One of our members that is getting ready to retire came to me last week with a booklet she found cleaning out her desk about the federal clerks strike of 1980. She wanted to pass it on and couldn’t bear to just get rid of it. I agreed! It’s an important piece of history,  and a vital reminder of what came before-  perfect for the 19th of the month. (PSAC requested all locals do something every 19th leading up to the federal election) I remember Robyn Benson,  the president of PSAC speaking about her memories of this strike,  participating as a single mother and wanting to make things better.  The grassroots labour movement that came before did make things better.  Our sick leave was negotiated. Our maternity and parental leave was negotiated and the rest of Canadian employers fol lowed suit. And the list goes on…We want to continue moving forwards not backwards!

This is a friendly reminder that the Talking Union Basics Course (TUB) is coming up shortly. It’s an opportunity to learn about what the union does, it’s history, structure and what it means to be a member. The Location of the course has been determined, and it will be held in Windsor at the Caboto Club Board Room. I will be co-facilitating this course with Lynn Meston, one of the regional PSAC reps. Contact me for registration form if you are interested.

TALKING UNION BASICS
LOCATION: Windsor – Caboto Club
Feb. 28 + Mar. 1, 2015 (Sat/Sun)

Please Note Deadline for Reservation: 4:00 PM Feb. 25th

Thank you for your interest in Union Education
Sara JV

http://www.pressprogress.ca/en/post/6-surprising-skills-canadas-new-jobs-minister-pierre-poilievre-brings-table

Let’s all of us take a little bit of action. In our local, we have a lot of new staff and a lot of members that don’t know much about what their union does for them. Why not consider taking the TUB course?  Talking Union Basics. Feb 28-March 1 in London or Windsor,  depending on number of participants in each area. Speak to a local exec member to get registered.

The Public Service Alliance of Canada is seeking significant improvements to the mental health provisions in their collective agreements as well improved child care options for public service workers

via PSAC calls on the government to take action on mental health and child care during negotiations.

Personalized news, union contact and collective agreement information for members.

Just look under the career tab on I-Service to find info on ESDC’s mentoring program. It is worth checking out.

“In learning you will teach, and in teaching you will learn.”
― Phil Collins

Wednesday, February 25, 2015
starting at 4pm
1st floor, orange boardroom
457 Richmond St.
London

*refreshments will be served
* elections will be held for (local) positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary
> you can send nominations via email to sandy.snider@servicecanada.gc.ca or nancy.york@servicecanada.gc.ca and yes, you can nominate yourself

Hope to see you there.

Federal Election 2015 is fast approaching and we want to make sure that workers’ concerns are well represented in the discussions and outcomes. To see change happen, we need to act and talk to our colleagues, neighbours and families about these values, who best represents them and will work to safeguard them in our laws. Our plan is to bring together seasoned campaigners and new activists from a wide range of communities and workplaces to share the experience they have while learning the latest and best practices for effective campaigning – from outreach and training to social media. Our goal is to show them how to take on the negative, powerful politics of greed and deliver a win for fairness.

A series of skill-building workshops will help you:

•Obtain new skills to help in local campaigns
•Get the tools to talk to anyone about this election and all the important issues
•Build face-to-face skills to talk to people in the workplace and on the door step
•Learn how to build political support and capacity in your community
•Learn how to use social media for effective campaigning
•Learn how to reach out to different communities of interest
Who should go?

The people in your union who can build, lead and deliver a winning campaign need to be at this conference – leaders, community campaigners, organizers and communicators; women and men, young and old; workers of colour, with disabilities, Aboriginal, LGBT; public sector and private sector; full-time, part-time or retired.

Itinerary

Friday:
Registration 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Opening Session – 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
**Reception to Follow Immediately

Saturday:
Discussion/Workshops – 9:00 a.m. – Noon
Lunch – Noon – 1:00 p.m.
Discussion/Workshops – 1:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

For more information, please contact ontario@clc-ctc.ca
When: 30/01/2015 6:00 PM – 31/01/2015 5:00 PM Where: OPSEU Regional Office
1092 Dearness Drive
London, ON
***This is a free event. If you want to attend, let Sara Johnson Vleuten know.

I hope everyone’s 2015 is moving along ok so far and that you enjoyed your holiday celebrations.
We finally got some winter weather, which is nice for winter activities, but makes many of us long for spring.
Fyi -Without a contract, we are vulnerable and are trying to maintain some kind of a strike fund, just in case. Decisions are being made to protect our members as best we can.

We are working on scheduling our next Annual General Meeting for the end of February.
As a head’s up, there will be elections for President, Vice-President and Secretary at that meeting. More info will follow.