Dear NEB Members,

It is with a heavy heart that I begin my report with recognition of the sudden loss of National Executive Board member Brother Mike McNeil, Regional Vice-President for Nova Scotia.  We will celebrate Mike’s life, as well as his extraordinary contribution to CUPE members across the country, by continuing our work with a renewed vigor and commitment.

It is staff conference and division convention season across the country, and that means everyone is running at full speed.  While attending all nine annual staff meetings in each region, and the National Office, I was especially heartened to hear the reports and plans that are developing for the year ahead.  There is considerable work being done on activities related to enhancing our support to locals, and implementing our Strategic Directions document adopted at convention, including integrating such priorities as the 2016 Year of Health and Safety, Fairness initiatives, and Organizing non-union workers.

We begin 2016 with the solid financial backing to support all of our regional offices and work, campaigns, Strategic Directions initiatives and other important priorities of our union.

Budget 2016

After extensive consultation across the country, the NEB unanimously approved the budget priorities for this year.  We allocated all necessary resources to the priorities as set out by National Convention in 2015.

CUPE’s revenue growth has slowed significantly in the past number of years and is expected to slow further in 2016.  This is directly because our members are receiving lower wage increases, including freezes and/or “net zero” mandates and because we’re also experiencing considerably slower membership growth – and losses in some regions.  An increasing share of CUPE’s members are in part-time and precarious employment which tends to be less secure, has fewer benefits and is lower paid.

Final figures for 2015 are not in yet, but results to date suggest our revenue growth will have slowed even further, down to approximately 2%.  We are projecting revenues for 2016 to increase by 2.4% above our budgeted revenue for 2015.  This is higher than 2015 but also well-below our historical growth rates.

Some other budget highlights included:

• Allocating almost all of our new money in the General Fund to staffing.  Six new temporary staff positions were extended from last year and an additional five new temporary positions were added this year.

• Dedicating hundreds of thousands of dollars to staff training and staff meetings.  We have increased the funds for the mentoring and trainee rep program.  This is especially important because as of the Fall of 2015, fifty-four percent of our staff have less than five years on the job.  This is a time of big staff changes.

• Ongoing support for the very important work of the Fairness Project, giving tools to our leaders to help them talk directly with our members.

• Increasing funds for Member Facilitator training.

• We continue to look after sixty-eight offices across the country.  As leases expire, we are also updating or moving offices ensuring that all offices are healthy and safe places to work and meet.

At the 2015 convention, the members approved the proposal to “change the split” so that now five percent of per capita goes into the Strike Fund and five percent goes into the National Defence Fund.  This gives us just over two million dollars more to fund campaigns.  This year we will spend:

• Over three million dollars on cost-shares (an increase of $405,000);

• We will also spend more than three million dollars – on organizing through the National Defence Fund (an increase of $780,000);

• And another four point five million dollars for Strategic Directions in the Defence Fund budget (an increase of $850,000).  This includes our national campaigns, coalition work, and an increase for our International work.

Strike Fund Taskforce

As you know, this year, my office is supporting the very important work of the National Strike Fund Taskforce.  In the next months, CUPE will take the time to look more closely at how we protect our Fund and how we increase our support to our striking members.

The Taskforce will discuss:

• the strike pay waiting period
• the amount of strike pay
• the impact of strike regulations on our members who are precarious workers
• the access to the fund for sectors for the essential services sector
• and we will deal with other strike issues

The Taskforce will report to the September NEB and we will then bring our findings to each Division convention in 2017.

Trustees’ Reports

In the next year, my office will focus on the issue of Trustees’ Reports.  In 2015, only thirty-one percent of our chartered bodies submitted their annual Trustees’ Reports to CUPE National.  They also have an obligation to share these reports with the membership, and the National Staff Representative.  This is an obligation in the CUPE Constitution.

