Advocate Summer 2014 - peiupse.ca Summer 2014.pdf · sensitivity, resume building and interview...

Volume 33 Number 3, Summer 2014 www.peiupse.ca Volume 33 Number 3, Summer 2014 www.peiupse.ca

Prince Edward Island Union of Public Sector Employees

MAILING LABEL

If unable to be delivered, please return to: Union of Public Sector Employees, 4 Enman Crescent, Charlottetown, PEI C1E 1E6

Inside:President’s Message pg. 2

Member Profi le pg. 4-6

THE ADVOCATE Summer 2014

Member Profi le

UPSE2 The Advocate - Summer 2014 www.peiupse.ca

President’s Message

Welcome to the Summer edition of The Advocate.In this edition we are continuing to highlight our Membership through a special profi le series. The union is comprised of its members who are performing important work in Prince Edward Island every day. By highlighting our members we learn about the value of each other’s roles and build a sense of pride and unity in our workplace. Our membership profi le begins on page four of The Advocate.

The union wants to help build awareness about the Canada and European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This deal falls under federal jurisdiction and was signed in principle in the fall of 2013. UPSE is part of a coalition that is working to generate necessary public awareness about CETA. The federal government has not yet made the full text of the document available for public consumption. However, based on what we know about the agreement, it is largely a deal that grants multi-national corporations extensive rights and power. We need to be aware of the ramifi cations that this deal poses in regard to our local

Dear Members,

Debbie Bovyer President, UPSEDebbie Bovyer

economy and democracy. On page eight of this edition of The Advocate I present some of these concerns and ways we can become more informed.

I am pleased to announce that our annual Family Fun Day will continue this year on July 27 in Cavendish at the Shining Waters Fun Park. Tickets for members are available at the union offi ce for $6. Lunch vouchers will also be available at the park for $6 and will include choice of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and hotdogs with fries and pop. I encourage you to purchase tickets for yourself and your family as soon as possible. Tickets are not available for non-family members. Your union believes in bringing members together whether that is working on improving rights in the workplace or gathering for special events to share in good times.

In this edition of The Advocate (page seven) you will also fi nd information about our Bully Free Workplaces Program. We have been hard at work training members to deliver the program to the membership so that we can help members and their employers identify and stop workplace bullying. I encourage you to take this work-shop and tell others about its importance. Together, through education and awareness we can put a stop to workplace bullying and create more productive, healthy workplaces for Islanders.

Debbie Bovyer President, UPSE

UPSE Executive Offi cers

President: Deborah Bovyer [email protected]

First Vice-President: Doug [email protected]

Second Vice-President: Karen Jackson [email protected]

Third Vice-President: Terry [email protected]

Secretary-Treasurer: Kevin Gotell [email protected]

UPSE Staff Hans Connor LLB: Labour Relations Offi cer / Lawyer

[email protected]

Troy Warren: Labour Relations Offi cer(on leave) [email protected]

Andrew Jack: Labour Relations Offi cer [email protected]

Cathy MacKinnon: Resource & Organizing Offi [email protected]

Blair Weeks: Research, Education and Policy [email protected]

Mark Barrett: Communications & Campaigns Offi cer [email protected]

Lisa Rossiter: Offi ce Supervisor [email protected]

Tammy Laybolt: Membership Records Coordinator [email protected]

Mary MacLean: Education and Meetings [email protected]

Janet Compton: Technology & Information Coordinator (temp) [email protected]

is a publication of the Union of Public Sector Employees located at 4 Enman Crescent, Charlottetown, PE, C1E 1E6 telephone: (902) 892-5335, toll free: 1-800-897-8773, fax: (902) 569-8186, e-mail: [email protected], web: www.peiupse.ca.

UPSE is affi liated with the Canadian Labour Congress, the PEI Federation of Labour, and the National Union of Public and General Employees.

UPSE

Day of Mourning

The Advocate - Summer 2014 3www.peiupse.ca

On April 28 this year UPSE members took time to remember workers killed or injured in Prince Edward Island and throughout Canada. Since 1993, over 18,000 workers have died from workplace injury in Canada. Workplace injury and illness can be avoided through proper education and enforcement of occupational health and safety laws.

The PEI Federation of Labour hosted the annual Day of Mourning Ceremony on April 28. The Day of Mourning is not only a day of remembrance, it’s also a day of action. It off ers us an opportunity to stand together to remember those Islanders who have died or been injured on job sites. It’s also a day to commit ourselves to improve workplace health and safety to prevent more deaths and injuries.

On April 28 we ...

