BREAKING: PIPSC NCR elected new Executives. The candidate running on "Protecting Scientific Integrity from Political Interference" electoral message is elected! - It is me...
On 26-27 April 2024, PIPSC National Capital Region (NCR) branch had its Annual General Meeting (AGM). I was invited to attend it and was elected to its Executive Board. The new page started.
UPDATED (May 5, 2024):
Added: Q&A with the Union President related to the Union-issued vaccination mandate grievance and in regards to protecting those who defend Scientific Integrity from political and industry interference .
Added: Message to my co-workers, announcing my new role with the Union.
Exciting news for many Public Servants and Canadians advocating for more scientific integrity within Public Service, truth and enhanced transparency. I have been elected to the Executive Board of the largest branch of one of the largest Public Service unions in Canada. I am deeply honoured by the trust placed in me and am committed to doing my utmost to uphold this responsibility.
Some background about my union and branch (with help of ChatGPT) and my electoral speech are provided below.
Tell me about PIPSC?
ChatGPT: The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) is one of the largest unions in Canada, representing approximately 80,000 professionals in the federal public service, as well as employees in other public and private sector organizations.
Here are some key points about PIPSC:
Membership: PIPSC represents a diverse range of professionals, including scientists, engineers, IT professionals, auditors, and others working in various federal government departments and agencies. Its membership also includes employees in the private sector, such as those in the fields of research, academia, and healthcare.
History: PIPSC was founded in 1920 and has since been dedicated to advocating for the rights and interests of its members. Over the years, it has played a significant role in shaping government policies related to science, technology, and public service.
Collective Bargaining: Like other unions, PIPSC engages in collective bargaining with the federal government to negotiate wages, benefits, and working conditions for its members. These negotiations often involve complex issues related to job security, workload, and professional development.
Advocacy: PIPSC is actively involved in advocating for policies that support its members and promote the public interest. This includes lobbying for investments in scientific research, defending the integrity of the public service, and advocating for fair treatment of government employees.
Professional Development: PIPSC offers various programs and resources to support the professional development of its members. This includes training workshops, networking opportunities, and access to career advancement resources.
Overall, PIPSC plays a vital role in representing the interests of professional workers in Canada's public service and beyond, working to ensure fair treatment, job security, and professional development opportunities for its members.
Tell me about the NCR branch of PIPSC?
ChatGPT: The National Capital Region (NCR) branch is the largest branch of the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), counting over 40, 000 members. The NCR branch represents PIPSC members who work in the federal public service within the Ottawa-Gatineau region, which serves as the administrative center of the Canadian government.
Given the concentration of federal government departments, agencies, and organizations in the National Capital Region, it's not surprising that the NCR branch is the largest within PIPSC. It encompasses over a half of all PIPSC's membership due to the high density of public service professionals employed in the area.
What was the PIPSC position on vaccination mandates?
ChatGPT: As of my last update in January 2022, I don't have specific details about PIPSC's position on vaccination mandates related to COVID-19. However, it's common for labor unions like PIPSC to prioritize the health and safety of their members while also advocating for their rights and interests in the workplace.
Since ChatGPT does not have information of this subject, I will provide it to you.
Source: https://pipsc.ca/news-issues/information-members-regarding-covid-19-coronavirus
Information for members regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus)
The health and safety of our membership continues to be of paramount importance.
PIPSC is consulting with all employers on a regular basis. We are working closely with consultation teams to ensure that members’ concerns are being addressed. We continue to monitor announcements from governments, public health officials, and the Treasury Board for potential impacts on PIPSC members.
If you are experiencing workplace issues related to COVID-19 and don’t know what to do, fill out our COVID-19 help form.
As the union representing the scientists who approved the COVID-19 vaccines, we encourage members to get vaccinated as soon as possible to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Visit the Government of Canada’s website for more information.
Tell me about the grievance that PIPSC filed against the Vaccinations Mandates
ChatGPT: As of my last update in January 2022, I don't have specific information about a grievance filed by PIPSC against vaccination mandates. However, it's important to note that labor unions like PIPSC often play a role in advocating for the rights and interests of their members regarding workplace policies, including vaccination mandates
Since ChatGPT does not have information of this subject either, I will provide it to you as well.
Vaccine mandate policy grievance for members on LWOP
PIPSC filed a policy grievance (in English) on Friday, May 13, 2022 against the Mandatory Vaccination Policy for all members of the Core Public Administration including the Royal Mounted Police for all members who remain on Leave Without Pay (LWOP) beyond April 6, 2022. As for all other existing employer mandatory vaccination policies that require review, we are monitoring the timelines. Policy grievances will be filed in due course.
The Treasury Board has failed to review the Policy for Mandatory Vaccination within the 6-month period as required by the policy. Together with other unions, we have called for a review given the changed circumstances surrounding the pandemic.