The Trustees’ Report can help confirm that financial reports are up-to-date and accurate and that a local’s financial house is in order.  Also, locals must have an up-to-date Trustees’ Report at National or the bonding insurance company will not accept the claim.

This year, when we receive a complete Trustees’ Report package, I will send a letter of thanks.  If there is missing information, I will acknowledge receipt and I will also request the missing information.  I will also send a letter if I did not receive a Trustees’ Report.  This letter will remind all chartered bodies that the Trustees’ Report is late and we will ask for an explanation.

Division Conventions

The 2016 Division conventions have begun across the country, with the Saskatchewan and Alberta Conventions already concluded.  It is very apparent to me that while we might have significant differences, we have many more things in common.  Employers are increasingly looking for ways to attack our members, and they are comparing notes.  It is critical that we coordinate more across regions especially between sectors where we are facing the same employers or challenges.

I would like to thank the NEB members who assisted in organizing my National Secretary-Treasurer’s Breakfast at each of the Division Conventions.  It is a privilege for me to update members on per capita, the Trustees’ Report and other financial issues, while also hearing the challenges in the area of finances and the administration of the union.

Regional Activities

In Québec, CUPE is following up on the emergency resolution adopted at convention calling for support to the municipal sector to help fight the government’s “fiscal pact”.  This attack against free collective bargaining contains provision for a new bill to be introduced this spring that will give the right to municipalities to impose working conditions on municipal employees if bargaining doesn’t conclude with a Collective Agreement.  A Fightback Fund campaign request is presented at this NEB meeting.  I have participated in two meetings so far with CPSM, the provincial municipal sector representatives, and SCFP-Québec to discuss their plan of action.

A second Fightback Fund request from Nova Scotia is brought to this NEB meeting to resist legislation that will also limit the right to free bargaining.  On December 18, 2015, the Government of Nova Scotia adopted Bill 148 affecting 75,000 public servants.  This bill removes free collective bargaining rights from working people in the province, as well as the right to a fair and free arbitration process if unions reject the four-year wage package.

Bill 148 also mandates wage restraint in the public sector by requiring four-year collective agreements with a wage freeze in the first two years and limited wage increases in the following two years.  It prevents the use of any service earned after April 1, 2015 in calculating retirement allowances, long-service awards, payout of sick leave and other forms of severance pay.  CUPE National will support these campaigns and all other attacks against free collective bargaining.

One of the events that I now look forward to the most each year is the annual Ontario Division Secretary-Treasurer’s Conference.  This January, hundreds of financial officers and other interested activists, came together and took part in this incredibly successful conference.  I congratulate Sister Candace Rennick and the other CUPE-Ontario Executive Board members who support this important event.

Also in January, while in PEI for the recent All Presidents’ meeting, I met the seven striking NSUPE members who are standing up against the Canadian Blood Services, PEI branch.  All are precarious women workers who are striking for the most basic rights and conditions.  Their plight moved us so much that we committed $7,000 to the strikers on behalf of all CUPE members.  CUPE PEI members continue their ongoing support and solidarity.

I also had the opportunity to attend the annual All Presidents’ meeting in Alberta and the All Executive meetings in New Brunswick.  At both gatherings, leaders shared reports and challenges in their regions and workplaces.  I was very interested in the range of campaigns and responses that Locals and Divisions are taking on to deal with their challenges.

This year, I was able to attend the Ontario Division’s annual Ontario Secondary School Workers Coordinating Committee (OSBCC) conference.  Significant advances have been made as the sector has recently completed central bargaining for over 55,000 school board workers from over 100 locals.  Members shared their lessons learned from the first round in this new bargaining structure.  National continues to support the locals who have not yet completed their local table bargaining issues.

In February, I was also able to attend the Ontario Division’s Ontario University Workers Coordinating Committee (OUWCC) annual conference.  I was happy to take part in a very engaging discussion regarding the work of the Strike Fund Task Force, and to hear about the challenges that the sector is facing.