• remember all workers stricken with workplace illness, suff ering injuries or killed on the job

• remember children left without a parent and families facing the emotional and economic challenges that come from the loss of a loved one

• remember young workers who are injured and killed at a much higher rate than mature workers

• remember female workers whose hazards are often unrecognized or ignored by health studies

• remember the working wounded who are forced to continue to work because they are denied fair compensation

• remember families and friends who have to nurse or care for ill or injured workers

President Debbie Bovyer attended the Day of Mourning Ceremony at Province House to remember injured workers who have been injured or died in workplace accidents.

Day of Mourning

Famous Peppers and UPSE support young people

For the past two years Famous Peppers Pizzeria and UPSE have partnered with a youth group run by Family Ties staff . The union provides funding for the Youth-at-Risk program through the UPSE has a Heart campaign and also provided meeting space for the youth group to meet. Youth counselors Mike Lyriotokis and Andy Wedge, along with student Jessie MacAulay, recently completed this six-week group with weekly guest speakers talking on topics such as: career decisions, cultural awareness and sensitivity, resume building and interview skills, and internet safety.

The group wrapped up its last session with pizza and dessert, thanks to Chris McCormack at Famous Peppers Pizzeria and UPSE.

(L-R) Mike Lyriotokis, Jesse MacAulay, Chris McCormack, and Andy Wedge.

UPSE4 The Advocate - Summer 2014

Membership Profi le

www.peiupse.ca

Proud UPSE Members Making a Difference for Islanders!

Debbie Johnston is a proud member of the Union of Public Sector Employees and works as an Engineering Technician for the Department of Environment, Labour and Justice.

Debbie Johnston is an Engineering Technician with the Department of Environment, Labour

and Justice. She has been serving Islanders for the past twenty-six years and has been

engaged in initiatives that have made a positive diff erence for the environment here in Prince

Edward Island. She started in May 1988 with the Underground Tank Program which involved

the removal and replacement of underground storage tanks at retail or commercial outlets,

service stations, farms, wharfs and homes.

In the 90s she worked in the Air Quality and Hazardous Materials section of the

Department. Her work involved receiving reports about burning garbage or smoke from

diff erent types of outdoor appliances, or even pesticide complaints. Debbie responded to

these reports and the appropriate staff would investigate. Her role also involved determining

how Islanders could safely dispose of waste that fell outside the regular waste stream.

Debbie worked on the National Committee for Ozone Depleting Substances in the 1990’s and this was a key moment in her public service

career. This committee was instrumental in helping to bring in provincial and federal regulations that helped reduce ozone related

substances in automotive air conditioners and home appliances like fridges and freezers. Debbie is proud of her involvement in

this project. Together, with her fellow committee members, she succeeded in helping to reduce the amount of ozone depleting substances

that were being released into the environment in Prince Edward Island and throughout Canada.

In 2009 Debbie moved into the Environmental Land Management Section of her department. Her duties now include receiving and

reviewing applications for the Underground Petroleum Storage Tanks program, requests for records reviews, and maintaining the

associated databases. When a records review request is received, Debbie performs searches for clients to determine instances where

Island properties have been impacted. Some examples of impacts include properties that contain underground tanks or home heat tanks,

or instances where a property has experienced an oil spill. Debbie also looks after the environmental emergency response team which

responds to environmental emergencies in Prince Edward Island.

Debbie’s interests and hobbies include being passionate about protecting our environment. She has been a town councillor in

Montague for the last four years and plans to re-off er in the upcoming municipal elections. She is very interested in issues that aff ect the

growth of the economy in small municipalities and rural PEI. Debbie is also interested in the union at both the national and global level,

and spending time with her three young grandchildren.

UPSE

Membership Profi le



Glenna Bakker is a proud member of the Union of Public Sector Employees and works as a Licensed Practical Nurse for Health PEI.

Glenna Bakker is a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) with Health PEI. She has provided fi rst rate

health care for Islanders for twenty-seven years. She has worked in palliative care, long term

care, convalescent care, the provincial rehab unit, and now works in Unit Eight of the QEH and

the provincial stroke unit.

LPNs in PEI have had to upgrade their education in the last few years under the new model of

care. Glenna utilizes all of her skills, knowledge and training, and feels she can provide

better care to her patients now because she is looking after the total patient. By working to

her full scope of practice she is more in touch with the patient’s condition and needs which

includes looking after their medication. By being more in touch with the patient’s condition

under the new model of care, she is better able to provide the necessary care for the patient

without having to seek approvals at other levels. So ultimately, she can provide more care to

her patients in a timely fashion.

