We are now accepting nominations for the following Executive Council positions:
- Vice President Community (2023-2026)
- Vice President Long Term Care (2023-2026)
- Vice President Acute Care (2023-2026)
Nominations
To nominate yourself or another member to one (1) of the VP positions that will be elected on November 1st 2023, you must complete & submit the online Nomination Form (including details of the Nominee’s qualifications / biography) on or before Monday, October 2nd.
The deadline to submit Nominations is Monday, October 2nd and the Nominations Committee will meet on Oct. 3rd to review the nominations and announce the slate of candidates in the election.
Elections & Terms of Office
The VP positions for Acute Care, Long-Term Care, and Community Care will be elected for 3-year terms (2023-2026) in the upcoming election.
In accordance with the election schedule included as an appendix to the Constitution & By-Laws, the three (3) remaining VP positions will be up for election in 2024. In the meantime, the elected members from the former “Executive” of the Board of Directors (ie: the VP, Treasurer, and Secretary) will remain in their positions until the end of their terms (Nov. 2024).
In essence, the Treasurer will fill the “VP Finance” position and the Vice-President & Secretary will fill the two portfolios that are listed as “TBD” until the next election in the Fall of 2024.
Transitioning to the New Governance Structure
The following information is included for reference only. It is intended to assist members in understanding the new governance structure and should not be considered as a complete/official document or policy.
New Governance Structure
In 2021, the Union commissioned an Organizational Design & Governance Structure Review which was completed in the winter of 2022. The results were presented to the members at the AGM in 2022 and work began to prepare for these changes to be implemented thereafter.
In the Spring of 2023, PEINU Members voted at the AGM to amend the Union’s Constitution/By-Laws to change the governance structure of the Union itself. The new governance structure established two “Councils” of elected representatives; the Executive Council and Provincial Council.
Executive Council Composition & Portfolios
In addition to the President, the Executive Council is composed of six (6) Vice Presidents. (The Executive Director is a non-voting member of the Executive Council.) There are two (2) of the portfolios are noted as “TBD” (2024) and four (4) specific VP portfolios outlined in the Union’s Constitution/By-Laws:
- Acute Care
- Long-Term Care
- Community Care
- Finance
In comparing their roles, the Executive Council members’ responsibilities for specific “Portfolios” would be akin to the Provincial Council members’ responsibilities for specific “Locals”.
What’s the role of the Executive Council?
Members of the Executive Council (which includes the Union’s President and (6) VPs) are elected by and accountable to the general membership of the Union.
The role of the Executive Council (as a group) is to manage the affairs of the Union (ie: conduct the business) in accordance with the Constitution/By-laws, on behalf of all PEINU members.
The Executive Council is responsible for governance, oversight, and major decision-making, representing the interests of the membership.
Examples of their roles & responsibilities include (but are certainly not limited to):
- Provincial Union governance (ie: holding AGM & Special Meetings, provincial elections, etc.)
- Financial oversight and approvals (signing authorities) for the Union
- Recruitment & Performance Management of the Executive Director
- Oversight of the Provincial Office Operations/Staff
- Strategic Planning for the Union
- Representing the Union in meetings, consultations, and negotiations with the Employer/Government
- Development, Review & Amendments of the Union’s Governance Policies
- Member Engagement, Union Education & Training
Coordination, Communication & Support
In order to ensure the Executive Council is fulfilling the objectives of the Union and meeting the needs & expectations of the Members, the Executive Council is responsible for coordinating & communicating with the members of the Provincial Council.
(As a small organization, the Executive Council members are also responsible for providing advice and support to Provincial Council members by remaining engaged (as a member) with the Local, and acting as a Worksite Representative, and/or designated Union Representative as needed.)
Provincial Council Composition & Locals
The Provincial Council
In addition to the President, the Provincial Council is composed of the Local Presidents (or Co-Presidents) from each Local Union. (The Executive Director is a non-voting member of the Executive Council.)