Staffing

As we continue to undergo significant staffing changes, we have allocated significant resources to recruiting and training new staff.  As anticipated, the staff turn over has remained high throughout the first quarter of 2016.  In the first nine weeks of the year, we have filled the new positions passed in the 2016 Budget by the NEB and we have already had twenty-seven permanent postings and six temporary postings.

In February 2016, the fifth and final collective agreement was ratified by the union and the NEB for staff members in the CDU (Canadian Directors Union).  Our priority work with our staff unions continues to focus on resolving outstanding issues and working together on the challenges ahead such as the pension solvency issue, and employment equity.

All Committee Meeting

Over two hundred CUPE leaders, activists and staff who are assigned to 17 national committees met in Ottawa in early March.  I was very energized to hear the committee priorities and work plans on proposals to implement the Strategic Directions document and conventions priorities.  Imagine what an impact we will have on our union, our communities, our regions and the entire country, when we are able to strengthen and further coordinate our work.

Public Services International (PSI)

Together with Mark, I attended the most recent meeting of North American Public Services International (PSI) affiliates held here in Ottawa.  USA and Canadian affiliates met to discuss global trends.  Many forms of austerity measures are seen in different countries and are combined with health care reforms with one goal: privatizing public health services.  The World Bank and IMF for example are using public money to essentially forcing countries to open up to the private sector when not investing money directly.  Adding to this, are the free trade agreements all containing clauses stating that any system with private components has to permit private bidding for all services.  It is the perfect storm forming to push for privatization of health care systems across the world.  Our trade union movement is facing the same issues across the continent and we are strengthened when we build alliances and solidarity.

Pensions

The most recent Telephone Townhall meetings with CUPE Trustees and pension activists across the country gave us the opportunity to strategize on how to ensure that the Liberals follow through on their promise to expand the CPP.  We also had the opportunity to discuss strategies to resist pension attacks.  I was very interested in the discussion on how we can ensure that our pension plans become accessible to all our members including our precarious workers.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2015

General Fund

The total assets in the General Fund at December 31, 2015 were $207.1 million compared to $206.5 million at September 30, 2015 and $196.6 million at December 31, 2014.  The items of significance are discussed below.

The bank balance at December 31, 2015 was $14.9 million compared to $19.7 million at September 30, 2015 and $13.2 million at December 31, 2014.  The bank balance includes various internal cash reserves totaling $13.1 million, which are set aside for retirement payouts, future benefits funding, the balance of the 2015 Convention, a property management reserve and the Regional Building Fund.

The total investment in fixed assets increased by a net of $582,000 over the previous quarter-end.  This increase is predominately due to continued progress on the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) project, and the Member Relationship Management project, as well as the upgrade and enhancement projects
to the LUIS and CAIS systems.

The total liabilities in the General Fund were $151.2 million at December 31, 2015,
virtually unchanged from the previous quarter-end.

Due to the good governance CUPE established by creating the Roadmap on the Employee Future Benefit Liability in 2005, we are continuing to make progress toward the goal of recording the full liability on the Balance Sheet.  In addition, there was a change in the Accounting rules during 2014 that allowed us the opportunity to calculate the liability in a way that recognizes the investment earning on the capital that has been set aside to fund this liability.  In 2014 the discount rate that was used to calculate the liability was changed to 5.9% as compared to 4.8% in 2013.  This adjustment alone produced a significant reduction in the amount of the liability which was $170.3 million at December 31, 2014, in comparison to $205.9 million at the end of 2013.  This will allow CUPE to realize the goal of eliminating the gap and recording the liability much sooner than 20 years as originally predicted.

The actual liability as at December 31, 2015 will be calculated as part of the annual audit and an update will be given at the June 2016 NEB meeting.

The Fund Balance at December 31, 2015 is $55.8 million of which a total of $4.6 million is restricted as follows: Convention and National Events Assistance Fund, $1.1 million and Regional Building Fund, $3.5 million.  Of the remaining Fund Balance, we have invested $58.0 million in fixed assets leaving an unrestricted negative balance of $5.8 million.  This means that all of the equity in the General Fund is spoken for either in terms of being allocated for a restricted purpose or tied up in fixed assets.