Glenna believes it is important that the public see LPNs for being the competent, professional

nurses that they are. LPNs are educated and trained to work as professionals under the new

model of care in Prince Edward Island.

A good day for Glenna is when, at the end of the day, she knows she made a diff erence in someone’s life. When you’re caring for patients

this can happen in a variety of ways. It may have been by giving support to the patient, providing their medication, or even bringing

them a warm blanket.

A challenging day for Glenna is working short-staff ed yet wanting to meet all the patients’ needs just as you’d be able to do while

working with a full staff complement.

Glenna’s interests and hobbies include reading, walking on trails with her dog and spending quality time with her family. Her future

plans are to keep working as an LPN until retirement because she enjoys her work and feels she is making a diff erence.


Membership Profi le

www.peiupse.ca


Dawna MacDonald is a proud member of the Union of Public Sector Employees and works as a Disability Support Worker for the Department of Community Services and Seniors.

Dawna MacDonald has been helping Islanders with physical and intellectual disabilities for the past thirty-fi ve years in Prince Edward Island. She began her career at Sherwood Home as a Child Development Worker helping challenged children with their social, physical and residential needs. In the 1980s, Dawna worked with families in the community through the In Home Early Intervention Program. Her case load included children with a physical or mental disability. For these children simple tasks like brushing their teeth, dressing and other daily tasks were all challenges. Dawna used an assessment tool to determine the specifi c needs of the children and taught them and their family to develop their capabilities so the children could better cope with everyday tasks.

In the 1990s, Dawna worked with the Foster Parenting Program as a Resource

Development Worker. Her case load consisted of permanent wards via Child and Family Services.

In this role Dawna coordinated services for foster parents of children with disabilities. She would go

into the home to provide the foster parents with guidance regarding accessing community resources

for the children under their care.

Dawna’s next role in the public service found her serving Islanders as a Family Support Worker within the Family Support Program. In this

position she provided case plan management for families. She assisted with the client’s disability specifi c needs including respite care

and the purchasing of equipment such as wheelchairs. In 2001, the Disability Support Program evolved into what is essentially a social

program with a fi nancial component. Presently, Dawna continues her work as a Disability Support Worker and assists children and adults

with disabilities up to sixty-four years of age in developing individualized person centered case plans. The primary goal of the program is

to assist clients and their families to become more independent and attain a satisfactory quality of life.

A good day for Dawna is when she makes a connection with the people she is helping. Dawna listens to people and develops an

understanding with them. She sincerely appreciates the kind words and emails she receives from those she helps every day.

A challenging day for Dawna is meeting with parents who have a young child with a disability. They are often overwhelmed and

anxious, however, as they become more informed they gain a sense of hope and security. Dawna’s plan for the future includes possibly

retiring in 2015. In the meantime she continues to enjoy her work and believes in making a diff erence. In her personal life she enjoys

exercise, biking on the rails for trails and restoring antique furniture. She also enjoys spending as much time with her family as

possible.

UPSE

Bully Free Workplaces


Bully Free Workplaces Educational UPSE held a four day educational session designed to train front line workers and management to be able to deliver the union’s Bully Free Workplaces Program to members. The program originated in Nova Sco-tia via NSGEU and has gained international attention. UPSE adopted the Bully Free Workplaces Program with permission from, and in cooperation with, the NSGEU.

Bullying is still prevalent in our workplaces today and leads to diminished mental health, absenteeism and low productivity in the workplace. The Bully Free Workplaces Program helps members and their employers identify and stop workplace bullying.

Susan Coldwell, the Director of the Bully Free Workplaces program at the NSGEU lead the UPSE Educational. Participants learned how to deliver the program to members in the form of a two-hour and/or six-hour session. The Civil Service, Health PEI and WCB have made a commitment to have all staff participate in the program. If you are interested in attending a Bully Free Workplaces Program workshop, please inform your supervisor or HR representative; they will contact the union who will arrange the workshop instructors and scheduling.

• The two hour awareness seminar/six hour workshop is an excellent starting point in understanding workplace bullying.

• The interactive workshops provide education andstrategies to deal with this common workplace problem.

• “A healthy workplace is a place where everyone works together to achieve an

agreed vision for the health and well being of workers, and the

surrounding community.” World Health Organization (WHO) 1999

(L-R) David Follett, Leslie Holt, Tara Huestis, Greg MacGilvray, Dawn Bradley, Debbie Bovyer, Susan Coldwell, Cathy MacKinnon, Paula Matheson and Chrissy Murphy.

