The National Executive met during the first week of May, as well as this past week for our Executive Committee Meeting and our various labour management meetings with the Employer. During our meetings in May, the senior management from each region was also present during our NLMC. This meeting saw a farewell to Senior Deputy Commissioner, Alain Tousignant, and Quebec’s Regional Deputy Commissioner, Alessandria Page, who both decided to take their retirement. We wish them well in retirement and look forward to seeing who will replace them permanently in these key positions. Here are some key issues discussed during these meetings.
CD 004
The work on the 22–23 FTE’s funding is complete, and a draft of Annex B of CD 004 has been shared with the union. Work has begun to finalize this document, which will define the roles and scopes of operational adjustment to the new positions found during the deployment review. Committee members John Randle, Pacific Regional President, and Justin Keltch, Stony Mountain, Local President, have done a tremendous amount of work to finalize these documents. These changes in FTEs obviously come with the need to amend schedules in institutions affected by the review. Work is being done in those locals now.
Scheduling
As many sites are currently doing the work to develop new schedules, given the changes to the deployment standards, some key issues surrounding Appendix K of our Collective Agreement were discussed with the Employer. The Employer’s representatives on the National Scheduling Committee had been communicating with the local sites completing the work on new schedules, direction to amend schedules that are not impacted by the new deployment levels. This was corrected with the Employer. Only those schedules that are impacted by the new funding levels need to be reviewed. Our national representatives Mike Bolduc, Quebec Regional President, and Derek Chin, Pacific Regional Vice President, will hold a meeting with each of our regional scheduling representatives in mid-June to clarify the process and discuss Appendix K and the schedule bulletin. There is one principle that is very clear, however, the development and implementation of schedules are a joint process. CSC cannot unilaterally impose a schedule on our membership. Schedules have a direct impact on quality of life and proper work/life balance. Our Employer needs to understand that good schedules lead to more productive work. While the interest of the Employer always seems to be economical, when looking at scheduling options, they must understand that there is a cost to the quality of life for those working. We will keep you informed on the progress of this file.
Work Tools
We continue to carefully monitor the procurement of the dual-threat vest and needlestick resistant gloves. The pilot, that was done, concluded that the Hex Armor glove was favoured over the Mechanix wear model. The specs developed by the subcommittee doing this evaluation have now been sent for procurement. We continue to pressure the Employer to move quickly in acquiring these needed tools.
Regulation on the Use of the Body Scanner
The official consultation on the regulations to the CCRA was published in the Canada Gazette on May 6. These regulations also lay out proposed changes to the use of dry cells. The purchase price of the body scanners is estimated at $275,000 per unit, which includes installation costs, training requirements and minor infrastructure changes to accommodate the installation. CSC plans to install 33 additional body scanners over the next five years. It will be a victory for the union’s work on this long-standing issue when they begin the installation more broadly. The work is not done, CSC will have to consult with the union when they amend their directives and policies to mirror these new regulations once enacted.
Firearm Simulation
CSC will be purchasing firearm simulators in the next few months. Representatives of our Training Committee attended the RCMP depot in Regina on May 22 to witness and try the firearm simulation used by the RCMP. The system procured by the CSC is comparable to the system used by the RCMP. This new tool will enhance scenario-based training and will be used to complement and enhance our current training. We expect that the CSC will follow the lead of the RCMP and make significant investments in this firearms simulator and mirror their state-of-the-art facility. The first simulator will be installed in the National Training Academy in Kingston this summer.
Congress of the CSN
The 67th CSN convention took place from May 15 to 19. The delegation of UCCO-SACC-CSN, being one of the largest delegate bodies of the various CSN union bodies, witnessed a great week of debate and solidarity events. During the triennial budget, UCCO-SACC-CSN received confirmation that our administrative assistant in the Quebec Region will now be full-time to aid in national files. The budget, which passed, also included salary dollars for a full-time mobilization advisor for UCCO-SACC-CSN. The Executive Committee of the CSN remains unchanged and our former coordinator/negotiator, François Énault, was re-elected as First Vice President. Congratulations to François and the rest of the Executive Committee on your election. Our affiliation with the CSN is stronger than ever.
Blurring institutions on Google Earth.
CSC has now engaged their legal department to blur our institutions on the Google platform. Though this file seems to be very complicated to finalize, both sides of the labour management table agree that this is a security threat.
Safety and Security
A meeting has been scheduled with various CSC representatives from NHQ and all ADDCO’s across the country at the end of June. This is a sub-committee of the National Health and Safety Policy Committee for correctional officers only. It is usually the ideal place to talk about technical improvements or innovative solutions to ensure the health and safety of the CX group. We look forward to hearing what initiatives the Employer is taking to ensure safety in our working environment. Stay tuned for details that will emerge from this meeting.
As summer is fast approaching, your National Executive would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a good summer and hope that everyone gets an opportunity to get some well-deserved rest away from the workplace with friends and family.
In Solidarity,
Your National Executive