GSU Special National Council Conference Call

Thursday, September 1^st, 2011 – 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Minutes of meeting

1)  Call to Order

Brother Mark Brunell, GSU National President called the meeting to order at
1:10 p.m.  He called the roll of officers present, as follows:

Opening Remarks

Brother Brunell thanked the National Council Members for participating in this Conference Call.

2)  Approval of Previous Minutes

A)      Conference Call of June 21st, 2011

m/s     Ron Le Blanc / Bob Cameron

That the minutes of June 21st, 2011 be approved with the following editorial change:  page 1, under Announcement, bullet 1 correct date to 2011.

Recorded vote # 1.  MOTION CARRIED.

B)      Conference Call of July 14, 2011

m/s     Donna Lackie / Ron Le Blanc

That the minutes of July 14, 2011 be approved with the following editorial change: page 3, under Work Force Adjustment, bullet 2 correct date to July.

Recorded vote # 2.  MOTION CARRIED.

3)  GSU Committee Reports

A)      Union Recognition Committee

m/s     Pierre Alarie / Nicole Rousseau

To adopt Part 2, recommendation 2 of the Union Recognition Committee Report.

‘We recommend that Policy 4 (awards of merit) be moved and become Part 5 of Regulation 6.

We recommend that a description-biographical note be added for each person on the list of life members. We also suggest that an asterisk be added next to the name of a deceased life member.’

Recorded vote # 3.  MOTION CARRIED.          (Appendix ‘A’ - page 6)

B)      Standing Discipline Investigation Committee

Brother Ford, National Vice-President assumed the Chair (1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m).

Brother Cameron, chair of the Standing Discipline Investigation Committee presented the report to the National Council.

m/s     Bob Cameron / Daniel Charron

To adopt Part 1 of the GSU Standing Discipline Investigation Complaint 2011-07 Brunell - Committee Report.

Recorded vote # 4.  MOTION CARRIED.          (Appendix ‘B - page 7)

m/s     Bob Cameron / Daniel Charron

To adopt Part 2, recommendation #1.

‘The Committee recommends that Jason Boyce receives a one (1) year suspension from the PSAC.’

Recorded vote #5.  MOTION CARRIED.

m/s     Bob Cameron / Donna Lackie

To adopt Part 2 recommendation #2.

‘The Committee, recommends that Jason Boyce be suspended for two (2) years from holding office in GSU, as well as representing GSU or its Locals in any capacity, effective immediately.’

Recorded vote #6.  MOTION CARRIED.

m/s     Bob Cameron / Ron Le Blanc

To adopt Part 2, recommendation 3 of the GSU Standing Discipline Investigation Committee report. (Timeframes)

Recorded vote #7.  MOTION CARRIED.           (Appendix ‘C’ page – 11)

Brother Brunell assumed the Chair at 2:16 p.m.

4)  ITSB – Shared Services Canada Update

On August 4, 2011, Brother Brunell received a surprise announcement that about 8 000 thousand IT employees in forty-four departments would be consolidated into Shared Services Canada, a new agency which would report to the Minister of Public Works.  The purpose is to streamline resources associated with email, data centres and network services.  Brother Brunell was also advised that 1 000 PWGSC employees would be transferred into this department effective immediately and that about two-hundred and fifty are GSU members.  The remaining 7 000 thousand employees would be transferred into SSC in October.

Brother Brunell noted that, members will not notice much change for the time being.  GSU Local representation will not change. Brother Gordon would need to make a ruling that SSC employees will be GSU members.  GSU National Council will need to decide on how these members will be represented.

5)  National WorkForce Adjustment Update

Brother Ford reported on the following:

A National Workforce Adjustment (NWFA) meeting was held on Wednesday, August 31^st, 2011.  A list of the affected members was sent out to the regions. GSU has eighty members on the affected list.  Sixty-one members have been placed and/or have accepted offers.  The remaining nineteen members are either retiring, on leave without pay and some still not placed. The department is still working to finalize offers to most of these members.  However, some of our members could be facing a surplus situation.  Brother Ford will be sending an email to National Council members sometime next week.

