Exploring a Future Together

COTAPSA Board Meeting

Thursday June 18, 2009
Agenda
 Introduction
 Who We Are - IFPTE
 Who We Are – IFPTE L160
 What Professionals Want
 Issues Facing Municipal Professionals
 Concerns Facing Members
 What IFPTE L160 Can Offer
 City of Winnipeg’s Experience
 Can You Be Certified?
 Summary and Proposal
 Q&A
Introductions
 Why we are here
– Challenges facing COTAPSA
– Our offer to assist in facing these challenges
 Speakers
– Greg Junemann, President, IFPTE
– Rod Sheppard, President, IFPTE Local 160
– Paul Shearon, Secretary-Treasurer, IFPTE
– Mary Cornish, Senior Partner, Cavalluzzo Hayes
– Robert Young, Executive Director, WAPSO
– Richard Long, External Affairs, IFPTE Local 160
Overview of IFPTE
 A century of experience in advancing the
interests of professionals
 Over the last decade the IFPTE has
experienced a 250% increase in
membership
 IFPTE is today the fastest growing union in
North America
 Over 1/3 of our 75,000 members are from
the municipal/county sector
Overview of The Society
 In existence for over 6 decades
 Represent over 7000 professionals, mainly in the
GTA
 Close to 40 highly trained and experienced full-
time staff and elected officials on full-time release
 2008 Income (Dues and Investments) over $11
million
 Reserve fund to support bargaining of $15 million
What Professionals Want
 Autonomy - ability to continue to control their
own destiny
 “A real voice” - ability to participate in and
influence the direction of the broader organization
 Open and democratic governance
 Comprehensive strategies for dealing with their
challenges and problems
 A Union that draws out and utilizes the skills and
abilities of their professional members
 Ability to provide professional staff support but
decision making resides with the members
Issues Facing Municipal
Professionals
 Restructuring
 Downsizing, layoffs
 Concessions
 Reductions in transfer payments
 Dwindling influence in decision-making
 Lack of work-life balance
 Doing more with less
Concerns Facing Members
 Wage freeze
 Loss of sick pay accumulation
 Two tier benefits for new hires
 Non standardized appraisal of job performance
 Lack of access to decision makers
 Limited collective voice or influence
 No effective dispute resolution process
 Limited method of membership engagement
 Inability to effectively shape terms and conditions
of employment
What IFPTE L160 Can Offer
 Relationship and programs designed
specifically for professionals
 Formal collective agreement with legally
binding negotiated terms and conditions of
employment
 Innovative bargaining approaches
 A municipal growth program to improve
density within the Canadian municipal
sector to increase power and influence
What IFPTE L160 can offer
 The Society dues cover all the costs
associated with professional representation
for example:
– Over 40 staff and full-time released officials in
GTA
– Membership engagement and growth program
– Professional Development Specialist for
member career enhancement
– Research Specialist (an economist) to support
bargaining through benchmarking and the
creation of comparables
What IFPTE L160 Can Offer
– Policy Specialist that provides analysis of local,
provincial and federal policy
– Political Specialist to coordinate lobbying
efforts
– Communications Specialist to disseminate
information through various mediums.
– 3 in-house lawyers
– Retention of prominent legal firm, Cavalluzzo
Hayes Shilton McIntyre & Cornish
City of Winnipeg’s Experience
 Represent over 600 professionals at the City of
Winnipeg
 Face similar challenges to COTAPSA members
 Able to challenge issues head on due to collective
agreement and affiliation with IFPTE
 Full support by members, Board and staff when
pursuing initial relationship (“Getting to know
you” period) with IFPTE
 Unanimous support by Board to pursue an
affiliation
Can We Be Certified?
 External Counsel - Cavalluzzo Hayes
Shilton McIntyre & Cornish
 Multitude of ways to ensure recognition
– Legal
– Political
– Member Activity
 Related Certifications
Summary
 COTAPSA faces ongoing challenges
 IFPTE L160 has resources to assist
COTAPSA
 A Joint Committee can be established to
help meet the immediate needs of
COTAPSA
Proposal
To establish a joint committee to pursue a
possible strategic alliance with the Society
that would work to build the organizational
capacity of COTAPSA and further enhance
and develop the relationship between the
Society and COTAPSA.
Q&A