Annual Report

Irreplaceable Leaders in Health Care

ConceRNsPrince Edward Island Nurses’ Union

Spring 2015Volume 29

office@peinu.comwww.peinu.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Wear White Campaign Still Encouraged............................................................................ 1-2

President’s Report .............................................................................................................. 3-6

Who is PEINU? ..................................................................................................................... 7

Executive Director’s Report ............................................................................................... 8-9

Cross Country Checkup ...................................................................................................... 10

Constitution & Resolutions Committee Report................................................................ 11-12

Public Relations Committee Report .................................................................................. 13

Education Fund Committee Report ......................................................................... ......... 14-15

International Nursing Endeavours Bursary ...................................................................... 15

P.E.I. Nurses’ Union Bursary ............................................................................................... 16

Betty MacFadyen Recognition Award ............................................................................... 16

Public Sector Group Insurance Plan Benefits Report ...................................................... 17

International Nursing Endeavours Bursary ...................................................................... 17

What Do Nurse Practitioners Do?...................................................................................... 18

Pension Fund Report .......................................................................................................... 18-20

2014 Members & Events Photos ........................................................................................ 21-22

National Nursing Week/PEINU Student Bursary............................................................... 23

2014 Charitable Donations................................................................................................. 24

Finance Committee Report ................................................................................................ 25

2015 PEINU Budget Explanation ....................................................................................... 26-27

2014 PEINU Budget ............................................................................................................ 28

Auditor’s Report ................................................................................................................. 29-39

AGM Banquet ...................................................................................................................... 40

AGM Registration Form ...................................................................................................... 41

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Wear White Campaign Still EncouragedPEINU encourages you to show solidarity by wearing a standard recognizable white and black uniform with an embroidered RN or NP and/or your professional identi-fication badges and pins. Wearing the distinctive white and black uniforms with your professional designations will ensure visibility so that your patients, clients and theirfamilies will know when they are being cared for by an RN or NP. This is just one means of increasing awareness of the RN profession. You can also show pride by always identifying yourself as a Registered Nurse with each interaction.

Thank you to all the PEINU members who sent in photos or allowed us to photograph you in your white uniforms. You all look awesome!

Coralee Maher, Souris Hospital

Barb Strongman & Mary Beth McIver, PCH

Bethany McQuaid, KCMH Kim Quinn, KCMH

Isabelle Darrach, QEH

Jill MacKinnon and Sarah MacNeil, QEH

Melissa Horne & Angela Pierce, QEH

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“I feel it is extremely im-portant to wear white and black with the RN symbol. My patients tell me that they really appreciate being able to tell who is who on the unit. So, I continue to wear white and black to work for that reason. For the patients’ sake.”Mary MacKinnon-Walsh, RNEndoscopy QEH

Donna Dehmel & Jeanette Edwards, PCH

Elizabeth Steele, Souris Hospital

Joanne Dennis, PCH

Melissa Vos, QEH

Sharon Hay, QEH

Anne Robinson, PCH

Sandra Graham, PCH

UPEI Nursing Students

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Look for the positive side of a situation and learn to forgive.

3. TAKE CARE OF PERSONAL NEEDS. Make healthy life choices. Take time for rest and relaxation. Nuturing one’s self is not a luxury, but a necessity:Set aside relaxation time every day. Obtain sufficient sleep each night or day;Connect with others. Spend time with enjoyable people who are supportive. A good support system helps buffer the negative effects of stress;Keep a sense of humor. Learn to laugh;Exercise regularly. This might include walking, taking part in a sport or exercise plan; andEat a balanced meal plan.

This list is in no particular order and none has any greater significance than the other. What is important is that we appreciate each for what it is saying and the potential for positive impacts upon our overall health. Regardless of how much we might want to be completely free from stress, we must contend with some level of stress everyday, in most situations. No single technique works for every situation, so one has to experiment with different strategies and focus on what fosters control and calm.

Recently, I was invited to represent PEINU at the Provincial Wellness Strategy launch. This program is making an effort to change the landscape of Islanders by having Islanders live longer, be healthier, and live a more productive and fulling life. The PEI Wellness Strategy is focussed on working towards accomplishing five (5) goals over the next three (3) years. The plan can be found on the Provincial Government website. I encourage you to have a look and become engaged. As nurses we should be proactive in taking care of ourselves – we cannot expect to provide quality care for others if we don’t care for ourselves first.

I am pursuing my own personal goal to help manage my stress levels and to improve my overall health. I am walking 10,000 steps 6 days/week. It is amazing how much better I feel and how much easier it is to face daily challenges. I challenge each of you to look inward and find what may improve your overall health and wellness. What will your goal be?

President’s Report - 2014/2015As Registered Nurses, we regularly witness the pain and suffering of others. We work under demanding conditions, in stressful environments, fraught with frequent interruptions, and often with limited resources. Safety issues, constant organizational changes, budgetary constraints and increased workloads complicate our professional work lives.Registered Nurses often ignore the negative effects that chronic daily stresses have on our physical and mental well being. We tend to pay more attention to the needs of our patients, their families and our colleagues.

To prepare for and help cope with the pressures we face in our work life, we need to build our own support networks, practice authentic self care and be aware of stress management strategies. Given these realities, it is crucial for us to be mindful of our own feelings and reactions to environmental and situational stressors. Below I have listed some stress management activities suggested by the Help Guide (Nurses Workplace Stressors and Coping Strategies – 2008, Volumn 14, pp. 38-44, Vickie Lambert and Clinton Lambert) :

1. AVOID UNNECESSARY STRESS: We need to look at the number of stressors in life that can be eliminated by:Learning to say “no”. Refuse to accept added responsibility when we know we are at our max. Taking on more than we can deal with is a sure way to increase our stress levels;Avoiding stress-producing people. Those individuals we know increase our stress levels because of their own inability to cope effectively with stress or those who thrive on drama and chaos;Steering clear of controversial discussion topics. Should such topics arise in conversations, leave the situation or change the conversation; andNarrowing down the “to do list”. Distinguish the “should do” from the “must do” activities.

2. ACCEPT THE THINGS YOU CANNOT CHANGE. Some sources of stress are unavoidable, such as the death of a patient or loved one. While acceptance may be difficult, in the long run, it is easier than trying to change that which cannot be changed:

PEINU President, Mona O’Shea, RN

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Overview of 2014 Activities:

This annual report provides me with an excellent opportunity to reflect on the past year and offer an update on the committee work I have been involved with as PEINU President.

Over the past year, PEINU has been busy with promoting the “Wear White Campaign”, which was a huge success from our perspective. Over 900 members submitted coupons for a free embroidered white top. The Wear White Campaign should not stop here! We need to continue promoting this white and black uniform like our many sister unions across this country. We need to continue to identify ourselves as the irreplaceable health care professionals that we are. Currently, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Alberta all have language, whether in their Collective Agreements or through policy, promoting wear white and black for nurses.

As part of PEINU’s three (3) year strategic plan, we want to understand members’ issues, needs and expectations. To assist us in these efforts, we hired a consulting firm to complete a telephone survey of our membership. It will provide us with the information necessary to better understand members’ needs and how PEINU can meet these needs. The telephone survey was completed at the end of February. We will share the results with you, so stay tuned.

Another strategic goal for PEINU was the creation of the Member Handbook. You all received a copy with your December newsletter. We hope you took the time to read through the booklet and that you found the information useful. It is intended to be used as a resource for members when you have questions about PEINU and how the Union functions.