6)  Round Table

The meeting ended with a round table discussion.

• Brother Cameron mentioned that a new Regional Director will be appointed to the Cheque Production Site on September 15, 2011.  Brother Cameron would like to set-up an invitation for Brother Brunell to meet the Regional Director when in Halifax.  Brother Brunell re-assured Brothers Cameron, Sylvestre and Sister Hamel that Cheque Production is part of ITSB and remains part of PWGSC.
• Sister Hamel received a phone call from the Regional Director concerning project management.  Brother Brunell suggested that this could be an agenda item for the next Real Property Branch meeting.
• Brother Brunell updated National Council regarding electronic voting at Convention.  There is a possibility that a regulation will need to be changed.  Brother Brunell will consult with Brother Gordon, PSAC National President, and will have another conference call if needed.

7)  Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 2:25 pm.

Recorded Votes

Legend / Légende : 1.  Yes / Pour 2.  No / Contre 3  Abstain / Abstention 4.  Absent / Absent-e	Minutes of June 21, 2011	Minutes – July 14, 2011	Union Recognition – Part 2	SDIC Part 1	SDIC Rec. 1 Part 2	SDIC Part 2 Rec. 2	SDIC Rec. 3
Vote # / No de vote	#1	#2	#3	#4	#5	#6	#7
Alarie, Pierre	1	3	1	1	1	1	1
Babcook, Martine	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Cameron, Bob	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Charron, Daniel	1	1	1	1	1	1	4
Cunning, David	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Ford, Randy	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Gale, Jack	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Hamel, Mélanie	1	1	1	1	3	3	1
Lackie, Donna	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Le Blanc, Ron	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Little, Michelle	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Robinson, Phil	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Rousseau, Nicole	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Sauvé, Alex	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Spencer, Robert	4	4	4	4	4	4	4
Sylvestre, Mitch	1	1	1	1	1	1	4
Thomson, Dave	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Walsh, Bill	1	3	1	1	1	1	4
Brunell, Mark	1	1	1	4	4	4	1

Appendix ‘A’ – Report of the Union Recognition Committee

PLEASE NOTE:  NC dealt with Part 2 of this report on
September 1st, 2011.

Report of the Union Recognition Committee of the Government Services Union (GSU)

Meeting of June 21, 2011, in Ottawa at 10:30 a.m.

Pierre Alarie and David Cunning

1)         Life members

We agreed to propose to the GSU National Council the two candidates for Life Membership recognition.

2)         Suggestions of Randy Ford

We recommend that Policy 4 (awards of merit) be moved and become Part 5 of Regulation 6.

We recommend that a description-biographical note be added for each person on the list of life members. We also suggest that an asterisk be added next to the name of a deceased life member.

Proposed by Pierre Alarie

Seconded by David Cunning

Appendix ‘B’ – GSU Standing Discipline Investigation Committee Complaint 2011-07-Brunell

Part 1

REPORT OF INVESTIGATION - COMPLAINT 2011-07 – BRUNELL

On July 7, 2011, as Chairperson of the GSU Standing Discipline Investigation Committee, I received a letter from National Vice-president Randy Ford to convene the committee and investigate a complaint filed Brother Mark Brunell against Brother Jason Boyce.

The committee was composed of two members in addition to me as Chairperson. Sister Suzanne Lambert, member of the Standing Discipline Investigation Committee and Sister Nadine Lethbridge, retired GSU Regional Vice-president. Sister Lethbridge was asked to participate as other Standing committee members were not able to participate.

The allegations made by Brother Brunell were as follows:

Specifically, I believe Brother Boyce violated 15.5.i) when he pawned a laptop computer that Local 70013 had provided to him for the performance of his duties as an officer of the Local and violated 15.5.n) when he used that laptop to access pornographic material via the internet. As a consequence of these actions, I believe Brother Boyce is also in violation of 15.5.a).