The preliminary operating surplus (before the provision for the Regional Building Fund and Unrealized Gain on Investments) for the year to date is $1.6 million.  Per Capita
revenue is over budget by $1.9 million and total revenue is over by $2.2 million.  Total Expenses are over budget by $1.5 million.  Below are some of the more significant items.

1. Fixed Staffing costs are $843,472 under budget.

2. The Fairness Project is $838,617 under budget.

3. The Fightback Fund continues in a small credit position as at the end of December 2015 due to an adjustment in the first quarter related to 2014 and no offsetting expenses having been received for 2015; therefore, this line is under budget by $797,558.

4. Operational Travel is $694,112 under budget.

5. Strategic Directions is $418,026 under budget.

6. Office expenses are $266,538 under budget.

7. Election spending is $193,782 under budget.

8. Finance and Administration is $420,438 over budget in the area of Technology Project Costs.  This is predominately due to the advancement of the key strategic EDRMS project

National Defence Fund

As at December 31, 2015, we have $10.6 million in Total Assets compared to $9.5 million at September 30, 2015 and $8.3 million at December 31, 2014.  The cash balance at December 31, 2015 is $3.6 million compared to $2.8 million at September 30, 2015.  In addition, we have investments totalling $5.6 million, unchanged from September 30, 2015.

Under Liabilities we have accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $1.3 million in comparison to $992,000 at September 30, 2015 and $1.9 million at December 31, 2014.  There is also $4.4 million in cost-sharing campaigns’ liability, an increase of $200,000 from September 30, 2015.

Cost-shared campaigns approved by the National Executive Board for the year totalled $2,780,281 of the annual budget of $2.7 million.  Major Organizing expenses were$1,465,313, while National Strategic Initiatives totalled $1,521,045.  Spending on Regional Strategic Initiatives totalled $1,599,583.

 

National Strike Fund

Total Assets in the National Strike Fund as of December 31, 2015 were $85.5 million, as compared to $83.2 million as at September 30, 2015, and $79.8 million at December 31, 2014.  These assets consisted of $8.1 million in cash, $2.0 million in per capita receivable and $75.4 million in investments.

Under Liabilities we have accounts payable and accrued liabilities of $992,000, up from $237,000 in September 30, 2015; therefore, at December 31, 2015, the Fund Balance was $84.5 million, compared to $83.0 million at September 30, 2015 and $79.3 million at December 31, 2014.

Revenue into the Strike Fund, including investment income, was $15.8 million as at December 31, 2015.  Expenditures for the year totalled $7.7 million.  This results in a net surplus for the year to date of $8.1 million, before taking into account unrealized investment losses of $2,931,090.

STRIKES, LOCKOUTS AND SETTLEMENTS

Local 429, Montreal Inside Workers, held 25 days of rotating strike from January 25 to February 26 inclusively.

PER CAPITA ARREARS

For the quarter ended December 2015, the total arrears were $7,729,792, which was an increase of $2,609,158 or 50.95% from the previous quarter ended September 2015. 

Total arrears have increased 20.79% as compared to December 2014.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT) REPORT

The IT Branch continues to start each new year off with a series of projects aimed at moving CUPE along in achieving its Vision and Strategy for IMIT (Information Management) at CUPE.  The primary focus in the upcoming months will be hardware updates for the oldest computers, launching the Member Relationship Management System (MRMS) and continuing to move to stronger Electronic Document and Records Management (EDRM).