PEINU continues to actively support RNs who are affected by changes as government rolls out new approaches to health care delivery. We continue to encourage members to complete work situation reports and forward copies along to your local presidents. We continue to be persistent in challenging government’s policies that negatively impact our members and the delivery of health care services. We advocate for RNs in many ways, i.e. in meetings and in correspondence with the employer representatives or government officials.

Our Collective Agreement expired in March of 2014. The Negotiations Committee met with the Employer for several days in the Spring and Fall of 2014. However, we were not able to reach a final deal through the negotiation process. The next stage in the process is conciliation. Meeting dates have been scheduled for March 2nd and 3rd with a government appointed conciliator. Please check the PEINU website for an update following this process.

We continue to increase our communication with the membership through blast emails, having contests to engage members’ participation via Twitter, regular newsletters, and frequent updates to the website with the latest information. We hope that you, the members find all these tools of communication helpful and that you indeed enjoy the information that is shared. We are always open for suggestions on ways to improve our communication and how to engage the membership.

Canadian Federation of Nurses Union (CFNU):The CFNU is a national voice of unionized nurses. PEINU is a proud and active member.CFNU is led by its elected officers and the National Executive Board who represent the interests of over 200,000 nurses and nursing students across Canada. The President, Linda Silas continues to be a strong voice for nursing and health care issues on the national stage. As a CFNU board member, I recognize the importance of a national voice for nurses. Working collectively to share research, knowledge, and best practice information across the provinces strengthens our ability to influence the decision makers in government to protect and expand our public health care system. We also benefit by sharing information with one another on strategies related to negotiations, professional practices and education.

Janet Hazelton (Pres. NSNU), Vicki McKenna (VP, ONA), Mona O’Shea, Pauline Worsfold (Sec/Treasurer

CFNU), and Linda Silas (Pres. CFNU)

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The 2014 year was a busy year for CFNU. It completed the background research to publish a new report which calls for nurses, patients, and their families to safe guard our health care system and reject irresponsible workforce design. “Valuing Patient Safety: Responsible Workforce Design” argues that patients must be at the forefront of any redesign decisions. The research and evidence provided a wake-up call for health care decision makers. The full report is available on CFNU’s website; nursesunions.ca.

CFNU’s top priorities have always been and continue to be: advancing solutions to improve health care; advocating for a national Pharmacare program in Canada; improving working conditions for nurses; improving our public health care system; and promoting nurses and the nursing profession at the national level. During the past year, CFNU’s National Executive Board met with the Canadian Premiers, were hosts to discussion panels, met with Provincial and Territorial Health Ministers, and were active participants in the international nursing community as a founding member of Global Nurses United (GNU) and as a key partner at the International Council of Nurses (ICN) held this past Fall in Las Vegas.

CFNU partners and works with other like-minded groups such as; the Canadian Health Coalition (CHC), Canadian Doctors for Medicare (CDM) and the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) to ensure protecting and expanding our publicly funded and delivered health care system is a priority for all.

PEINU is eagerly looking forward to CFNU’s 17th Biennial Convention being held in Halifax, June 1-5th. Eighteen delegates will be attending and representing PEINU.

PEI Health Coalition: This committee continues to lobby on issues relating to the Health Accord, Medicare, privatization, and Pharmacare. In 2014, the main focus was the National Day of Action for a new Health Accord to protect and strengthen public health care. We partnered with our national organization, the Canadian Health Coalition (CHC). I would like to thank PEI Health Coalition Coordinator, Mary Boyd for her continued leadership, commitment and hard word on behalf of all Islanders. Our national leader, Mike McBane retired after serving 19 years. We are pleased to welcome Adrienne Silnicks as the new national coordinator.

School of Nursing – RN Continuing Education:We all know that continuing competency is the ongoing responsibility of a Registered Nurse. We must integrate and apply the knowledge, skills, and judgment required to practice safely and ethically in a designated role and setting. It is absolutely essential that Registered Nurses feel prepared and supported in their efforts to provide the best quality care for their patients/clients and residents. Colleen Bannon RN,MSN, continues to chair and lead this committee and remains committed to gathering information around the learning and professional development needs of the RNs on PEI.

On January 30th, there was a one day workshop on Newborn Health Assessment. Starting April 7th, and every Tuesday evening for four weeks, a course on Mental Health Disorders and Addiction will be held at UPEI. More information on this course can be found on our website under the tab, “Member Services”.

Provincial Nursing Advisory Committee:Our provincial Chief Nursing Officer, Brenda Worth and Nursing Policy Analyst, Heather Rix continue to co-chair this committee and report back to Health PEI. We are pleased to announce two new members, Mike Murphy, RN and Lynn Fraser, NP. The Role Clarity presentation, presented by Audrey Fraser (ARNPEI) and Alana Essery (LPNA), continues to be welcomed in many facilities across Health PEI. If you are interested in this presentation at your worksite, please contact Audrey, Alana or myself. The Committee continues to make progress in completing our key messages and strategic goals.

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Morgan Drummond, RNMedical/Palliative

Canadian Labour Congress:The Canadian Labour Congress represents the interests of more than three million affiliated workers in every imaginable occupation from coast to coast to coast.

The CLC is the umbrella organization for dozens of affiliated Canadian and international unions, as well as provincial federations of labour and regional labour councils. CFNU is affiliated with this organization.The CLC advocates on behalf of all working people in many different ways – from organizing campaigns and rallies, to lobbying federal politicians in Parliament, to speaking out in the media and to business on key issues, to representing Canada’s labour movement internationally, to developing partnerships with the community and other supportive groups. Our goals are simple – what we wish for ourselves, we desire for all.

CLC believes that unions are a positive force for democratic social change – and that by working together we can improve Canada for everyone.

In May of 2014 at the Biennial CLC Convention, a new President was elected - Hassan Yussuff. Congratulations to Hassan.

Board of Directors:Your Board of Directors meets 7-9 times per year, with a minimum of 6 required by the PEINU constitution. The Board carries out the business of the Union between AGMs. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work, dedication, leadership and contribution at the board level. Their vision and commitment is a large part of our strength as a provincial union.

PEINU is represented on other joint committees as listed below:- Critical Care Emergency Nursing program- PSGIP Trust Agreement Review Committee- Pension Committee- Employee Assistance Program- ARNPEI Steering Committee- Education Fund Committee- CFNU International Solidarity Committee and Constitution Committee

Closing:As you read through the various reports in this issue,you will see the work and leadership of our ExecutiveDirector, Board of Directors and Staff. I am extremelygrateful for their commitment and want to give mypersonal thanks for their support and confidence inme, as President.

As your President, I want you to know that I willcontinue to speak out for Registered Nurses andNurse practitioners in all sectors. I will continue toadvocate for you and represent your best interests asPEINU members.

I would also like to say that PEINU is YOU. I highlyencourage participation and hope that more memberswill develop an interest and choose to becomeinvolved. It is solidarity and strength in numbers thatmakes PEINU such a strong, united and respectedorganization.

Respectfully submitted,

Mona O’Shea, RN, PEINU President

Mona O’Shea with CLC President, Hassan Yussuff

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In addition to PEINU President, Mona O’Shea, the PEINU Executive is comprised of Vice-President, Tara Ferguson (left), Secretary, Zellah Johnston (middle) and Treasurer,

Kathleen MacDonald (right).

Who is PEINU?

• The PEINU office is currently supported by three staff: Kendra Gunn (Executive Director), Lorna Donovan (Executive Assistant) and a Communications/Research/Education Officer (currently vacant). The full-time elected President is Mona O’Shea.