The grounds for the complaint were provided by Brother Brunell as follows:

By-law 15 – Discipline, Section 5

A member, having committed any of the offences listed below, may be penalized as provided in Sections 1 and 2 of this By-law.

a)    Violating any provision of the Constitution of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, the Local By-laws, or the By-laws of this Union;

i)     Fraudulently receiving or misappropriating any moneys due this Union or its Locals;

n)    Engaging in any other conduct prejudicial to the good order and discipline of the PSAC or this Union;

Included with this letter from Brother Brunell was an attachment (in email form) originating from Brother Boyce to Sister Isabelle Gendron, other members of Local 70013 and carbon copied to Brother Brunell. This email included an admission of wrong-doing relevant to the complaint which was considered to be in contravention of GSU By-Laws, Regulations and Policies. It was thereby deemed sufficient evidence to proceed with interviews of the parties and other witnesses which included the following people:

• Jason Boyce
• Mark Brunell
• Isabelle Gendron
• John Jedrasik

Investigation of the Lap top

As part of the complaint SIRCO Investigations of Montreal was requested by the GSU National Office to examine the laptop owned by Local 70013 and retrieved from Jason Boyce. They were requested to analyze the contents and use of the laptop and provide an assessment and a report.

The committee reviewed the SIRCO report and established the following points. SIRCO examined the contents of the laptop on ten (10) random days over a three (3) month period and reported as follows:

• There is no indication of illegal activity on the laptop.
• The laptop was used to access pornographic sites 97% of the time during the period of their examination.

Findings of Investigation

The results of our investigation are confirmed as follows:

Violation of 15.5.i);

The committee finds that Brother Boyce violated this subsection by pawning the Local’s laptop on two separate occasions for personal gain.

Violation of 15.5.n);

The committee finds that Brother Boyce violated this subsection by exercising poor judgment in the following manners:

• Performing web searches of illicit sites on the Local 70013 laptop rather than using his own personal computer
• Continued use of the computer beyond his role as an Officer of Local 70013
• Pawning the Local’s laptop on two separate occasions
• Writing an email to Sister Gendron which included threatening and accusatory tones

Violation of By-Law 15.5.a);

As a result of the above noted findings, it is the Committee’s position that Brother Boyce has indeed violated By-Law 15.5 a) and his actions encompass a total breach of trust.

Additional Violations of the By-laws

During its investigations the Committee determined that Brother Boyce contravened two additional sections of the GSU By-laws and the Committee is obliged to include these in our report.

Violation of By-Law 7, Section 5;

During the investigation the committee also learned that Brother Boyce did not return the laptop therefore violating GSU By-Law 7, Section 5 and Local 70013 By-Law 7, Section 7.07 which is as follows:

“Any officer of the Local, on vacating an office, shall deliver all documents, moneys or other property of the Local to his or her successor or to the President”

Brother Boyce withheld the Local’s property for an excessive period of time and pawned this laptop while no longer a member of the Executive of Local 70013. The timeframe in question extends from February 2011 to June 2011.

Violation of By-Law 20;

During the interview and investigation of this case, Brother Boyce was asked the following question by the Chair, Brother Robert Cameron:

“Do you understand how the action of pawning the laptop is a violation of the GSU “oath of office”?

Brother Boyce answered yes, which clearly indicates that he did not do this unknowingly.

This concludes Part 1 of the discipline investigation procedures as stipulated in Regulation 9, Part 1 – General Procedures, paragraph 11 of the GSU By-Laws, Regulations and Policies.

Part 2

Discipline Investigation Committee Recommendations

In compliance with Regulation 9 – Discipline Procedures Part 1, paragraph 12, we are obligated to make recommendations regarding discipline and corrective action as a result of our findings.

However, the committee is not confident that these recommendations would prevent a reoccurrence of this situation in the future because these types of issues are outside of the scope of union training and development.

Recommendation 1

Due to the severity of the circumstances when all of these violations are considered, the Committee recommends a one (1) year suspension from the PSAC.

Recommendation 2

We, the Committee, recommend a two (2) year suspension from holding office in GSU as well as representing GSU or its Locals in any capacity, effective immediately.

Respectfully submitted to the GSU National Council

Bob Cameron,
Chairperson, GSU Standing Discipline Investigation Committee
August 10, 2011

Nadine Lethbridge
Member of Committee

Suzanne Lambert
Member of Committee