BC/YT Region

Regional Union Management Consultation Committee (RUMCC)

Record of Discussions for December 10, 2007

 

Participants

 

Union

Pat Wakefield            NVP, CEIU (Canada Employment & Immigration Union)

Dianne Mitchell          Alternate NVP, CEIU (Canada Employment & Immigration Union)

Roberta Gale             Representative, ACFO (Association of Canadian Financial Officers)

Derek Brackley         Representative, CAPE (Canadian Association of Professional Employees)

Ed Zdancewicz          Representative, PIPSC (Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada)

 

Management

Andy Netzel                            Regional Executive Head (Chair)

Lynn Jackson             Senior Director, Citizen Services

Anne Milne                             Senior Director, Processing & Payment Services

Con Leonidas                        A/Director, Human Resources

Judith Walton             A/Manager, Human Resources

Crystal Johnston                    A/Team Leader, Human Resources

 

Support to the Committee

Cynthia Lam                          Regional Executive Head Office

 

 

Review of Record of Discussions for October 16, 2007

It was noted that the TBS Information Bulletin, dated August 2, 2007, on Variable Hours of Work / Compressed Work Week has been retracted and employees will be paid accordingly.

 

 

 

1.      Review of RUMCC Terms of Reference  - Derek Brackley

A Terms of Reference Sub-Committee has been established to review the RUMCC Terms of Reference and is meeting on December 11th.  Members of this sub-committee are Derek Brackley, Pat Wakefield, Lamont Nielson, Lynn Jackson, Anne Milne, Con Leonidas and Judith Walton. 

 

2.      One-Person Offices – Pat Wakefield

Pat Wakefield spoke on the issue of small offices which on many occasions become a one-person office.  These occasions occur when staff is not in the office due to illness, work responsibilities (e.g., project work in the community), training, etc.  Pat highlighted a local written policy in Northern BC, which included leave provisions, signage and Officer-in-Charge responsibilities.  Pat raised a concern about SCC Quesnel. She mentioned the physical state of the staff entrance, crime in the area and the lack of personal protective devices. There have been two incidents where police were called. There have been efforts to address these issues locally. 

 

Judith Walton stated that personal protective devices have been ordered.  She will check into when they are expected to arrive in offices.  Lynn Jackson will follow up with the director regarding the written document.

 

Derek Brackley asked about Outreach workers and the organization’s preference for one-person offices.  Andy Netzel stated that a national Health & Safety survey of Outreach and Integrity workers, small offices and offices in remote areas recognized that one-person offices are not preferred.  Outreach staff normally work in pairs.

 

Derek Brackley asked if a report was filed regarding the police response time for the incident at the Quesnel office.  Pat Wakefield and Judith Walton will check into it.

 

3.      Consolidation of Processing & Payment Services – Pat Wakefield

Pat Wakefield stated the lack of knowledge about the consolidation of sites for Processing & Payment Services has lead to staff concern and speculation.  There is fear that:

-          a “no-growth office” means “no office”.

-          unfilled positions, due to attrition, mean offices getting smaller and smaller.

-          offices will close even though there is still work to be done and a presence needed in the community.  Will jobs be guaranteed for ten years? 

-          the unknown site for the Lower Mainland office will impact on commuting.  Will the commute be reasonable?

-          staff will not be presented with the options and a chance for input and influence.

 

Andy Netzel noted that both he and Anne Milne have visited a number of offices around the region and have openly discussed consolidation plans.  It has been known for some time that EI Processing will be consolidated to three sites in BC – Kamloops, Nanaimo, and one in the Lower Mainland.  The location of the Lower Mainland office is unknown at this time due to the lease and accommodation situation in the area.

 

Anne Milne spoke about the Edmonton/Meadowlark experience in which staff was asked to relocate or work in another business line.  Anne has visited the Vancouver office to talk about the Lower Mainland facility and Andy will be in Surrey later this week.  Anne acknowledged that a short-term extension to the lease is in the works for the Surrey office.  Abbotsford’s lease continues and the Vancouver office is in a government building.  

 

Dianne Mitchell expressed concerns of staff in the Abbotsford office about commuting to work in Vancouver.  Anne Milne stated that she will be meeting with staff in Abbotsford on December 13th; and welcomed Diane to attend the meeting.

 

Pat Wakefield shared the experience of the closure of Processing unit in the North Shore office.  Staff relocated to the Burnaby site or made other work arrangements.  In one case, a staff member took a demotion.  She stated that known situations like this cause some mistrust with this new venture.

 

Dianne Mitchell stated that Anne’s visit to the Surrey office was positively received and appreciated by staff.  Andy committed to current, timely communication to staff.

 

4.      Yearly Agenda / Planners – Pat Wakefield

Pat Wakefield raised a concern about inconsistency in the purchase of yearly agendas/planners.  Pat explained that some staff who use their agenda to take meeting notes and to schedule next meeting dates at meetings was unable to purchase them.

 

Lynn Jackson explained that as Service Canada is no longer printing agendas, this region adopted an approach for a transition year in 2008 to move away from automatically providing agendas, so that such purchases in future years will be done on an exceptional basis only.  Al Thiessen, Director CFOB, issued an email on October 31, 2007 outlining this approach.  In his email, Al offered a few choices for agendas/planners and advised directors to identify an operational need for these purchases this year.  There should be a demonstrated need for these products that cannot be met by the use of Microsoft Outlook or the use of notebooks. 