• The 2014 Provincial Executive consists of Vice-President (Tara Ferguson), Secretary (Zellah Johnston) and Treasurer (Kathleen MacDonald).

• There are 8 “locals” across the Island, each represented by a Local President at the provincial board table:

• West Prince (Western Hospital, Community Hospital, Maplewood Manor, Community health services) Co-Presidents-Robin Dunn & Peggy Buote

• East Prince (Stewart Memorial Hospital, Wedgewood Manor, Summerset Manor, Dialysis, Homecare, Addictions and Public Health) President - Kim Jay

• Prince County Hospital (PCH, Harbourside Clinic and Diabetic Education) Co-Presidents - Cathy Wilkie and Lisa Durley

• PEI Nurses’ Union Queens (PE Home, Beach Grove Home, Dialysis, Diabetic Education, Garfield St., Out-of-Province Liaison Nurses) President - Doreen Wyand

• Queens Local 10 (Hillsborough Hospital, Homecare, Public Health, Four Neighbourhoods Clinic, Mt. Herbert-Addictions, Hunter River Clinic, Richmond Center/McGill Centre, Clinical Information System, Polyclinic) President - Blair MacDonald

• Queen Elizabeth Hospital - President- Rosanne Hancock

• Southern Kings (KCMH- Montague Hospital, Riverview Manor, Addictions, Public Health, Home Care, Mental Health, Health Centre) President- Fran Galczynski

• Eastern Kings (Souris Hospital, Colville Manor, Addictions, Public Health, Dialysis, Homecare. Co-Presidents - Marion Flynn & Joanne Chisholm

PEINU Board of Directors, Fall 2014

We will always remember the cherished members who are no longer with us:

Elizabeth Rice, RN

How to reach EAP Local Employee Assistance Program Office:40-B Burns Ave, Charlottetown, PETelephone: (902) 368-5738Toll Free: 1(800) 239-3826Website: www.gov.pe.ca/EAP

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Executive Director’s ReportAs I write this report, during the height of a storm that has essentially closed PEI for the better part of two days, I note that there’s nothing like a winter storm that causes everything to come to a complete halt to make one appreciate the power of Mother Nature…

But as you all know too well, not EVERYTHING comes to a complete halt. No matter what the weather, what the crisis, what the disaster, what the epidemic, front line Registered Nurses working in the health care system never stop working. The health and welfare of your patients/clients depend upon your dedication to providing 24/7 care, 365 days a year and your unwavering commitment to your profession.

Your ability to provide expert care is codependent upon the appropriate staffing mix, to allow you to do your work safely, effectively and efficiently. Unfortunately, as Health PEI continues to reduce the number of RNs in the system, we hear constantly about the challenges you are facing in terms of workload issues and role confusion.

The employer has the right to direct how health care services are delivered and to determine staffing ratios. Unfortunately, the integrity of the system and the safety of patients/clients are put at risk when directions provided to those delivering those services are confusing and vague and the staffing mixes are light on RNs and heavy on unregulated workers and LPNs. The inability to cope with the rapid growth of LPN positions in the system has meant the employer struggles to backfill LPN vacancies or leaves. This has had the negative effect of adding additional pressure on the RN population, which has been reduced to bare bones in most units/sites that have implemented the new model of care. Regardless of whether the employer continues to forge ahead with this ill designed model, the Union will continue to advocate for your professional autonomy and for improvements in your working conditions.

The ONLY way we can do this is for you to make us aware of what is happening in your worksites/units. We encourage you to communicate frequently with your local presidents – who champion your issues with management and human resources when your managers ignore or seem unable to address problems. The Union has facilitated several meetings between RN staff and management in a number of units struggling with the model of care. This has resulted in more constructive communication between RNs and management. The RNs have come together to create logical solutions to the challenges they have identified. Management has been open to hearing the RNs and has agreed to implement many of their ideas for improvements.

Collective Bargaining UpdateThe mandatory conciliation process will have concluded in early March and IF no agreement is reached, the parties will be off to binding arbitration. This will mean both the Union and the Employer will present written and verbal arguments to an independent, neutral Arbitrator, who will render a decision in regards to any outstanding contract issues.

To provide a little more insight into the PEINU Negotiations Committee’s views on appropriate wage increases, we have, for the last 15 years, focused on keeping pace with our nursing union counterparts in Atlantic Canada. In the past, when PEINU wages have fallen significantly below Atlantic parity (the average of the rates in NL, NB and NS), the ability for the employer to recruit and retain RNs became a problem.

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The Employer recognized this and, for the most part, in the past several contracts, we have kept pace with our counterparts in the Atlantic Region.

Current wage rates in NS, NB and NL now outpace PEINU rates significantly. This cannot be allowed to continue, or the stability of the RN workforce in PEI will be negatively impacted. We have experienced the exodus of UPEI nursing graduates in the past and, we predict, will do so again if the wage disparities are not corrected.

With the growing numbers of retirements from the system, regardless of the employer’s decision to continue to delete RN positions, the employer will still need a significant number of new RNs to keep the system functioning safely. This is about maintaining the necessary RNs in PEI’s health care system in the face of the interconnectedness of the nursing workforce in the Atlantic Region.

Changes to the Election ProcessAmendments to the PEINU Constitution last year resulted in the removal of the election of Executive members from the AGM. On a go forward basis, the election for these positions will occur during the first two weeks of October in each year. The membership will be advised of the time frames for nominations, be provided information about nominees, and be permitted to vote either by mail in ballot or electronically. This coming October, we will be seeking nominees for the positions of Vice President and Secretary. Watch for our summer newsletter, blast emails and go to the website, which will provide details about the process.

Changes to PEINU Staff By the time this newsletter finds its way into your mailboxes, its creator, Melanie Taylor, PEINU’s first Communication Education and Research Officer, will have bid us farewell. Melanie was with PEINU for three and a half years. During that time she played a major role in creating the most recent rendition of the PEINU website, she facilitated communication with the members in the form of blast emails, she played a key role in the production of our newsletters, TV

commercials, print and radio ads, and PEINU paraphernalia – to name just a few of her contributions.

Our ability to communicate more effectively with our members and the public has been enhanced during her tenure. I have no doubt we will be hearing more about Melanie and her family’s creative endeavors with Harmony House Theatre. We wish you well, Melanie!

We will endeavor to update the membership as to next steps in regards to this position in the near future.

Respectfully,

Kendra Gunn, LL.B., Executive Director

Executive Director, Kendra Gunn

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Cross Country CheckupNBNU (New Brunswick Nurses’ Union) has started the negotiation process for the Part III Hospital and Community Care bargaining unit. This will be a challenging round of negotiations as the new Liberal provincial government is looking to cut 500-600 million from public sector spending over the next 2 years. More than 1500 members from the Part III group completed an electronic survey about upcoming negotiations. The key questions in the survey were about priorities for bargaining. The top three that emerged were: no rollbacks, job security / protection of RN positions, and wage increases.

NBNU continues to encourage our members to embrace the “I am a Registered Nurse” campaign by wearing the white and black uniform. Feedback from our members and the general public has been very positive. Many members have made the change over and NBNU is working to implement this as a mandatory requirement in 2016.

NSNU (Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union) This past year the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union and other health care unions in the province faced three new labour bills.

The first healthcare bill introduced was Bill 30, Essential Home-Support Services Act, which mandated hundreds of striking home support workers back to work, judging their work to be an “essential service”. Soon after, government passed Bill 37: Essential Health and Community Services Act, which took away the right to strike for 40,000 health care workers, and required the agreement of the employer to essential service staffing levels before workers could go on strike.

