Mandate, Aims and Plan of Action

Preamble:

The foundation of a strong Union is its Locals. So long as the membership sees «the Union» as something outside themselves, union consciousness will be lacking, union commitment will be sporadic, on-the-ground communications will be inconsistent, the day-to-day running of a Local and indeed of the Union as a whole will be problematic, and members will continue to ask what "the Union has done for them."

It is no secret that our campaigns and strike mobilizations have revealed, in all too many instances, profound weaknesses in our Local organisation, including overburdened Local Executives. Members do not receive timely communications, even such vital information as the time and place of strike votes. In some cases, two or three struggling Local Executive members are trying to hold together and manage a Local of several hundred members scattered over numerous worksites. Those members frequently do not know where to turn if they have a problem, and do not know how to link up with "the Union." For example, they are often unaware that they have any input into the collective bargaining process, or what to do if they are being harassed. Local Executives, too, often are uncertain of their own roles and are unable, for various reasons, to create viable Local networks or attract volunteers.

The Local Development Fund will not buy strong Locals, nor will the Local Development Committee singlehandedly solve a problem that is so fundamental and widespread in our Union. But a strategic course can be set, successes catalogued, and future phases designed on the basis of what we have learned.

This new focus will also permit the on-going development of smooth and harmonious relations among all of the different PSAC structures and formations, as each will bring to this common task unique knowledge, skills, resources and perspectives. By building our Locals, we will truly be building the Union.

It is the purpose of the NBoD Local Development Committee to kick-start the process, through two complementary activities: pilot projects with selected Locals, and the production, based on the experience gained, of generic materials to be used in the future as organizing tools.

Given that the neediest Locals will be the least likely to be able to develop proposals of their own, it is at this stage essential that the choice of Locals for the pilot development process take place at a higher level. A consultative approach is suggested, involving the REVPs, the contributing Components and the Regional Offices, who will together make proposals to the Local Development Committee. It is envisaged that most of the work will happen in the regions, using a team approach, with the Local Development Committee exercising an oversight role.

Local Development involves a number of facets, including but not restricted to communications, a strong Local Executive and stewards' network, outreach that engages the diversity of our membership, employer relations, collective workplace actions, participation in collective bargaining, health and safety, human rights and equity activism, involvement of youth, political action and involvement in the wider community (e.g., District Labour Councils, social partners, community organizations). Hence, Local Development will not take place overnight. But, with the experience and knowledge gained through this initial phase, a long-term strategic plan can and should be put in place that will permit our Union to meet the increasingly complex and numerous challenges of the 21st century.

Mandate and Aims:

1. To play a key role in a comprehensive long-term strategy to develop PSAC Locals;

2. To use the Local Development Fund to engage in pilot projects and to create Local Development resources;

3. To develop and strengthen partnership between and among Local activists, Components, PSAC headquarters, PSAC Regional Offices, Regional Councils, the REVPs, the Alliance Facilitators' Network and the wider community, to jointly accomplish the common goal of Local Development;

4. To make a comprehensive report, analysis and recommendations to the NBoD following the completion of the Action Plan.

Plan of Action:

1. Through consultation with the Components concerned, the REVPs and the Regional Coordinators, up to five Locals per Region from contributing Components/Direct Charter Locals (DCLs) will be selected that present significant organizational problems, e.g., scattered work locations, few or no executive positions filled, large numbers of members, poor communications, isolated Locals, rapid membership turnover, etc. The over-all selection of Component Locals will be done keeping in mind a fair distribution among contributing Components.

2. Utilizing available expertise, Regional Offices in concert with Local Executives/activists, the REVP and Component RVPs/DCL Executives, will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment of each Local, identifying barriers, strengths and weaknesses.

3. Once the needs assessment is completed, teams will be formed including the REVP, Component RVP (or delegated representative)/DCL Executive, Regional Office staff, and, if necessary and as available, AFs and activists from other Locals with relevant expertise.

4. These teams will meet with Local Executives/activists in the target Locals, in facilitated sessions, to assemble a timelined Plan of Action of up to one year to develop the Local, using resources such as «The Good Local.» This Plan of Action will identify resource needs, such as education, training and printed materials, film rentals, informatics, etc., and will set out costs of implementation (LWOP, materials, etc.] for review by the Local Development Committee, in consultation with the REVP. In addition, it will set out benchmarks to measure on-going success during and after the completion of the Plan of Action.

5. The Local Development Committee in consultation with the REVP, the Component/DCL and the Regional Office will monitor the implementation of each Plan of Action. Problems will be addressed as they arise.

6. Upon completion of the Plans of Action across the country, a comprehensive report and analysis will be prepared by the Regional teams on each target Local, summing up successes and failures, what worked, what didn't, etc.

7. These reports will form the basis of a compendium of best practices, a Local organizing tool that, as a «how-to» guide, will complement «The Good Local.» It would be in loose-leaf format, to allow for future additions to it. The reports will be distributed to the National Board of Directors and to Alliance Regional Offices.

8. A report to the National Board of Directors will be prepared on the basis of the Regional reports, containing analysis and recommendations for the future.