• Bullying is a form of violence in the workplace, with a signifi cant impact on productivity, workplace wellness and employee health.

• The program is uniquely member driven with facilitators from both front line workers and management.

UPSE 8 The Advocate - Summer 2014

CETA

www.peiupse.ca

Islanders Need More Information about CETAWe have not heard a lot from our federal and provincial governments about the Canada and European Union (EU) Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). This deal was signed in principle in the fall of 2013. However, to my knowledge, no public or industry consultation has taken place in Prince Edward Island. There is no question that a trade agreement of this scope and magnitude will affect the Island economy. The public needs to be aware of CETA and have a chance to provide feedback before a formal signing of the agreement takes place.

Many organizations have expressed concern that CETA is not primarily a “trade deal” and is more about granting corporations extensive rights and powers. Under CETA, government authority and control over the actions of multi-national corporations are limited. The agreement contains investor state provisions that allow corporations to challenge the decisions of government about their own jurisdictions, outside of Canadian Courts. For example, the province’s decision to halt fracking in PEI until a full environmental assessment is done could be challenged by a corporation. This is already happening in Quebec where a corporation is suing the government under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) for over $250 million. Public pressure in Quebec led the government to impose a moratorium on fracking; however, the cor-porate world wants the final say. In fact, under NAFTA, Canada is facing almost $2.5 billion dollars in law suits involving investor protection for corporations.

If there really is so much to gain from CETA as both the federal and provincial governments are saying, then why is the Newfoundland and Labrador fisheries industry receiving $400 million in compensation? The answer is that NL gave in to EU demands to remove Minimum Processing Requirements (MPR) from the industry in exchange for freer access to the European market. This is a change in policy for NL and involves risk. The fish processing sector is important. It adds value to the industry, creates more jobs, and is part of sustainable management practice. In PEI we should be careful about giving up the op-tion to have MPR in place. In different market conditions it could be a very important policy option to have. Who knows what the state of the lobster market will be in twenty years? We have already seen instability in prices and market conditions. Why would the province want to give up the authority to ever be able to implement MPR? The provincial government has not negotiated any compensation for the fishery at this point but recently expressed a need for fair treatment concerning the agreement.

In regard to agriculture and dairy, CETA will give the EU a much larger piece of the fine cheese market which could hurt local produc-ers like ADL. The Island dairy industry will also assume an estimated $2.5 million dollar loss as milk production is predicted to decline. Health care costs will increase under CETA with the extension of patent protection on brand name drugs that will cost Islanders as much as $6 million annually. The expansion of our public services will also be threatened. CETA gives investors the right to sue if a gov-ernment attempts to reverse a public service that has been privatized. This means government will need to be vigilant about keeping existing public services in place. If they are privatized, making them public again will be very difficult and costly. The union believes it’s important that the federal government make the full text of CETA available to the general public as this agreement affects us all. The province can help build understanding as well by holding public consultations on CETA so Islanders can offer their valued input.

Debbie BovyerPresident, Union of Public Sector Employees

UPSE

Canadians for Tax Fairness


http://www.taxfairness.ca

How much revenue does Canada lose each year because of international tax havens and tax evasion? Canadians for Tax Fairness has used available data to come up with a figure of $7.8 billion a year. But it would be much better if the Canadian government published an official tax gap estimate, as many other governments do. The wealthiest citizens, who can most easily afford to pay a fair share of our nation’s public service costs, enjoy a tax system skewed in their favour, while the great majority of citizens are increasingly punished by the underfunding and curtailment of critical public services. Visit Canadians for Tax Fairness for more information at www.taxfairness.ca.

10 Big Reasons to Feel Good About Taxes 1. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said it best: “Taxes are the price we pay for civilization.” More specifically, taxes are the price we pay for the Canada we love.

2. Taxes put out fires, keep our streets safe, provide our children with education, provide our families with health care, ensure our food and water are safe, create legal safeguards for businesses and employees, provide parks – in other words, provide us benefits every hour of the day, every day of the year.

3. The average Canadian household receives about $41,000 in public services each year (with no mark-up for private profit), a tremendous bargain for the vast majority of Canadians.

4. Past generations paid taxes for what we have today - schools, hospitals, courts of law, roads, public transit, parks. Our taxes today allow us to pass along those benefits to future generations - our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

5. If we ignore, shortchange or postpone funding for social, economic and environmental problems today, the solutions become more expensive in the future.

6. Public sector employees work hard, often in difficult circumstances, to keep government running and provide the public services we need. We need to attract and retain hard-working public employees and pay them fair compensation.