In September the government passed Bill 1: The Health Authorities Act, which will effectively amalgamate nine district health authorities (DHAs) into one on April 1st 2015, with the IWK remaining as a standalone provincial facility. In doing so, the jurisdictions currently in place for union representation will change as the employer groups associated with each DHA and each collective agreement will cease to exist. The legislation merges nearly 50 bargaining units into four: Nursing, Health Care, Clerical, and Support.

Bill 1 states that each union can only represent one bargaining unit. Prior to Bill 1 being passed, the four unions, NSNU, NSGEU, CUPE and Unifor

worked together to develop an alternative to the government’s plan. They collectively proposed a Bargaining Association model that would allow the unions to maintain their membership (status quo) while bargaining together where appropriate. This proposal was declined by the employer and the government.

Since Bill 1 was passed on October 3, the unions, the employer and government have entered into mediation and two rounds of arbitration without resolution on three of the four representation assignments. The health care unions are now waiting to hear what course of action will be used to resolve the outstanding issues before the April 1 amalgamation deadline.

MNU (Manitoba Nurses’ Union)In policy circles and the nursing profession itself, burnout and compassion fatigue have been accepted as an irrefutable fact, symptoms that few nurses escape. As nurses we are knowledgeable about the costs of burnout and impact on patient care, and as the nursing community we are well- versed about these phenomena. However, a little known fact and one that hasn’t received much attention is that burnout and compassion fatigue are symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In fact, some studies show that nurses are more likely to develop PTSD than military personnel, and that many under report their symptoms and suffer in silence.

The Manitoba Nurses Union is in the midst of a research project on the prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among nurses. We have been reviewing root causes and symptoms, which as the academic literature points out is manifested as burnout and compassion fatigue. In one study 98% of nurses with significant PTSD symptoms also tested positively for burnout, anxiety and depression. This project has involved extensive reviews of existing research and literature on PTSD and nursing, surveys and focus groups with members, and speaking with our members about very difficult firsthand traumatic experiences.

This new information will advance MNU’s understanding and knowledge about burnout, and make it known that the work that is endlessly gratifying can also be deeply traumatizing. In order to address a problem, it first must be understood in its entirety, and this study will help MNU make continuous efforts to ensure their members receive the support they need to continue providing quality care we all depend on. The full report with findings will be released at their 2015 AGM in April.

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Constitution and Resolutions Committee Report

Proposed Changes to the Constitution and By-Laws 2015

Members of the Constitution & Resolutions Committee:

Tara Ferguson, ChairpersonJenny GreenPat KennedyMona O’Shea (ex-officio)Kendra Gunn (non voting member)

The Committee met on Monday, February 9th, 2015 to review, edit and compile recommendations for constitutional and/or by-law amendments and resolutions received from the membership.

Following years that saw several changes to the Union’s Constitution and By-Laws, including changes to the timing of the election of officers, this year the committee focused on ensuring the Constitution and By-Laws continued to flow and be understandable for our members. The committee did not receive any proposed changes or resolutions from the membership.

Recommendations from the committee have been outlined in the following pages.

Respectfully submitted,

Tara Ferguson, RN, BScN Chairperson

Proposed Changes to the PEINU Constitution and By-Laws

Constitution

There were no changes proposed.

By-Laws

Proposed Change #1

Change all references to “Board of Directors” in the body of the articles to “Board”

Rationale: “Board of Directors” is defined in 1.01 h) as “Board”.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #2

3.04 The officers shall be deemed to assume their term immediately following the election at which they are elected or acclaimed. The transfer of officers shall be completed within thirty (30) working days of the election.

Rationale: “day” is defined to mean a calendar day in 1.01 d). Change ensures consistency throughout the document.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #3

4.01 a) The Nominations Committee or any person or persons acting with its authority shall prepare through consultation with the locals, a list of nominees for the offices of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary. Nominations shall cease ninety (90) days prior to the date of the election. The Nominations Committee shall send the slate of candidates, with a biography of each nominee, to the President of each local at least sixty (60) days prior to the election at which an election of officers is to be held.

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Rationale: Change to remove redundant language - no change to meaning or intent.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #4

4.02 Election of members to the positions of President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary, subject to other provisions of these By-laws, shall be by majority of membership votes of ballots cast by the membership.

Rationale: Change reflects fact that it is the majority of votes that actually determines the election results.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #5

Renumbering will occur for articles 4.04 through to 4.07 due to the deletion of 4.03 at the 2014 AGM.

Rationale: Numerical correction only.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #6

4.05 The Chairperson of the Nominations Committee shall declare elected to each office the candidate receiving the largest number of ballots votes. Whenever there is only one (1) candidate for any of these offices, the Chairperson of the Nominations Committee shall declare those candidates acclaimed.

Rationale: Change reflects fact that it is the majority of votes that actually determines the election results.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #7

5.01 a) President4) The President shall be the CFNU Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions National Officer and shall be the senior member of all Union delegations to nursing and health related organizations outside the Province.

Rationale: CFNU acronym not known by all members. Use of formal name clearly identifies the national organization.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #8

7.01 The Executive shall meet at the call of the President or at the request of at least two (2) members of the Executive. In any event, the Executive shall meet at least four (4) times a year, exclusive of the Board of Directors meetings. Rationale: Grammatical change only. No change to intent or meaning.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

Proposed Change #9

12.01 a) A Special Meeting of the Union may be called:3) by written request of at least thirty (30) members one-third (1/3) of the locals evidenced by the their signatures of the local presidents.

Rationale: To give members the ability to call a special meeting independent of their local executives.

Submitted By: Constitution and Resolutions Committee

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Public Relations Committee ReportThe PR Committee is an important component of the PEINU and is responsible for helping to generate ideas to aid in the delivery of PR to the members, the public and other stakeholders.

The PR committee continues with the goal to actively engage the membership and promote the Registered Nurse among healthcare professionals and the public.

Members of the PR Committee include: Melanie Taylor, Mona O’Shea, Kendra Gunn, Mary Roberts, Carol Reid, Cathy Wilkie and myself, Jenny Green.

The PR committee plays an integral role in the development of newsletters, television and print ads, the Education Day, AGM, and National Nursing Week events. During the past year, the committee continued to promote the standardization of the white and black uniform, professionalism of the Registered Nurse and public awareness of the integral role of the RN in the healthcare system.

The PR committee thrives on the involvement and feedback of the membership and hopes that island RNs feel informed and aware of current issues. I would like to thank all the members for their hard work and contribution during the past year. Together we can keep one another informed, supported and strengthened.

The PR Committee encourages members to become involved as active members of their Union.

Submitted by: Jenny Green, RN 2014 Chair, PR Committee

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PEINU’s new stand-up promotional banner

Kits for new PEINU members can be picked up at the provincial office during

regular office hours. They contain relevant information about PEINU as well as

a few “goodies”!

PEINU New Member Kits

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EDUCATION FUND COMMITTEE REPORTMembershipUnion Employer

Blair MacDonald, Chair Beth PizioMona O’Shea, President VacantNora Johnston Kathy KingGaylene Albert Anita MacKenzieKendra Gunn, Exec. Director

Administrator: Lloyd Adams

Contact Info: 902-569-2611 (Tel) 902-569-3522 (Fax) Email: edufund@pei.sympatico.ca

1. There have been a total of 528 applications approved since July 2014 compared with 530 a year ago.

2. Allocation for Direct Costs is $700; for Salary Replacement 11.5 hours 3. $ value of approvals are 10% lower than last year. The decrease is primarily

the result of reducing salary replacement hours to 11.25.4. $ value of Direct Cost approvals increased by 6%.5. Applications for Direct Costs are exactly the same as the previous year.

