CULE

PSAC Convention Report – May 3

Patrick — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:40:32 +0000

Despite some glitches with the electronic voting system delegates elected Robyn Benson as National President of the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Chris Aylward was elected NVP.

CULE will be meeting with both of them on May 4.

PSAC Convention report – May 2

Patrick — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:23:56 +0000

There were a number of resolutions passed today none of which had the significance of yesterday’s content.

General Resolutions on anti-bullying campaign and safe drinking water for first nations both passed unanimously. A Constitution Committee resolution calling for all DCL’s to be put into a DCL Component was tabled. Finally, a resolution calling for full time elected officers to only collect strike pay while their bargaining unit is on strike passed unanimously.

The CULE Executive also held a National UMC with the A/Director of ROB and Suzanne Brandon of HR. It lasted 1 1/2 hours and dealt with upwards of 23 agenda items. Minutes will be posted of the UMC next week.

Tomorrow will determine who will be the next National President of the PSAC. We have approached each of the mainstream candidates for National President (Ducharme, Benson & Brooker) and requested a meeting with them on Friday if they are elected. This meeting will be held to discuss the litany of CULE issues which have gone without responses from the employer.

In Solidarity, CULE Executive

PSAC Convention Report – May 1

Patrick — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:54:47 +0000

After much debate the special levy ($2.58/per member, per month) related to the PSAC staff pension plan was passed by the delegates. The budget was also passed by the delegates. A couple of other resolutions which were dealt with by the Convention was an increase to the Political Action line item (.26 cents dues increase); fully funded regional conventions was defeated by the delegates. A CULE meeting takes place Tuesday evening which will include the Executive, CULE members working the Convention and any interested CULE members in the NCR. One last note…a special retirement get together took place on Monday night in honour of the former National Secretary for CULE, Brother Bob Allen.

In Solidarity, CULE Executive

PSAC Convention Report – April 30

Patrick — Tue, 01 May 2012 02:11:54 +0000

The first full day of Triennial Convention was spent debating the budget. The main items of debate were related to the budget as a whole; special levy for staff pension plan and a special levy which will kick in if the PSAC membership drops below 170,000.

A referral back to the Finance Committee to remove the special levy for the staff pension plan and the special levy if the membership drops below 170,000 was defeated. The delegates did pass a motion to divide the budget into three different parts. The first would be the special levy on the staff pension plan; the second would be the special levy if the membership drops and the third was the budget overall.

The Finance Committee will do some work as per the delegates referral and report back to Convention on Tuesday. In the meantime, it is expected that the Constitution Committee will be first up on Tuesday morning.

In Solidarity

CULE Executive.

2nd CULE Convention Survey

Patrick — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:51:29 +0000

All members are encouraged to take the 2nd CULE Convention Survey, below. If you are having problems with the online form or would prefer to fax in a hard copy, download one here.

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Protected: Minutes: CULE Executive Meeting – March 14 2012

Patrick — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:48:55 +0000

Digging through the CULE archives – vol 5

Patrick — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:15:21 +0000

The Canadian Union of Labour Employees (CULE) have been representing the staff in regional offices since 1976. Bernie Dixon (Halifax RO) was the very first CULE President. Over that 36 year period many regional office staff have volunteered to sit on the CULE Executive and deal with the affairs of their union. The following lists identify the many CULE members who have stepped up and provided their services, in a variety of positions, to CULE members. We want to thank the members who have done this in the past and the members who are currently doing this. We would also like to thank the members who will do this in the future.

CULE Executive Members

1970’s

President: Bernie Dixon (Unit I); Gilles Robinson (Unit I); Larry Gagnon (Unit I)
VP-Unit I: Rosemary Warskett; Larry Gagnon; Gilles Robinson
VP-Unit II: Nil
Secretary/Treasurer: Jean Ouellette (Unit I; combined position); Elaine Fowler (Unit I)
Directors:
- BC/YT/NWT – James Breckenridge (Unit I).
- Que – Fredretee Frechette (Unit I); Johanne Tremblay (Unit I); JC Plamondon (Unit I)
- Ont – Richard Belanger (Unit I); Pam Kirkwood (Unit I)
- NCR – Brian Reid (Unit I)
- Atlantic – Mike Tynes (Unit I); Don Clarke (Unit I)
- Prairies – Elaine Fowler; Harvey Shaw (Unit I)

1980’s

President: Larry Gagnon; Jean Ouellette; Fritz Bauer (Unit I);
Mark Krakowski (Unit I) ; Lynn MacKenzie (Unit II)
VP-Unit I: Bob Allen; Greg Maruca; Jean Desrochers
VP-Unit II: Katherine Alexis; Deidre Wiest; Sheila Gannon
Secretary: Lynn Robinson (Unit II); Anny Devries (Unit II; combined position); Mark Krakowski (combined position)
Treasurer: Bob Boucher (Unit I); Arthur Carkner (Unit I)
Directors:
- BC/Territories – Moe Ritchie (Unit I); Jim Brohman (Unit I);
- Gary Owen (Unit I)
- Que – Yves Racette (Unit I)
- Ont – Janet Spencer (Unit I)
- NCR – Jackie Desrochers (Unit II) ; Alain Piche (Unit I) ; Penny Bertrand (Unit I) ; Blanche Roy (Unit I)
- Atlantic – Don Clarke (Unit I) ; Gary Bannister (Unit I)
- Prairies – Fritz Bauer; Pat Davis (Unit I); Joanna Miazga (Unit I)

