Union of Taxation Employees (UTE) Local 20002

Report from the President to the membership

I have enjoyed being your local president the past year. It has been a great learning experience for me, and most of all receiving the positive support from the membership and the local executive. It has not been easy at times, but by looking forward and interacting with other union members I feel we have accomplished many great things.

Communication with the membership, and CRA management was one of our focuses this year. We have accomplished this on many levels and will still be working on this for the coming year. The Union Management Initiative (UMI) has been a great success for our local, a great session on working together to resolve workplace disputes with respect, cooperation and integrity. I stand strongly by the UMI principles and believe it will greatly benefit the UTE membership.

I am very pleased to see a measure of membership interest and participation in the local. Many of you have worked hard to contribute the local. Whether you were a steward, a contributing member, or an executive of the local, all of you showed a willingness to participate in the local. However, we will need a substantial increase in membership participation in union activities the coming 2 years. Notably, the ending of our current contract with CRA, and the effects of Bill C-10 Expenditure Restraint Act on any future contracts with CRA. Further compounding the issues is the potential threat to our pensions. This is a time for solidarity and activism among our membership, and you have demonstrated solidarity through the grievance filed on the arbitrary changing of our contract by the Expenditure Restraint Act.

Formal training has been another focus of our development as a local executive. The local executive took part in the UTE Grievance Course and the UTE Staffing Course, both extremely important courses in becoming an effective executive in serving the membership. The courses have already enabled us to better understand staffing issues and become more effective resolving problems proactively rather than reactively.

I am really looking forward to a new year of contributing to the UTE Local 20002 membership, and I am eager for further development of my union knowledge to better serve the membership. Thank you.

Kurt Munger

President - Local 20002

Union of Taxation Employees (UTE)