6. $ value for Salary Replacement approvals decreased by 29%. (Hours reduced from 15 to 11.25).

7. Applications for Salary Replacement decreased by 18%.8. Approximately 53% of the approvals are Direct Costs and

47% for Salary Replacement.9. Number of members at maximum for Direct Costs is 61.10. Number of members at maximum for Salary Replacements is 161.11. Number of members claiming for out of province accommodations is 52.

The auditor of the Education Fund is Arsenault Best Cameron Ellis.

The committee continues to look for ways to improve the Education Fund for the members. If you have any suggestions or concerns, please email directly to Blair MacDonald, Chair at bemacdonald@ihis.org by no later than Friday, May 27th, 2015. These suggestions and concerns will be considered at the June Education Fund Committee meeting for changes to the next fiscal year.

Please see the attached tables for both short and long-term comparisons.

Respectfully submitted, Blair MacDonald

Notes:

EDUCATION FUND COMMITTEEComparison of Expenditures

2014-2015 and 2013-2014 (July to January)

2014-2015 2013-2014Allocation 300,000$ 300,000$ Total approved to January 31 242,980$ 271,438$ Balance 57,020$ 28,562$ Unclaimed Direct Costs 5,156$ 4,277$ Unclaimed Salary Replacement 52,807$ 59,769$ Administration costs & fees 10,181$ 9,729$ Balance available to June 30 104,802$ 82,879$

for Direct Costs for Salary Replacement July 2014-Jan 2015 July 2013-Jan 2014 July 2014-Jan 2015 July 2013-Jan 2014

Quantity % Quantity % Quantity % Quantity %Dollar value of approvals 129,362$ 121,959$ 113,618$ 149,479$ Number of applications approved 461 461 263 321Number of unclaimed approvals 45 34 113 129Dollar value of unclaimed approvals $5,156 $4,277 $52,807 $59,769Average dollar value per approval $281 $265 $432 $466Percentage of total $ approved 53% 45% 47% 55%Approvals between $01-$100 139 30% 177 38% 0% 0 0%Approvals between $101-$200 79 17% 45 10% 17 6% 21 7%Approvals between $201-$300 84 18% 67 15% 9 3% 8 2%Approvals between $301-$400 37 8% 67 15% 96 37% 150 47%Approvals between $401-$500 24 5% 19 4% 49 19% 9 3%Approvals between $501-$600 26 6% 22 5% 92 35% 25 8%Approvals between $601-$700 72 16% 64 14% 0% 25 8%Approvals between $701-$800 0% 83 26%

Notes1) There have been a total of 528 applications approved since July 2014 compared with 530 a year ago.2) Allocation for Direct Costs is $700; for Salary Replacement 11.25 hours.3) $ value of approvals are 10% lower than last year. The decrease is primarily the result of reducing salary replacement hours to 11.25.4) $ value of Direct Cost approvals increased by 6%.5) Applications for Direct Costs are exactly the same as the previous year.6) $ value for Salary Replacement approvals decreased by 29%. (Hours reduced from 15 to 11.25)7) Applications for Salary Replacement decreased by 18%.8) Approximately 53% of the approvals are Direct Costs and 47% for Salary Replacement. 9) Number of members at maximum for Direct Costs is 61.

10) Number of members at maximum for Salary Replacement is 161.11)

EDUCATION FUNDComparison of Expenditures2014-2015 and 2013-2014(July to January)

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Education Fund CommitteeAllocation & Comparison of funds

2006-2007 to 2013-2014

July 2014 to

Jan 2015

July 2013 to

June 2014

July 2012 to

June 2013

July 2011 to

June 2012

July 2010 to

June 2011

July 2009 to

June 2010

July 2008 to

June 2009

July 2007 to

June 2008

July 2006 to

June 2007

Direct Costs, applications approved 461 900 720 885 692 562 581 677 566 Direct Costs, $ value approved 129,362$ 206,513$ 188,682$ 187,862$ 139,625$ 114,684$ 116,165$ 104,458$ 80,617$ Salary Replacement, applications approved 263 601 634 731 594 536 466 486 386 Salary Replacement, $ value approved 113,618$ 271,275$ 284,662$ 390,859$ 310,535$ 279,515$ 208,501$ 186,766$ 142,032$ Applications, full time positions 309 563 504 595 463 N/A N/A N/A N/AApplications, part time positions 188 393 385 423 330 N/A N/A N/A N/AApplications, casual positions 31 51 60 63 42 N/A N/A N/A N/AMembers accessing fund 428 691 682 715 593 521 501 541 452 Members using full allocation for Direct Costs 61 80 79 76 90 70 69 N/A N/AMembers using full allocation for Salary Replacement 161 297 335 218 171 159 89 N/A N/A

EDUCATION FUNDAllocation & Comparison of Funds2006-2007 to 2013-2014

International Bursary RecipientsPEINU members, Theresa Trainor, RN and her daughter, Irene Trainor, RN

My daughter Irene and I always wished to prac-tice nursing in a country with limited health care resources. With the help of both the PEI Nurses’ Union and the CFNU, we were able to fulfil this dream.

On April 26, 2014, we joined a medical team of six pediatricians, four nurses, and two non-medical support staff. For the duration of ten days, our team provided medical outreach clinics in remote coastal communities of northern Haiti, which is considered the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

We worked in conjunction with community based health services and clinics operated by Haiti Village Health (HVH), an organization that strives to pro-vide health care and public health education to resi-dents living in this northern region. HVH partnered with a sister organization, Hands Up for Haiti, which provided medical support and supplies nec-essary to run the daily clinics. Both organizations work collaboratively with Haitian health practitio-ners to improve neonatal outcomes, promote breast-feeding, vaccinate children under five, identify and treat malnutrition, and disease. They also help to facilitate traditional birth attendant training,family planning and youth sexual health education programs.

Our nursing work in Haiti proved to be one of the most humbling, unforgettable and rewarding expe-riences in both our professional and personal lives. This nursing experience proved to us that despite poverty and unforseen circumstances, people can achieve true happiness through life’s most simple joys such as family, music and faith. A heartfelt thanks to both PEINU and CFNU for their financial support.

All PEINU members are eligible to apply for one of two (2) $500.00 bursaries being offered to

members who have travelled outside Canada for the purpose of international nursing endeavours. Deadline for application is December 1st of each

year. For more information, please check the PEINU website at www.peinu.com

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PEINU Betty MacFadyen Recognition Award

In 2005, PEINU presented the first recognition award to a member for their contribution to the Union. This award is now presented annually to a PEINU member who has been recognized as a champion of nursing issues through their involvement in the Union. Presentation of the award will occur at this year’s Education Day in November, 2015.

For further information on how to nominate a member for this award, please go to the Policy Section of the website. Policy # V11-10

PEI Nurses’ Union BursaryAll PEINU members are eligible to apply for 1 of 20 PEINU bursaries of $700. Guidelines and applications may be obtained on the PEINU website (www.peinu.com).

Deadline for application is September 30, 2015. Late applications will not be

considered.