1990’s

President: Moe Ritchie; Jim Brohman
VP-Unit I: Pat Davis; Mike MacDonald; Larry Welsh
VP Unit II: Linda Vaillancourt; Pam Keough/Peckford
Secretary: Anne Betts (Unit I); Angela Fairweather (Unit I); Nancy MacLean (Unit I)
Treasurer: Joanna Miazga; Lynn Eaton (Unit II)
Directors:
- BC – Don Schultz (Unit I); Regina Brennan (Unit I); Al Hadvick (Unit I)
- Que – Johanne Tremblay (Unit I); Roger Vaillancourt (Unit I); Michele Houle (Unit I)
- Ont – Art Curtis (Unit I); Maureen Leyland (Unit I); Dave Doyle (Unit I); Tom Hamilton (Unit I)
- NCR – Blanche Roy; Lisa Rossignol (Unit II); Terri-Lee Rayals-Mele (Unit I); Arthur Carkner; Lynn MacKenzie
- Atlantic – Gary Bannister
- Prairies – Diedre Wiest (Unit II); Fritz Bauer; Gail Chafe (Unit II); Maggie Armstrong (Unit I); Phil Trottier (Unit I)
- Member at Large – Gina David (Unit II); Gail Chafe (Unit II)

2000’s

President: Jim Brohman; Dave Jackson (Unit I); Lisa Garnier (Unit I)
VP-Unit I: Larry Welsh
VP-Unit II: Pam Peckford; Marion Agadzi; Kellie Loshak
Secretary: Marion Agadzi (Unit II); Heather Longstaff (Unit II); Patrick Bragg (Unit II)
Treasurer: Art Curtis; Lise Boucher (Unit II); Heather Beach (Unit II); Gail Chafe
Directors:
- BC – Al Hadvick; Jack Rudd (Unit I); Janelle Ho-Shing (Unit I)
- Ont – Tom Hamilton; Doug Kosakowski (Unit I)
- NCR – Lynn MacKenzie; Arthur Carkner; Bob Allen
- Atlantic – Gary Bannister; Pam Peckford; Debbie McLaughlin (Unit I)
- Prairies – Maggie Armstrong; Dave Jackson; Lisa Garnier; Bruce Campbell (Unit I)
- North – Jim Brohman; Nancy Debrecini (Unit I); Alex Stuit (Unit I)
- Equity – Joan-Ann Gravesande (Unit I)
- Member at Large – May Saunders (Unit II); Gail Chafe (Unit II); Pam Peckford (Unit II); Shelly Jamieson (Unit II)

2010’s

President: Dave Jackson
VP-Unit I: Larry Welsh; Joan-Ann Gravesande
VP-Unit II: Marion Kirin; Pam Peckford
Secretary: Bob Allen; Stephanie Penwarden (Unit I)
Treasurer: Gail Chafe
Directors:
- BC - Janelle Ho-Shing; James Little (Unit I)
- Ont – Doug Kosakowski; Sandra Goodick
- NCR – Jerome Messier (Unit I); Holman Richard (Unit I); Hassan Husseini (Unit I)
- Atlantic – Mark Rogers (Unit I)
- Prairies – Bruce Campbell; Carm Chan (Unit I)
- North – Alex Stuit; Steve Peterson (Unit I); Debbie McLaughlin
- Equity – Joan-Ann Gravesande; Janelle Ho-Shing
- Member at Large – Pam Peckford

Digging through the CULE archives – vol 4

Patrick — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 17:52:16 +0000

Before the world wide web written communications was one of the key methods used when trying to communicate with others. In 1989 CULE decided to create its own newsletter to “enhance communications between CULE members scattered throughout the country and bring us closer together.”

Fred Lang, Regional Representative in the Victoria Regional Office, took on the role of “editor”. Check out the very first issue of the CULE-UCES News.

International Solidarity Update: Railway View Project

Patrick — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:43:04 +0000

Dear Cule Members

The CULE Solidarity Committee provided funding to the Guyana Railway View Literacy Project, this project is dedicated to addressing literacy issues within Guyana. The project was awarded the Annual Award of Service from the Rotary Club.

Please see below the communication and pictures. On behalf of the Railway View Literacy Project please join me in celebrating this honour.

Joan Ann for the CULE Solidarity Committee

Dear friends,

A small note to share with you a very special milestone in the life of the Railway View Literacy Project, today we received the Rotary’s annual award for service (it might as well have been an Oscar!) with great pride, gratitude and a tinge of is-this-really-happening-ness. I thought of each one of you who have helped us along the way and gotten us to this amazing place where we are now. We will soon complete work on our new little centre, we are meeting with a group from De Willem to help them to set up a similar program there and plan to have everyone computer literate by the end of the year!

On behalf of everyone at Railway View, thank you all very much.

Warm regards, Esther

There are more pictures on the blog – www.therailwayviewproject.wordpress.com

CULE statement for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

Patrick — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:58:03 +0000

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination was established six years after an event, known as the Sharpeville tragedy or Sharpeville massacre, which captured worldwide attention. This event involved police opening fire and killing 69 people at a peaceful demonstration against the apartheid “pass laws” in Sharpeville, South Africa, March 21, 1960.

The UN General Assembly called on the international community to increase its efforts to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination when it proclaimed the day as a UN Day of observance in 1966. It also called on all world states and organizations to participate in a program of action to combat racism and racial discrimination in 1983.

Issues of race and racism continue to permeate our society and organization, and we as a Union cannot condone behaviors that are demeaning to individuals because of their race. Certainly, racism at its core detracts from our common purpose of union solidarity. We must continue to confront and challenge racism. Today, on March 21, we ask that you take the time to reflect on the negative impacts incidents of racism have had on our union and our work, and think of ways we can contribute to move us all forward in an inclusive environment.