Systems Development:

Member Relationship Management System (MRMS)

Release 1 of the new Member Relationship Management System (MRMS) is scheduled for March 9, 2016.  This is CUPE’s future, a bilingual information system which will house all contact information for members and locals in one centralized, secure database.  The MRMS will allow CUPE to enhance its ability to connect with members.  The system will allow for all CUPE programs (LUIS, CAIS, Fairness, Arbitration Tracking, Education Tracking, Maurice, PCT Tax, Just Pay, Convention and Conference Registration) to be all under one roof.  This will allow and facilitate data sharing between the systems, and significantly enhancing our reporting capabilities when it comes to members.  The new design will allow MRMS to run on any device, laptop, smartphone, tablet or desktop.

The first release of the MRMS will include a newly revamped LUIS. This newly revamped LUIS module of the new MRMS has new features that include: increased searching capabilities, the ability to save and rerun custom searches, breakdown by sector / industry, breakdown by occupational groups, and sector contacts.  User instructions, training materials and courses are being developed to support the initial release.

Information Management:

Electronic Document and Records Management (EDRM)

The first phase of the Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) project has been completed.  Over the course of the last year and a half, we have completed a thorough needs analysis and have documented the specifications for what CUPE employees have identified they need in an EDRMS solution. We have learned a lot about how staff across the country store and access CUPE information.

CUPE faces two major challenges from the get go:

• CUPE information is stored in a variety of ways on hard drives, in various network file shares, on memory sticks etc., and;
• There are many duplicate documents, older versions and documents that no longer have any ongoing value.  There is also no consistency in the way Folders and Files/Documents are named.  Remedying this situation is key to readying for a new solution.

Both of these challenges will involve further staff consultation and staff training to overcome.  They will also require all staff to dedicate some time over the course of 2016 to this important project.  The project team is currently in the detailed planning stage for activities to be undertaken in 2016.

IT Infrastructure:

Operations

CUPE IT has commenced the 2016 end user hardware refresh.  New for this and future year deployments is that all CUPE employees will be setup with a laptop/tablet with docking station.  This configuration allows users the ability to be productive while mobile.  Included in this deployment, CUPE will be adopting the Windows 10 operating system. This latest version gives users better flexibility and security along with greater functionality.

CUPE is also upgrading all users to Office 365 (Office 2016).  This upgrade along with One Drive For Business gives users better collaboration tools along with increased stability and security.

In December 2015, CUPE IT chose a new Help Desk partner through a competitive selection process.  The new vendor, IBM, along with current CUPE help desk staff, have begun the process of integrating/updating our current help desk system and procedures to allow better service to all users.  This new partnership replaces the old partnership we had with TUC for help desk services to all Area Offices and will include a robust web portal and online presence.

2016 will see a greater emphasis on IT solutions to help CUPE pursue a more environmental friendly workplace.  This includes promoting the use of Skype For Business to reduce travel and allow for more face to face meetings online.  As all our staff now have access to Skype for Business from their laptop to set-up videoconference meetings, we will encourage them to turn to this mode of communication if a face-to-face meeting is not required.  We believe this is one easy tool that can help us be more efficient.

We are also assessing our printing volumes and needs in order to consolidate and reduce printers and paper while providing more functionality.

PROPERTIES AND LEASEHOLDS

Properties

We have completed a competitive bidding process for architectural services on the new BC Regional Office project and have awarded the contract to Kasian Architecture Interior Design.  A full project team is in place including representation from the BC Division as well as a steering committee comprised of BCRO staff who will have opportunity to provide input on certain aspects of the plan.  Designing the layout of the new space is now underway.  Construction on the building itself is progressing rapidly.

Leaseholds

The interior improvements for the new Thunder Bay Area Office were completed and the area office relocated to their newly renovated accommodation on February 22.

In Peel, Ontario, a candidate property has been identified and we are finalizing negotiations over the language of the Landlord’s proposed lease agreement. 
The 4600 square foot premises will be secured by way of a ten-year lease effective September 1, 2016.  A project team is being selected and tenant improvements are scheduled to begin early March 2016, with targeted occupancy September 2016. 

The lease for the London Area Office, Ontario, has been renewed for an additional five-year term beginning June 1, 2016.

