Dear Members,
I hope you have had a wonderful long weekend and were able to shake the stresses from the office for a few days.
It has come to our attention that some of you may be suffering since the Service Modernization announcement on June 28th in a way that’s more profound than just annoyed or disappointed. If you have been deeply affected and find that you have changed sleeping patterns, changed eating patterns, gotten angry for no clear cut reason or just can’t seem to get out of bed in the morning or face your day since the modernization announcement; you could be suffering from a mental injury.
We want to make sure that you are aware that this is a legitimate injury, that you are doing some self-care and that you’ve reported this injury to you team leader. WSIB calls it a phsycotraumatic injury. According to their website, a worker is entitled to benefits when an impairment results from a work related personal injury by accident. Impairment includes both physical and emotional impairment and it should be reported as every other injury that has occurred in the workplace.
Self care is just as it sounds. It’s taking care of yourself and your mental health. When you google “Self Care” There are multitudes of web sites offering advice on self-care and we have gathered the points that are the most effective.
· Be aware of your nutrition – Giving your body what it needs on a cellular level by increasing water intake, adding more fruits/veggies, less processed foods, and making sure you have a small meal/snack every 3 hours will ensure your body has the energy needed to withstand what comes your way.
· Move a little more – This can be challenging with little ones and if you’re juggling a career on top of that. If getting to the gym or walking 10,000 steps a day is difficult, put on some great music and just move! Get the kids involved too. (Another great side effect of this is your kids will get their movement in, and maybe get tired and take a nap so you can do #5).
· Take a moment – When your work day is over, or kids are taking a nap, don’t feel you have to go straight to the dishes, or pay bills, or do laundry. Enjoy the quiet and even if it is for only 5 minutes, go to that relaxing place in your mind. Heat up a quick glass of hot chamomile tea, put on some relaxing music for a meditative boost.
· Decide what else would benefit you and make it a goal – Choose 3 – it could be, to get a massage or go out with your girlfriends once every few months, or read more books or to learn a new skill or even just taking some time to colour. Everyone’s idea of self-care is different. Write down very small steps to start. Make the steps so small they are laughable (laughable steps bypass your resistance).
· Seek help and support. – Whether through your friends, family or through EAP. You are not in this alone. We are here to support each other. We are in this together.
If you need help to report your injury to your team leader, do not hesitate to contact your union representative. We are here to support you in any way you would like present this to the employer.
Please note: In our collective agreement, 18.11 states that “An employee may present a grievance to the first (1st) level of the procedure in the manner prescribed in clause 18.06, not later than the twenty-fifth (25th) day after the date on which he or she is notified orally or in writing or on which he or she first becomes aware of the action or circumstances giving rise to grievance.” So if you plan to file a grievance based on this information, you have 25 days from now. We are not fishing for grievances. This is just to make sure you’re aware of your options in this regard.
Canada Revenue Agency owed us a duty of care. Canada Revenue Agency breached that duty of care when they presented Service Modernization as a done deal and that we HAD to move regardless of personal circumstance or position. As a result of this badly rolled out presentation, some of our members have suffered a mental injury, resulting in increased stress, changes in sleeping patterns, changes in eating patterns, and changes in behaviour. This damage was caused, in fact and in law, by the presentation of Service Modernization as presented by management June 28th, 2017. This should be reflected in the injury being reported, or nothing will stop them from presenting in such a horrendous manner again.
If you feel this applies to you, first of all, please see EAP or your doctor. Seek help and support. Do the self-care steps. Secondly, we are here to assist you in any way you need us. We are not looking to present nuisance grievances. This is an actual serious issue and we have been seeing the effects on our members. We want to make you aware that something can be done about it.
“Workplace is more than a setting, it is an environment where we spend half our lives….it is a community.”
Sincerely,
Your Local Executive Council
Good Day Brothers and Sisters
What can you do. Well as we have been moving forward on our campaign against GTASM you have all stepped up and have been able to have those at the Commissioners Office, Stop, Step Back, and Rethink!
Management is consulting at all levels with the Unions, National, Regional and Local.
What can you do, you ask?
Well many politicians are home in their ridings, so this is perfect time to book and appointment with you MP or MPP and have a conversation as it relates to Greater Toronto Area Service Modernization.
Below is a link, you can click on for your MPP and MP. Catch them while you can, when they are home right in your own backyard.
MEMBERS OF PROVINCIAL PARLIAMENT – ONTARIO (MPP)
Please let your local know how the meeting went.
In Solidarity, Local 00051 and your local member steering Committee.
For your information
Good afternoon Sisters and Brothers,
You will find attached a message intended to our members belonging to the Greater Toronto Region regarding the CRA’s GTA Service Modernization Plan.
This message has been posted on the UTE National website earlier this afternoon and on the UTE and SEI Facebook pages.
It has also been sent by email to all people who are on the “UTE Communications” distribution list.
Please give this message a wide distribution among your membership.
In Solidarity;
Pour votre information
Bon après-midi consoeurs et confrères,
Vous trouverez ci-joint un message destiné à nos membres appartenant à la Région du Grand Toronto concernant le Plan de modernisation des services de l’ARC pour la RGT.
Ce message a été publié sur le site internet du SEI national plus tôt cet après-midi et sur les pages Facebook SEI et UTE.
Il fut également envoyé par courriel à tous les gens qui sont inscrits sur la liste de distribution « Communications du SEI ».
Veuillez s’il-vous-plaît distribuer ce message au plus grand nombre possible de vos membres.
En toute solidarité,
Marc BrièrePrésident national du SEI
UTE National President
(613) 235-6704 Bureau/Office
(613) 882-6287 Cell.
marcbriere@ute-sei.org
Sisters and Brothers,
During our recent Triennial Convention, representatives from our National Office spoke with many of the local representatives and your Regional Vice-President, Brother Ken Bye, with respect to our members’ concerns regarding the GTA Service Modernization.
Before this meeting, we had already anticipated these concerns and raised them with the employer regionally and nationally.
There may be a perception that the National Office of UTE has been inactive with respect to this matter, but that is far from accurate.
Immediately after being made aware of this matter, we requested a meeting with the CRA at the Headquarters level and your RVP has had several meetings with the Regional Assistant Commissioner.
Moreover, since the employer’s announcement, we have been developing a strategy but were waiting for full disclosure from the employer.
We have listened to and analyzed some of the suggestions from your representatives and determined their viability. Some of these suggestions are premature and speculative at this time and other suggestions are not supported by the Collective Agreement and existing legislation.
Today, I will be directing the UTE National Political Action Committee to convene at its earliest possible opportunity to consider a strategy for enlisting the support of your Members of Parliament, and for recommending other courses of action to address our members’ concerns. We are also consulting PSAC and legal counsel, if necessary, to consider other possible avenues of recourse.
Rest assured that we share your concerns and will work to the best of our abilities in order to minimize any adverse impacts on our members.
Finally, we encourage you to continue your collective action and to work with your local representatives and Regional Vice-President to promote ideas to challenge the employer’s initiative.
We will share further information as it becomes available.
Please ensure that this message is distributed as widely as possible to all of your members within the Greater Toronto Region.
In Solidarity;
Marc BrièrePrésident national du SEI
UTE National President
(613) 235-6704 Bureau/Office
(613) 882-6287 Cell.
marcbriere@ute-sei.org