2014 Bursary Recipients:Ellen Stetson

Tanya MatthewsKristina Weatherbie

Gerrilynn HendersonDenise Morrell

Victoria MacInnisSandra LundHeather Mills

Jennifer SpearsLindsey Smith

Darlene ScheuermannDenise Rappe

Christina PhillipsKimberly Reid

Chelsea ChessmanLeslie Chaisson

Amy GarrettAlison Pearson

Meaghan K. MacDonaldAshley Martin Betty MacFadyen and Blair MacDonald, 2014 recipient

Health PEI has a full-time to part-time position ratio of approximately 50:50 for RNs. The number of permanent full-time positions is low and should be closer to a 70:50 ratio. 16% of the RN work force is over 55 years of age. Actual retiree age is 61. The average age of RNs is 43. (Information from PEI Health & Wellness Recruitment & Retention Secretariat.)

Did you know?

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Public Sector Group Insurance Plan Benefits Report

Jennifer Doyle, BScN,RN, is the PEINU representative on the Board of Trustees for the Public Sector Group Insurance Plan (PSGIP). The PSGIP provides services to more than 8500 participants, including civil service and health sector employees, some smaller bargaining units and retirees.

You may find out details about PSGIP by contacting Human Resources staff within Health PEI, by contacting Johnson Incorporated at 902-628-3537, toll free at 1-800 371-9516 or on line at www.johnson.ca or by logging on to the PSGIP website at www.mybenefitplan.ca.

2014 PSGIP Trustees

The PSGIP trustees held formal meetings on four occasions during 2014. Trustees are as follows:

Karen Fraser – Civil Service - employer representative (Chair)Craig MacKenzie - UPSE - Health Sector (Vice-Chair)Kellie Hawes - Health PEI - employer representative Pamela MacEachern – Civil Service - employer representative Heather Larkin - Health PEI - employer representativeWanda Livingstone - CUPE Rick Adams – Health PEI - employer representativeKirk Morrison - UPSE - Civil ServiceValerie Robinson - IUOEJennifer Doyle - PEINU

2014 Service Providers Johnson Inc. General Administration - collects premiums from payroll sources, maintains eligibility records, handles administration inquiries from employers and employees.

Great West Life Health, Dental and Travel claims payer, Insures Basic Life, Dependent Life, Optional Life, Spousal Optional Life, Optional Dependent Life and LTD benefits.

ACE INA Insures Basic and Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment benefits

Mercer (Canada) Provides consulting services on all benefit plansLimited

HRA Trustee Co-ordinator

Review of 2014BENEFIT/RATE CHANGES

Basic, Dependent and Optional Life

Effective April 1, 2014 there were no changes to the Basic Life, Dependent Life, Optional Life, Basic Accidental Death and Dismemberment and Voluntary Accidental Death and Dismemberment rates. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Long-term Disability

Effective April 1, 2014 the LTD rate increased 4.9%. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Health BenefitActive Health Plan

Effective April 1, 2014 there was a decrease of 15% in the Active Health Plan rates. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Retiree Health Plan

Effective April 1, 2014 the under 65 years of age Health Plan rates remained unchanged.Effective April 1, 2014 the over 65 years of age Health Plan rates remained unchanged. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Dental BenefitActive Dental Plan

Effective April 1, 2014 there was no change in Active Dental Plan basic services rates. Effective April 1, 2014 there was no change in Active Dental Plan basic and major services rates. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Retiree Dental Plan

Effective April 1, 2014 Retiree Dental Plan basic services rates remained unchanged.Effective April 1, 2014 Retiree Dental Plan basic and major services rates remained unchanged.There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Travel Benefit

Effective April 1, 2014 Active and Retiree Travel rates remained unchanged. There were no plan design changes in 2014.

Respectively submitted by,Jennifer Doyle BScN, RN

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Civil Service Superannuation Commission

In the Fall of 2014, legislation was passed such that the former Civil Service Superannuation Fund Advisory Committee was changed to the Civil Service Superannuation Commission.

There were similar changes for the committees representing Teachers and MLAs into commissions.

The three commissions have separate meetings to deal with issues affecting their individual members. Parts of the 3 commissions are combined to form the Joint Investment Advisory Committee. It consists of:

1. 6 employee reps from the Civil Service2. 5 employee reps from the Teachers Superannuation Committee3. 1 MLA from the MLA Superannuation Commission; and4. 4 reps from Government.

The Government reps include:David Arsenault, Deputy Finance MinisterGordon MacFadyen, Provincial ComptrollerTerry Hogan, Plan AdministratorDan Campbell, Secretary to the Treasury Board

This committee replaces the Master Trust and acts as a sounding board for the hired investment managers and plan actuary who are trying to develop and implement a plan to ensure monies are available to pay present and future pensions.

There is generally a 6-9 month lag in reporting results. Year end is March 31st of each year and results are generally not available at the time this annual report is being prepared for printing.

Respectfully submitted,

Blair MacDonald, RN

What Can Nurse Practitioners Do?

They can:

• Perform examinations

• Prescribe medications

• Order x-rays, scans and ultrasounds

• Carry out procedures such as stitch a small cut, small excisions

• Diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes or sprains

• Perform wellness screening checks such as well-baby, well-women, well-men

• Provide prenatal and sexual health care

• Talk to you about your diagnosis and any treatments you might need

• Refer you to a specialist when necessary

• Link you with other health services such as diabetes, education, home care, or mental health care

• Follow up with you to make sure that your health needs are being met

Who Are Nurse Practitioners?

Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are Registered Nurses with advanced education. They have the knowledge and skills to diagnose and treat illnesses and help manage health concerns. They manage chronic disease by educating patients, prescribing medication, and ordering and interpreting tests.

NPs work closely with other health professionals including doctors, nurses, specialists to make sure that patients receive the best care possible.

Where Do Nurse Practitioners Work?

Today, there are more than 3,000 NPs providing health care in Canada. They work in:

• Health centres• Doctor’s offices• Hospitals, including specialties like Oncology• Long term care facilities

Melanie McCarthyNurse Practitioner

Harbourside Medical

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CFNU President, Linda Silas with the Health Minister of PEI, Premiers and Researcher/Presenter Marc Gagnon at the Premiers’ Breakfast in Charlottetown, August, 2014.

Jan Borowy presenting “The Legal Realities of the RN” to PEINU members in attendance at the

Fall Education Day

Group photos of some PEINU

members who attended the Fall

Ed Day with Jan Borowy (above)

Events throughout 2014

Minister Doug Currie with Mona at the Health Ministers Meeting, Banff, AlbertaFall 2014

A PEINU Board Meeting with CFNU President, Linda Silas in attendance

CFNU Board of Directors and Provincial/Territorial Health Ministers

Mona with former PEI Premier,

Robert Ghiz at the Premiers’ Breakfast,

August, 2014

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2014 Critical Care and Emergency Nursing Grads - Back row: Mona O’Shea (PEINU Pres.), Tanya Matthews (Project Coordinator),

Maria Boylan, Laurel Fraser, Stephanie Smith, Jenna Cooke, and Brenda Worth (Chief Nursing Officer). Front row: Merissa Mitchel,

Danielle McConnell, Melissa Grigg, Janet Ching, and Morgan Drummond.

2014 CFNU Bursary Recipient is Kyra Johnston, 2nd Year Accelerated Nursing Student at UPEI

Recognition of PEINU members during National Nursing Week:

Joanne Waddell,winner of the

Kay Lewis award

Sharon Hay, winner of the Marjorie Vessey award

Panel of Provincial Presidents at NEB, 2014

Various members attendingthe AGM

May, 2014

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National Nursing Week is May 11-17, 2015 and the theme is

“Nurses: With You Every Step of the Way”

In collaboration with ARNPEI, RNs are appearing with CBC weather man, Boomer

Gallant on Monday, May 11, 2015 at 5:30 pm. All PEINU members are welcome and

encouraged to participate. T-shirts will be provided to all in attendance.