We are in the process of having drawings prepared for improvements to the Manitoba Regional Office in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  The current lease expires October 31, 2016.  We are looking to reconfigure the space somewhat in order to better suit our spatial requirements, and anticipate the landlord will make a contribution toward this cost.  We will be looking to renew our commitment in our existing space for a further ten years.

The interior renovations in Prince George, British Columbia are complete and staff moved into their new area office at the end of February.  The project was delivered on time and on budget. I was happy to be present for the grand opening of the new facility on March 11.

The current lease for the Fraser Valley Area Office in British Columbia, expiring October 31, 2016, will not be renewed due to perpetual maintenance issues that have affected the comfort and security of our office and staff.  We have identified two new suitable properties and have presented an Intent to Rent to each landlord as we perform our due diligence.

We continue to explore options for lease renewals or relocation opportunities for the Sudbury, Oshawa, Kitchener and Kenora area offices in Ontario, the Terrace Area Office in British Columbia and the Calgary Area Office in Alberta.

We entered into a lease to own arrangement (as is the case in all other Quebec offices) for the Sherbrooke office and moved in early 2010.  It was a new construction done through the AIFTQ (Real Estate Association of the FTQ).  The building soon presented structural problems.  During construction, insufficient metal rods were installed resulting in floors not strong enough to support the weight.  Studies have been done and together with the other owners, we are investigating solutions.  Two options are currently on the table: conducting major repairs to the structure of the entire building or demolishing the building and building a new one.  AIFTQ has retained a legal firm to study the possible recourses and their cost implications, which will be carefully weighed.

NATIONAL CONVENTION AND OTHER CONFERENCES

The All Committees Meeting was held at the Shaw Centre (the old Ottawa Convention Centre) from March 1 to 3, 2016.  Over 200 members, representing seventeen National Committees and working groups met to plan their priorities and actions for the upcoming year.

In 2016 CUPE will hold its second Sector Council conference.  The conference will take place in Winnipeg, Manitoba from October 17 to October 20, 2016.  We anticipate a strong turnout to this year’s Sector Council conference, which should generate participation from close to 1,200 members.

Plans are now underway for the Building Stronger Locals conference, which will take place next year in Halifax, Nova Scotia, from April 3 to 6, 2017.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

Year of Health and Safety

The Strategic Directions document approved by delegates at the 2015 CUPE National Convention has designated 2016 as the Year of Health and Safety.  The Union Development Department (UDD) has been working closely with the Health and Safety Branch to create a new Health and Safety Learning Series.  This will be a great contribution for our members to help celebrate and honour this special year.

UDD has created nine health and safety modules for the Health and Safety Learning Series:

1. Health and safety: An introduction – 9 hours
2. Identifying and documenting hazards – 3 hours
3. Basics of incident investigations – 3 hours
4. Law and order(s) – 3 hours
5. Making committees work – 3 hours
6. Solidarity beyond borders – 3 hours
7. Women and work hazards – 3 hours
8. Preventing mental injuries in the workplace – 3 hours
9. Violence prevention in the workplace – 3 hours

The above-listed modules are now ready to be offered in French and English.

Member Facilitator Training

In January, the department trained over twenty new member facilitators who were a very talented group.  Most of the members are from British Columbia and they were joined by several Ontario members and one from Grande Prairie, Alberta.

The next training session for member facilitators will take place in the fall of 2016 in Ontario.  Interested members are encouraged to contact the Education Representative in their region to apply for training.  The training is challenging and truly a transformative experience that includes a strong diversity element.

PENSION ADMINISTRATION

Effective January 1, 2016, I became the Chair of the Joint Board of Trustees of the CUPE Employees’ Pension Plan and Brother Brian Edgecombe became the Vice-Chair.

We have had recent changes amongst the Trusteeship of the Joint Board.