 

Pat Wakefield stated that the concern is the consistency in approach across all offices.  Andy Netzel agreed to re-communicate on this issue and agreed with the request to have all members treated fairly.  He also requested that Shannon Baggott, our Sustainability coordinator, address this issue along with other messages on greening the work environment.

 

5.      National Workload Management System – Pat Wakefield

Anne Milne provided an update on the National Workload Management System.  The pilot in Manitoba and Saskatchewan continues to be challenging.  BC and Alberta are currently helping with their workloads, and Ontario has trained ten staff on the system and are helping as well.  Staff report that they like the system, but are frustrated with the system’s lack of ability and functionality to distribute, monitor and track the work.  It is expected that modifications in March will improve consistent productivity. 

 

Pat Wakefield stated that members feel that the system will work, but are currently frustrated with their unfinished workload at the end of the day.  Pat will watch for updates from Anne.

 

 

 

1.      REH Update – Andy Netzel

Over 70,000 Common Experience Payment applications have been moved to Indian Residential Schools Canada for final assessment.  Andy thanks and congratulates staff for a job well done.

 

The high uptake from the public for eco-Auto has resulted in a backlog of applications.   Plans are for a full capacity of 150 staff working on this popular service offering.

 

Service Canada Management Board has decided that all staff must have learning plans.  The target is for 90% of staff to have a learning plan by the end of the fiscal year.  More details will be forwarded shortly from Human Resources.

 

2.      Regional Structure Model (Service Management Structural Model) – Andy Netzel

A proposed regional structure is being prepared.  Once approved the model and communication materials will be shared with managers and staff.  Andy shared the following aspects of the model:

-          As of April 1, 2008, there will be one region:  BC/Alberta/Territories.

-          There will be one Processing & Payment Services branch, one Integrity branch, one Strategic & Communication Services branch, one Regional Executive Head Office and two Citizen Services branches-one each for BC/YT and AB/NWT/NU. 

-          The Regional Executive Head will be titled the “Executive Head of Service Management” and local directors will be Service Management Area Directors.

 

Dianne Mitchell asked when the information will be shared with staff.  Andy Netzel expects that management and staff briefings will start in mid-January, 2008.  The regional model will be covered in detail at the Leadership Conference scheduled for the BC/AB/Territories Region on February 5-7, 2008. 

 

Derek Brackley asked about generic work descriptions.  Andy Netzel stated that approximately 22-23 new national generic work descriptions have been written for use with the structural model. 

 

3.      Labour Market Development Agreement / Labour Market Agreement (LMDA/LMA) – Lynn Jackson

Lynn Jackson reported that negotiations continue to progress with the Province of BC, with the possibility of an agreement being signed in early 2008.  Con Leonidas is working on elements of an Employee Transfer Agreement.  The province has also been provided with a draft systems agreement.  Work continues on the Gs&Cs projects, as well as on privacy and information-sharing agreements.

 

The first meeting was held with the Yukon Territory.  Nathalie Dugas, Director, Yukon Service Area, is on the negotiation team.  The Yukon Territory is very interested in an LMDA and an LMA. 

 

Lynn Jackson has been visiting offices and meeting with staff.  Until LMDA agreements are signed, there are no details.  Lynn encouraged program staff to start thinking about the future and their possible options and decision points.  Some staff want to continue their work for the Province while others prefer to stay with the federal government or want to wait for more information before they decide.  Lynn reminded everyone that Service Canada has an obligation to transfer to the Province sufficient capacity for program service delivery. 

 

Pat Wakefield asked about the communication process.  Lynn Jackson stated that a Communication Protocol is in place and that at the end of each negotiation meeting, key messages are confirmed between both negotiating teams to share with staff.  However, this does not constrain Ministers.  Lynn stated that Ministers will craft their own messages, such as what recently occurred at the ASPECT conference.

 

Dianne Mitchell inquired as to the January 31, 2009 date mentioned by BC Minister Colin Hansen.  Lynn Jackson stated that a date has not yet been negotiated.

 

Pat Wakefield asked if there was an embargo on deployments as management was hiring from external processes.  Con Leonidas confirmed that there is no embargo on deployments.  Deployments continue to be regularly approved by the Staffing Review Committee. 

 

Dianne Mitchell asked when the unions will become involved with the LMDA process.  Con Leonidas stated that as soon as an agreement is signed, a Workforce Adjustment Committee will be established, which will involve union participation.

 

4.      Update on Workload Distribution Sub-Committee

Lynn Jackson reported that the joint union-management sessions on performance management continue to take place (December 13th in Northern BC, and January 8th in CPP/OAS/Southern Vancouver Island).  There is a general sense that this sub-committee’s work may be done.  Their next meeting in January 2008 will review and evaluate their work, and may be the last one.

 

 

 

Pat Wakefield inquired as to staff working in Chetwynd.  Management advised that there is no SCC office; staff have been there for claims-taking.  Service Canada does provide Outreach in MacKenzie and has hired a local person on a part-time basis. 

 

Roberta Gale asked about the security breach in October in which a laptop computer was stolen which contained information on CPP/OAS clients and employees.  Letters have been sent to all affected clients and employees. 

-          Most affected clients were located in Nova Scotia and their letter stated that they are to call the 1-800 Service Canada number or visit an SCC office.  There were two affected clients in Alberta. 

-          Most affected employees were in Ontario, and they received letters providing details of what information has been compromised.  Pat Wakefield stated that she is aware of one affected employee in Terrace, B.C.

 

 

Next Meeting

 

Monday, February 4, 2008, 1:30 – 4:00 p.m.

REH Boardroom, 15th Floor, Regional Headquarters, Library Square