Following the TV spot, PEINU is organizing a 5km walk/run to promote healthy life choices/activities for RNs. Please mark your calendar! The walk will begin at the CBC building on University Avenue. More details to follow.

Please check the PEINU website for planned Nursing Week activities!

Some of the PEINU members in attendance at the 2014 Nursing Week event with Patrick Ledwell at Harmony House Theatre

PEINU Student BursaryIn 2014, two (2) $ 1000.000 bursaries were awarded to children of members who were

attending a post secondary institution for study during the 2013 calendar year. The winners were: Megan Rix, daughter of Sheila Rix and Brandon

Kingman, son of Sherry Kingman.

It was great to see the interest for this bursary supporting the next generation. Over 50

applications were received.

All PEINU members are eligible to apply for one of two (2) $1,000.00 bursaries for her/his child who is attending a post secondary institution

during the calendar year (January 1st to December 31st). The deadline for application is

October 31st of each year. For more information, please check the PEINU website at

www.peinu.com.

Follow PEINU on Twitter @PEINursesUnion

@MonaOSheawww.peinu.com

2015 Membership Discount card which was mailed out in the December, 2014 newsletter

The Membership Discount list can be found on the PEINU website under “Member Services”. It is updated

regularly as businesses are added to the program.

Has Your Contact Information

Changed?If your contact information (name and/or address) has changed, we

would like to know. Please call the PEINU Office at (902) 892-7152 or

send an email to Lorna at office@peinu.com.

Please be sure to include your name, address, phone number, email address and your place

of work.

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2014 Charitable Donations

The Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union seeks to recognize organizations that promote the health and welfare of all Islanders. In 2014, donations were made

to the following organizations on behalf of the P.E.I. Nurses’ Union:

Brain Injury Association of PEIShriners

Prince County Hospital FoundationSchizophrenia Society of PEIGardens of Hope FoundationChildren’s Wish Foundation

Hospice Palliative Care Association of PEIQueen Elizabeth Hospital Foundation

IWK Health Care FoundationBoys and Girls Club of Charlottetown

CNIB CharlottetownPEI Family Violence Prevention Services

CBC Turkey DriveStars for Life Foundation

PEI New Grad Transition Facilitation Team - Nursing the Future

PEI Health Coalition

Brain Injury Association of PEI

“A Bold Vision” Women’s Leadership ConferenceEbola Epidemic Fund - RN Response Network

CBC Turkey Drive

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Finance Committee Report

Members:

Kathleen MacDonald (Chair), Marilyn Steele, Debbie Steele, Susan Marchbank (past Treasurer), Mona O’Shea and Kendra Gunn

The Finance Committee met twice between November, 2014 and February, 2015. The Committee is pleased to report that PEINU’s finances continue to be in “the Black”.

Following direction from the membership at the last AGM, all recommendations in regards to both Budget changes and surplus allotment were carried out in the 2014 fiscal year.

At the 2014 fiscal year end, the balances for the appropriated funds were as follows:

Public Relations Fund: $188,684.00Defense Fund: $468,916.00Office Capital Fund: $26,047.00Reserve Fund: $27,121.00Total: $710,768.00

Interest Earned for the Year $7005.00Surplus for the Year $86,895.00

The biweekly dues for the 2015 fiscal year are $29.14. This increase of 1% follows direction from a 2005 AGM resolution. The increase is $7.54 per year for most members.

Budget Recommendations:The Committee recommends the following changes for the 2015 fiscal year:

1) Decrease the Public Relations Fund Deposit from $2.50 to $2.00 per member per month.

2) Create a new budget line entitled Nursing Week Rebate – monies to be divided among eight (8) locals based upon their membership numbers for use during nursing week. This year $8000 has been allotted to that budget line.

3) Increase the number of bursaries for members from twenty (20) to twenty-two (22).

4) Increase the number of bursaries for the children of PEINU members pursing education from two (2) to four (4).

Surplus Recommendations:

With the 2014 surplus of $86,895, the Committee recommends the following:

1) $4,000 to be allocated to the Reserve Fund;

2) $20,000 to be allocated to the Office Capital Fund;

3) $2,500 to be allocated to send a Board Member to the October CFNU National Executive Board meeting;

4) $5,600 to be set aside to provide an additional eight (8) member bursaries (8 x $700);

5) $5,500 to be set aside to send an additional sixteen (16) people (2 per local) to the 2016 AGM;

6) $21,000 to be set aside to send six (6) additional members to the 2016 Eastern Labour School in Newfoundland and Labrador;

7) $28,295 to be used to continue the Wear White campaign – to purchase white RN scrub tops/lab-coats/golf shirts for the members in the 2015 fiscal year.

The personal commitment and energy of the committee members and the office staff is very muchappreciated.

Respectfully submitted

Kathleen MacDonald,Chair

Members of the Finance Committee: Marilyn Steele, Kendra Gunn, Kathleen MacDonald and Debbie Steele

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2015 PEINU BUDGET EXPLANATION

Operating Income:Membership Fees for 2015$29.14 per member per pay period At an estimated membership of 1150, the total

income is $ 871,286.00 ($29.14 x 1150 x 26). The standard membership payments from ourdues are as follows:

Defense Fund $2.00/member/month; Public Relations $2.50 $2.00/member/month; Local Rebates $4.00/member/month

Canadian Federation of Nurses’ Unions $2.00/member/month (January – June 2015)$2.25/member/month (July – December 2015)

Expenditures:1) Affiliation Fees (CFNU): $2.00 per member

per month (January to June) remitted to CFNU. $2.25 per member per month (July to December) remitted to CFNU. The amount includes the Canadian Labour Congress affiliation fee.

2) Bank Charges – Usual transaction fees for bank services and ordering of cheques.

3) Benefits - The premiums for pension and applicable PSGIP benefits for the three office staff and president. Also includes the monthly car allowance allotted to the Executive Assistant.

4) Bursaries:

Twenty (20) Twenty-two (22) bursaries, each in the amount of $700.00, are made available, upon application, to PEINU members pursuing education as per Policy VII-10 (forms on website).

Two (2) Four (4) bursaries, each in the amount of $1000.00, are made available, upon application, to children of PEINU members pursuing education as per Policy VII-30 (forms on website).

Two (2) bursaries, each in the amount of $ 500.00, are made available, upon application, to PEINU members who have travelled outside Canada for the purpose of International Nursing Endeavors as per Policy VII-40 (forms on website).

5) Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance: Employer costs for the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance premiums required by federal legislation for the three office staff and president and any other CPP deductions required by law for board members or casual staff.

6) Charitable Donations: Directed to organizations that promote the health and welfare of Islanders.

7) Defense Fund: The $2.00 per member per month deposited in this fund is primarily to be used for grievances, arbitrations, other tribunals (Human Rights Panels, Labour Relations Board, etc), court proceedings, and any related legal fees. Any portion of the fund not utilized for those purposes will remain in savings and term deposits and will be added to throughout the budget year.

8) Education/Labour Education: Monies used to enable Union members, the President and Executive Director to participate in the Nurses’ Eastern Labour School (even-numbered years), the Biennium (odd-numbered years), workshops and seminars on union and labour related topics. This line includes the Education Day.