• Effective November 20, 2015, Brother John Lepine was nominated as CUPE Trustee, replacing Brother Mark Hancock and Sister Kelly Moist was nominated as alternate CUPE Trustee, replacing Brother Tom Graham;

• Effective January 1, 2016, Sister Susan Arab was elected as Union Trustee, replacing Sister Patty Brockman.  Sister Catherine Louli and Brother Gary Yee were elected as alternate Union Trustees replacing Sister Catherine Remus and Brother Peter Paulekat.

The Joint Board of Trustees will have its first meeting of the year in early April.

The preliminary valuation results as at January 1, 2016 will be presented to the Trustees, for the review and methods to be used, including the resulting impact on changes in assumptions prescribed by legislation and on the retroactive salary adjustments for years 2014-2015.

As you are aware, the Plan has been in a solvency deficit for the last two filings, at January 1, 2011 and January 1, 2014 and special payments are being made.  The next valuation that must be filed with the Financial Services of Ontario (FSCO) is at January 1, 2017.  The Joint Board of Trustees have mandated both myself, as Chair and Brother Brian Edgecombe as Co-Chair, to work with the Plan’s professional advisors in order to assist the Settlors in identifying potential approaches to address solvency funding requirements.

The market value solvency ratio has decreased from 96.9% as at January 1, 2014 (last actuarial valuation filed with FSCO) to an estimated ratio of 80% as at February 1, 2016.

The Trustees will also review the 2015 investment performance results of the Plan.  The gross rate of return of the Plan’s performance for 2015 is 1.63%.

Preparations are underway for the 2015 Pension Fund Audit.

Deaths

Sister Margaret Churchward – retiree – Barrie Area Office – December 29, 2015
Brother Pierre Thériault – retiree – Quebec Area Office – February 21, 2016
Brother Thomas Osborn – retiree – Lethbridge Area Office – February 24, 2016
Brother Mike McNeil – President, Nova Scotia Division and National Executive Board Regional Vice-President – March 12, 2016

Retirements

Sister Lois Lamon, Saskatoon Area Office – January 1, 2016
Sister Cheri Dobbs, Kingston Area Office – January 1, 2016
Brother Daniel Hamel, Quebec Area Office – February 1, 2016
Sister Linda Huebscher, Alberta Regional Office – February 1, 2016
Brother Michel Boudreau, Dalhousie Area Office – February 1, 2016
Brother Denis Y. Plante, Quebec Regional Office – February 1, 2016
Sister Julie A. Turmel, Communications Branch – February 1, 2016
Brother Leonard G. Fagnan, Calgary Area Office – February 1, 2016
Sister Huguette St-Laurent, Rimouski Area Office – March 1, 2016
Sister Danielle Savoie, Maritimes Regional Office – March 1, 2016
Sister Beverley J. Norman, Calgary Area Office – April 1, 2016
Sister Conni M. Kilfoil, B.C. Regional Office – April 1, 2016
Sister Linda A. Thurston-Neeley, Ontario Regional Office – May 1, 2016
Sister Lamberta Sommers, Oshawa Area Office – May 1, 2016
Sister Dominique Delorme, Quebec Regional Office – May 1, 2016
Brother Daniel Legault, Quebec Regional Office – May 1, 2016
Brother Alain Paré, Quebec Regional Office – June 1, 2016
Sister Solange Tessier, Human Resources Department – June 1, 2016
Brother Stephen M. Boyle, North Bay Area Office – August 1, 2016
Sister Halinka E. Brown, Research, J.E., Health & Safety Branch – September 1, 2016

CONCLUSION

If the first quarter of 2016 is any indication of what lies ahead, we will continue to have a very active and challenging year.  I look forward to continuing to support all the projects and campaigns that are underway in every region of our country.

We are facing many challenges, in our communities and in our workplaces.  I know that when we are all working together we will achieve our goals and CUPE will be stronger as a result.

Respectfully submitted,

CHARLES FLEURY
National Secretary-Treasurer