2008 UEW twelfth Triennial National Convention Summary Report

Registered Delegates 72
Registered Observers 40

A quick summary of the budget and some major resolutions passed will be given below, for a further or more complete and detailed report you can check out the UEW website, or check with your local delegates or observers. (John Coltess, Robert Armstrong, Delegates, and Michael Lister, Observer)

Budget for 2009-2011 was accepted

Total budget for the three years was 5,171,609 broken down over three years as follows:

2009: $1,695,171 which equals a dues increase of 3.38 C/M/M (cost/member/month)

2010: $1,702,169 which equals a further dues increase of 0.11 C/M/M

2011: $1,774,269 which equals a further dues increase of $1.09 C/M/M

Further finance resolutions called for an increase in our per diem expenses to a total of $96.00/day broken down as follows: (increase of $12.00/day total) (Resolution 2)

Breakfast:$15.00

Lunch:$23.00

Supper:$38.00

Incidentals:$20.00

UEW will pay $25.00/day training allowance to members who attend PSAC weekend training (Resolution 11a)

There were some By-law resolutions which will be found in the main report on the website

Regional Vice-Presidents have the right to vote at UEW convention committees returned to them (combined Resolutions 33,34,35,36 & 37)

UEW will petition the PSAC to consult with its members, with the objective of reviewing and revising policy paper #12 (superannuation) so that it is responsive to the needs of its members in today's society. (resolution #52)

UEW will support and promote the UEW compensation advisors in their classification issue and the roundtable report. (combined Resolutions 59,61 & 62)

UEW and PSAC will lobby the employer to retain the technical positions by insisting on the importance and necessity of these positions within the various departments. (Resolution 67)

The term employment policy will be put on the agenda at all appropriate national meetings with the intent of strengthening the language of the policy in favour of our members, and UEW will petition PSAC to do the same. (Resolution 73)

The UEW will petition members of Table 3 two years prior to the end of this upcoming contract in order to see which bargaining route members desire for the next round of negotiations. (Resolution 83)

When a dispute resolution vote is taken by the membership, the decision reached by that vote can only be changed by another membership vote (Resolution 86)

UEW will request another vote for arbitration vs. conciliation with the outcome to be the accepted dispute resolution mechanism until such time as the membership of the Technical Services bargaining unit requests a vote to change the dispute resolution mechanism, and UEW will lobby PSAC to amend Regulation 15, section 3.12, to ensure this is reflected and to delete that the NBoD (National Board of Directors) can make the decision to change the dispute settlement mechanism. (Resolution 88)

The PSAC review its present procedures for conducting membership votes and adopt a less complex, more timely and shorter procedure. (Resolution 90)

Employees who hold certification and are designated to be Industrial First Aid Attendants be paid a premium bonus of $1.00 per hour worked. (Resolution 93)

The UEW and the PSAC shall ask for special conditions allowing persons with a Certified Service Animal to take leave for family-related responsibilities for the care of their animal or when their animal needs special care. Resolution 94)

When there is approved leave with income averaging, members of UEW and the PSAC shall have one year in which it may be taken without it being consecutive (minimum one week) (Resolution 96)

The language contained in Article 38(i) of the TC Collective agreement be replaced by the following: i.e. "For the purpose of this clause only, all service within the Public Service, whether continuous or discontinuous, shall count toward vacation leave" (Resolution 98)

The PSAC negotiate a Supplemental Unemployment Benefit (SUB) Plan to "top-up" the Compassionate Care Benefits similar to the Maternity Leave "top-up" Benefits. (Resolution 100)

The PSAC negotiate a six-week leave for Compassionate care (Resolution 101)

The UEW shall forward to the PSAC Collective Bargaining Branch a resolution asking to have ten days family-related leave (Resolution 102)

The PSAC negotiate the definition of family to include in-laws, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. (Resolution 103)