9) Honoraria: Given to the elected officers (excluding the President), as well as the local Presidents, in recognition of the time and effort devoted to the Union:

Treasurer $400.00 Vice-President $400.00 Secretary $400.00 Local Presidents equivalent to annual dues of

current fiscal year paid once annually. The Local Presidents’ dues refund will increase accordingly as dues increase.

10) Local Refunds: $ 4.00 per member per month is

returned to the Locals for their use.

11) Meetings:

In-Province: For Staff and Members - Travel, meals, salary replacement and incidentals, as applicable, for attending Executive, Board and Committee Meetings, AGM and other such meeting(s) as may be required, within the province.

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Out-of-Province: The President, Executive Director, Board members or designate’s travel, accommodations, meals, perdiems, incidentals and registration fees for attendance at CFNU meetings, annual Meetings in other provinces, seminars, and other such meetings.

International: Funds allocated for International

Travel (International Congress of Nurses (ICN) and Global Nurses United (GNU).

12) Membership Supplies: Promotional materials for

PEINU.

13) Negotiations: Includes all salary, travel, meals, accommodations, and other incidental expenses incurred during the pre-negotiation process. During contract negotiations, the Employer covers only salary expenses – all other expenses continue to be covered by the Provincial Union.

14) Nursing Week Rebate: Monies to be divided among locals based upon their membership numbers for use during Nursing Week.

15) Office Capital Fund: Monies set aside on an annual basis for expenditures related to office building repairs/maintenance or major capital purchases.

16) Office Supplies, Equipment and Insurance: Cost of equipment, materials and services essential to operating the office.

17) Postage: Cost of mailing letters, memos, newsletters to members, and other organizations.

18) Printing: Costs for printing constitutions, newsletters, forms, letter head, and cost share for printing collective agreements, etc.

19) Professional fees: Costs for an annual financial audit by an Accountant, other consultative accounting services, legal fees to cover the cost of legal opinions on matters other than those pertaining to arbitration(s), and consultants hired for specific Board approved purposes. Also included in this line will be the Executive Director’s Law Society dues.

20) Public Relations Deposit – Targeted monies directed towards increasing awareness of PEINU issues in relation to negotiations and/or promotion of PEINU issues. Each member contributes $2.50 $2.00 from their monthly dues. Costs involved for public awareness of health care and labour relations issues.

21) Reserve Fund - $ 1000.00 per annum set aside in a fund for payout of vacation benefits for staff and President.

22) Salaries: Executive Director - Full-time (37.5 hrs/week) President - Full-time (37.5 hrs/week) Executive Assistant - Full-time (37.5 hours/week) CER – Part-time 60% (22.5 hours/week) Casual assistance 23) Subscriptions: Funds allocated to the purchase

of books and other reference materials.

24) Sundry: Flowers, cards, gifts to members, and hosting guests of the Union on various occasions.

25) Telephone: Regular monthly service

charges, long distance, cell phones, and other telecommunications requirements. Also includes website, internet and IT support fees.

26) Union Donations: a) Bereavement Policy (V-20) –donations to: 1)

members and staff who experience death of a spouse or child; 2) the spouse or child(ren) upon death of a member or staff.

b) Special Donations Financial Assistance to Members (Policy V-40) – Made to members experiencing undue financial stress due to an emergency event.

27) Workers’ Compensation: Workers’ Compensation premiums for coverage for office Staff, President and Union members while in attendance at Union events/meetings.

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2015 PEINU BUDGET

2014 Budget 2014 Final 2015 Budget 28.85 X 1165 X 26 (1%) 29.14 X 1150 X 26

Income - Member Dues 873,866 874,101.00 871,286.00

Account NameAffiliation Fees - CFNU 27,960 27,642.00 29,325.00Bank Charges 600 1,169.00 1,000.00Benefits Staff + President 45,000 44,435.00 46,000.00Bursary 17,000 17,000.00 20,400.00Charitable Donations 6,000 5,750.00 6,000.00CPP & EI 13,000 13,116.00 13,200.00Defense Fund deposit 27,960 27,597.00 27,600.00Educ. Courses (Labour Educ) 80,000 64,266.00 80,000.00Honorarium 7,200 7,200.00 7,261.12Local Refund of Fees 55,920 55,285.00 55,200.00Meetings - In-Province 82,000 72,255.00 85,000.00Meetings - Out-of-province 23,000 25,851.00 27,000.00Meetings - International 9,000 3,334.00 3,000.00Membership Supplies 12,000 12,655.00 18,900.00Negotiations 52,000 45,096.00 25,000.00Nursing Week Rebate 8,000.00Office & Equipment 40,000 44,379.00 45,000.00Office Capital Fund 776 776.00 299.88Postage 10,000 11,020.00 12,000.00Printing 14,000 17,561.00 18,000.00Prof. Fees (Legal & Acctg) 10,000 8,900.00 10,000.00Public Relations 57,804.00 *Public Relations deposit 34,950 34,553.00 27,600.00Reserve - accruals 1,000 1,000.00 1,000.00Salaries Ex.Dir, Sec, Pr. Cas 275,000 264,841.00 275,000.00Subscriptions 6,000 6,332.00 6,000.00Sundry 2,500 1,766.00 2,500.00Telephone/communication 10,000 9,470.00 10,000.00Union Donations 10,000 8,600.00 10,000.00WCB 1,000 884.00 1,000.00Totals: 873,866 890,537.00 871,286.00

-57,804.00 *832,733.00

*Total amount spent on TV, Newspaper, Radio advertisements and other PR related items for 2014 and transferred from PR Fund.This amount includes $26,500 spent on scrub tops for the membership as part of the "Wear White" campaign.

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Approved by the Board of Directors

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Proudly sponsored by: PEINU and Johnson Insurance

PEINU members are invited to enjoy a complimentary 3-course meal with

other Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners!

Evening BanquetLoyalist Lakeview

Resort Summerside

Thursday, May 7th at 5 pm

AGM2015

Invaluable Leaders in Health Care

Please register with the PEINU office by Thursday, April 23rd. Call (902) 892-7152 or e-mail

office@peinu.com. Limited seating.

Proudly sponsored by

Insurance&

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Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union

28th AGM – May 7th, 2015 Loyalist Lakeview Resort, Summerside, PE

DEADLINE FOR REGISTRATION – Thursday, April 23rd, 2015

Name__________________________________________ Employee Number __________________________ Mailing Address__________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Phone #_____________________________ Email Address: _____________________________ Name of Worksite __________________________________________________________________________ Are you attending the: Business Day (Thursday, May 7 – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm) Yes ( ) No ( ) No charge (includes lunch and coffee break) Banquet (Thursday evening, May 7 – 5:00 pm) Yes ( ) No ( ) No charge (Note: Seating limited to 150)

Please return the completed registration form by April 23rd, 2015 to:

P.E.I. Nurses’ Union 10 Paramount Drive, Charlottetown, PE C1E 0C7

Telephone: (902) 892-7152 Fax: (902) 892-9324 Email: office@peinu.com

Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union

PEINU members in attendance at the 2014 AGM stand with Brenda Worth, Chief Nursing Officer, wearing their “I am a proud Registered Nurse” t-shirts.

10 Paramount Drive Charlottetown, PE C1E 0C7

Phone: (902) 892-7152 Fax: (902) 892-9324 office@peinu.com

1-866-892-7152www.peinu.com

Twitter: @PEINursesUnion

Representing over 1,100 Registered Nurses and Nurse Practitioners