The employer’s failure to review the policy in the face of loosening COVID-19 restrictions is a flagrant abuse of management authority in the workplace. The Treasury Board has broken their commitment to review and update the policy.
Continuing to keep (or place) unvaccinated employees on LWOP beyond April 6, 2022 is an unjustified and excessive measure in light of the current context.
It’s important to remember that PIPSC continues to support vaccination and the health and safety objective of the policy overall. However, given the shifting landscape of the pandemic, we believe the employer’s policy is now unreasonable.
Preparing for the Regional AGM (where elections of Regional PIPSC executives is held)
Since May 19, 2022, when this policy was published, more than two years ago, there have been no updates or publications by PIPSC on this vital subject affecting many union members. I have heard many members express concerns that the Union has abandoned its members on this crucial issue. Indeed, the silence on this topic on the PIPSC portal and in public discourse for over two years is troubling, especially considering the abundance of new evidence that has emerged since then on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and mandates (e.g., from the National Citizens Inquiry and multiple other sources).
Not surprisingly, the following was one of the questions that was asked to the Union Acting President on the first day of the AGM during the President Q&A session.
Question: "Is there any update on the vaccination mandate policy grievance that Union has published two years ago?"
To the satisfaction of many, the Acting President responded that the update on this policy should be now published on the website very soon.
My personal reservation however is that when I asked my Union rep the very same question a year ago, she replied exactly the same way, and there is no publication on this subject still, as of today. So, we'll see now how they measure "soon" this time. - Hopefully, this time it will be “sooner”. I will definitely try to make it so.
Another question for the Union A/President
Another question posed to the Union A/President at this AGM was mine. This is what I asked:
Question: "What is the Union doing to protect the scientific integrity of the highly skilled work of its professional members? (We are the union with the highest percentage of PhDs, M.Sc., and other professionals among all unions.) And, How does the Union protect professionals who defend the integrity of their work from political and industry interference?"
In her response, the President assured that the Union is taking steps to safeguard scientific integrity and support workers who uphold it. She emphasized that the Union consistently advocates for it at the Canadian Labour Congress: www.canadianlabour.ca.
I was glad to hear that, and this became the starting point for my electoral message that I presented the next day to be elected into the Union Executive Board.
My candidate speech (2-min):
The quality of the audio is not good, but hopefully, you will get the idea.
In my two-minute speech, I talked about my background (coming from the USSR/Ukraine) and my job at the CBSA as a Senior Data Scientist tasked with evaluating biometric systems. As an example, I referred to the evaluation of PIK (Primary Inspection Kiosks) Biometric kiosks that use Face Recognition technology to identify travellers.
I explained that the performance of any technology or any product always varies and depends on many factors. The answer is never as just simple as “YES, the Technology works” (which is what politicians want to hear), but much more complex than that - “Sometimes technology works (under certain conditions and certain populations), and sometimes it does not.”
I expressed my concern, shared by many professionals within this Union, including those from IT, Health Canada, and various agencies. Canadians entrust us with matters of science, yet we have observed politicians attempting to cherry-pick analyses conducted by professionals to suit their political agendas. This manipulation represents a negation of scientific integrity. If we permit this to continue, we betray the trust Canadians place in us. It's imperative that we resist and ensure this manipulation does not persist.
This is why in 2018, PIPSC developed the Scientific Integrity Policy, but more action is needed now.
Some pictures:
Below is the photo of all candidates who attended the meeting in person. There were also several who attended remotely.
What’s next?
At the moment, I’m not sure. Our first meeting is planned for the end of May. I’m expecting a steep learning curve, but I’m ready to give it my best to serve all of our members.
Once my role is assigned and I receive the [name]@pipsc.ca email box, you will be able to reach me there regarding anything related to Union matters. I will let you know. In the meantime, you can start sharing this news within your networks.
The message to my colleagues at work
If you work in the Public Sector in Canada, consider this email also directed to you.
Hello everyone. I have an exciting news to share with you.
Last week, at the PIPSC National Capital Region Council, I was elected into the Executive Board. This gives me an opportunity to influence the priorities and activities of this one of the largest unions in Canada (which counts ~ 80 K members, over half of which are in NCR)
So, now you know whom you can talk to, should you have any concerns or issues which you’d like the Union to address (whether it is about return to office, human rights, or anything else) .Note that PIPSC works closely with other Public Service Unions. So, regardless which union you are with, I’m here to listen to your concerns and help to address them.
I’m in my office (Vanier Tower A, 7054) every Wed and Thu. Feel to drop by anytime or contact me by any other means. My contacts are published in https://pipsc.ca/regions/ncr/executive.D.
Congrats Dmitry! Well done. let us know how we can support you
This is great news. I know you will do what you can. I fear that obstacles will be put in your way, but I hope that the timing is auspicious.