The Provincial Council currently includes members from the eight (8) Local Unions:
- (1) Eastern Kings
- (1) East Prince
- (1) Nurse Practitioners (Co-Presidents)
- (1) PCH Harbourside
- (2) Queen Elizabeth Hospital*
- (1) Queens 10
- (1) Southern Kings
- (1) West Prince
*QEH has two seats/votes on the Provincial Council due to the size of the Local membership.
What is the role of the Provincial Council?
The Provincial Council is the direct link between the Members and the Union; they are aware of the workplace culture dynamics, the Employer’s policies, practices and processes, as well as the interactions and communications that occur between Management and Employees on a day-to-day basis.
The Provincial Council members (who are all Local Presidents & Co-Presidents) are elected by and accountable to the members of their Locals. Accordingly, they are responsible to represent the interests, issues, and concerns of their respective Local memberships. They are responsible for protecting the rights of members under the terms of the collective agreement. The Provincial Council members are the designated Union Representatives for, and advocate in the best interests of, their members at the Local-level (ie: within a unit and/or worksite) as well as through their engagement with the Provincial Council & Executive Council.
Examples of their roles and responsibilities include (but are certainly not limited to):
- Local Union governance (ie: holding Local meetings, elections, etc.)
- Financial oversight and approvals (signing authorities) for the Local
- Representing members in a variety of meetings with the Employer (Management/HR) such as investigations, accommodations, disciplinary meetings, attendance management, etc.
- Representing members in Step 1 Grievance Meetings with Management/HR
- Participating in Health & Safety, Professional Responsibility, and other Joint Committee Meetings with the Management/HR in the Units/Worksites within their Local
- Engaging with the President/Executive Council to escalate priorities/issues of a provincial nature
Collective Bargaining in 2025
Under the old governance structure, the responsibility for collective bargaining was a shared responsibility of the Board of Directors (which included the Executive) and Members-at-Large. Under the new governance structure, collective bargaining remains a shared responsibility of the Executive Council, Provincial Council, and Members-at-Large. (In other words, collective bargaining remains the responsibility of the “Negotiation Committee” which is composed of both elected Union leaders and Members-at-Large.)
The Union will issue the Notice to Bargain to the Employer in the Winter of 2025 and meetings will be expected to commence prior to expiry of the collective agreement (March 31, 2025). However, the Union’s preparations for collective bargaining will actually begin much earlier.
In the Fall of 2024, the Union will…
- Establish the 2025 Negotiations Committee
The Negotiation Commitee is composed of members from the Executive Council, Provincial Council, and “Members-at-Large”. (Expressions of Interest from PEINU Members who wish to participate on a Committee can be submitted online at any time.)
- Issue the Pre-Negotiation Survey to All Members
The Union will issue a survey to all PEINU Members to gather information/feedback about the issues, the wants & needs, and their respective levels of importance, that they want the Union/Employer to address in the next collective agreement.
- Develop the Mandate for Collective Bargaining
The Committee will establish the mandate (priorities) for the next round of collective bargaining based on the issues that have been identified during the life of the 2021-2025 collective agreement, and the results/feedback of the Pre-Negotiation Survey of PEINU Members.
Members-at-Large & Elected Union Leaders who are interested in participating on the next Negotiation Committee are encouraged to fill out the Expression of Interest Form online.
Policy Updates
Please refer to the following policies for more information about Nominations & Elections:
Executive Council Nomination Policy Number III-14
Executive Council Election Policy III-10
Election Campaigns Policy Number III-12
The policies included above have been updated to reflect the new governance structure and changes to the Constitution / By-Laws that were made in the Spring of 2023.
This is Your Union!
Nominations for the VP Positions will remain open until September 30th. This is an exciting time for the Union and it’s a great time for individuals to get involved … you can fill out the nomination form online by clicking on the red “Nomination Form” button below:
Click on the red “Nomination Form” button (below) to access the online nomination form:
If you have any questions or concerns about PEINU Nominations or Elections, please contact the Provincial Office at (902) 892-7152 or contact Holly MacLean-Arsenault, Chair of the Nominations Committee at kingssouth@peinu.com