On October 17, Regional Vice President Carol Osborne and Local President James Doughty visited the Ottawa Parole Office for Local 00078’s Annual General Meeting. USJE members attended the AGM virtually from across the Greater Ontario Nunavut Parole District.
At the AGM, RVP Osborne chaired elections for the upcoming 2026 PSAC and USJE Triennial Conventions, and the Local elected their delegates and alternates for each convention. After a call for nominations for several Local positions, Local President Doughty encouraged members to attend union training with the PSAC and USJE. He explained the importance of member engagement and knowing their rights as workers.
For RVP Osborne’s update, she provided an overview of her role and explained how she advocates at regional and national levels on behalf of USJE members across the Atlantic, National Capital Region and Ontario regions for the Correctional Service Canada (CSC) Community and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC). She highlighted the Advisory Committee on Community Safety and Operations (ACCSO), a committee established as a result of the tragic death of a Community Parole Officer by an offender on supervision. This committee is crucial to ensure safeguards are in place to minimize the risk to staff and members.
Additionally, RVP Osborne discussed the numerous departments USJE represents and the important work our members are doing across the country. She also spoke on current USJE advocacy campaigns, including the Food Service Officer campaign, Serving Together National RCMP campaign, Albertans for RCMP campaign, and the Presumptive Injury campaign. RVP Osborne advised members that USJE has the tools to assist them should they wish to advocate for any of these issues by speaking with their Member of Parliament.
RVP Osborne also provided an update on the current round of negotiations and encouraged members to stay informed through the PSAC and USJE websites.
At the meeting, a question was raised about the current telework policy within the CSC. USJE maintains that there should be a nuanced approach to telework for all members, regardless of position or classification. It was proven by our members that telework was doable throughout the pandemic and that work-life balance is important for USJE members.
During the site visit, Local President Doughty and RVP Osborne were given a tour of the office and spoke with several USJE members at the Ottawa Parole Office. Local President Doughty and RVP Osborne would like to thank all members for taking their lunch hour to meet with them and for their candor during the visit.