7. Money begets power, which begets more money, and more power. Taxes provide a counter-balance, by softening extreme disparities in wealth, power and benefits.

8. Taxes ensure that Canada can build and maintain the necessary infrastructure – education, health care and transportation systems - to attract investment and businesses, and thrive in a competitive global economy.

9. Taxes make the marketplace work – by maintaining a regulated business environment to protect property rights, enforce fair practices and protect consumers and investors.

10. Taxes allow citizens, residents and businesses to do things together that we could never do on our own. In other words, taxes allow us to be Canadian in the way we live, work and play.


Health Coverage

www.peiupse.ca

Dear UPSE Members: In recent months the union was presented with an opportunity to participate in a Preferred Pharmacy Provider Program. The program is off ered by Managed Health Care Services Inc. (MHCSI) as part of the Atlantic Canada Health Care Coalition society that delivers enhanced value for Health Benefi t Plans.

UPSE has assessed the merits of this program and is pleased to announce that the Board of Directors has approved funding to participate in the program beginning soon. Please note that participation in the program is purely voluntary.

Members who choose to participate in the program also will choose a participating pharmacy-Lawtons Drugs, Sobeys Pharmacy, and Sobeys Pharmacy by Mail - when fi lling your prescriptions. Once enrolled, UPSE members will receive personalized ID cards from MHCSI. Members will be able to access the program benefi ts with their card.

Key Benefi ts:

• When using your MHCSI drug card when fi lling prescriptions / accessing pharmacy services, you will receive additional coverage up to $5.00 per prescription against your out-of-pocket expenses. This coverage will be administered to you at the pharmacy. Please note: You must also present your Public Sector Group Insurance Plan card or any other drug card you may also have (e.g., on a spousal plan) to the pharmacy.

• Also, each member (and spouse - if family coverage) receives a Lawtons Drugs Client Group Card which entitles you to the Lawtons Front Store Purchase Program. You will enjoy a wide range of discounts on your front store purchases with this card.

• Members can earn valuable Air Miles reward miles on their prescription, and other purchases at Lawtons Drugs, Sobeys Pharmacy, and Sobeys Pharmacy by Mail.

Supplementary Health Coverage available soon for UPSE Members!

UPSE Members: Please update your contact information!

The union encourages all members to take an active role in the union by keeping up-to-date on union news and issues. To ensure you receive the most recent UPSE communication materials, please update your contact information with the union.

To update your contact information go to our website (www.peiupse.ca) and click on ”forms.” Then click on a form called “change of address” or “update contact information.” Fill in the form and click “submit form.”

You can also update your contact information by calling Tammy Laybolt at the union offi ce at 902-892-5335, toll free at 1-800-897-8773, or email [email protected].

Atlantic Canada Health Care

Coalition Society

Union Benefi ts Purchasing

Power!

UPSE

Why Unions Matter


• The union is in possession of some surplus computers and would like to give you a chance to get one!

• If you don’t have a com-puter, or have a need for one, submit your name to the union offi ce.

• UPSE will create a listas part of an ongoing computer giveaway.

• Computers will be distrib-uted as they become avail-able to members.

• Call 902-892-5335 or toll free 1-800-897-8773.

UPSE ComputerGiveaway!

• The Provincial Government removed guaranteed indexing from your pension in December 2013.

• The government is discussing how to determine the amount of indexing you will receive after 2017. This includes the distribution of your indexing and whether the funding level of the pension plan is suffi cient to award indexation, and at what level.

• Changes are also coming to your health insurance benefi ts due to changes in how the Seniors’ Drug Cost Assistance Program is to be paid out.

These are important issues that aff ect you and decisions are being made without your direct input. UPSE encourages you to join Local 19 (Retirees) the second Tuesday of each month between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. (except for July and August)

By joining you will empower yourself and your fellow retirees. You will be kept abreast of current issues, and will be able to off er your valued input.

For more information please call UPSE at 902-892-5335, toll free at 1-800-897-8773, or email [email protected].

UPSE RetireesChanges to your pension and health benefi ts!

The National Union (NUPGE) is giving away $1,000 a month to the best entry showing Why Unions Matter! The link to more info about the contest is: http://nupge.ca/content/5989/why-unions-matter-contest-rules-and-regulations.

Atlantic Canada Health Care

Coalition Society

Union Benefi ts Purchasing

Power!

Advocate Summer 2014 - peiupse.ca Summer 2014.pdf · sensitivity, resume building and interview...

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