadian Labour Code Part II

• We as PSAC members must brag about the successes of the PSAC; This is part of the One on One Campaign that is coming soon

1. Members signs pledge cards to show support

• Federal election appears to be in Spring of 2015
• Get out the vote campaign
• The sick leave issue: Is being use to deflect the cuts to the public service and the loss of public services and the loss of the middle class

1. 19,000 members on sick leave, on disability insurance, or on leave without payout of 400,000 (4.75%) on any given day
2. The press in Ottawa understands the misinformation but the press outside of Ottawa does not.
3. PSAC will not negotiated Sick leave - 'we will be successful by members like you and your activism'
4. Note: after the Federal budget release, PSAC wanted to talk media about the cuts. The PMO and the ministers offices phone the reports to tell them about the sick leave, thus the questions were about sick leave and not about the cuts - controlling the message

• Bill C-377

1. All local needs to do a tax form
2. Goes against the Charter of Rights and Freedoms

Media relations

• PSAC has a communication Section, does have a website, are on most social media sites and we do interviews a lot (mostly Ottawa media). We cannot fight fire with fire (i.e. television ads) as the cost is expensivewe do not have deep pockets as like our oppression. We use other routes i.e. social media and it can be very effective if done correctly
• Watch YouTube
• Public needs to know how 'We are All Affected' but we need to be careful in what we say as for example: NRC had a website that had to be removed and PSAC had to apologize for some of the content

Picketing MP's has resulted in labour to be seen as trouble makers

• CLC polls show this
• We must do more community work and show that we are part of the community

Bargaining highlights

• TC - has there PIC waiting for reply from Treasury Board
• FB - PIC in end of April
• CFIA - waiting for the PIC
• CRA - April 30 Day of Action
• St. John's Airport on strike for 6 months so far
• Outreach to other Unions as we are fighting the same battle- loss of benefits
• We are fighting to keep the benefits we have and this is kitchen table discussions.The unions have to work together; Remember the one-one conservations

4) Sister Shannon Phillips (Works for Alberta Federation of Labour)

• 20% of employment in Lethbridge is Public Sector Workers
• A lost of 200 Public Sector workers and reduction of $23M in Lethbridge's GDP as a result of Alberta's 2013 Budget

5) National Day of Mourning

•  On April 28 at noon at Mountain View Cemetery

6) PSAC Regional Office - Brother Hari

• Leadership Training for the One on ne Campaign for leaders in Calgary
• Local training for the One on One Campaign later

7) Prairie Regional Women Conference - Sister Hunt

• It will be in Banff
• There could be demonstration against the privatization of the Hot Springs
• Sister Hunt and Sister Little will be giving a presentation on social media

8) Budget Watch was in the Lethbridge Public Library and we had some of allies with us watching the budget

9) The meeting was adjourned at 20:00

10) Next meeting May 1, 2013