CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT: May 2016 by Barb Abrams.

I’d like to thank Dean Lindsay for being here and saying a few words. Dean has been to several of our meetings and is welcome anytime. Dean is upstairs teaching and spared a few minutes to address our membership. Thanks Dean.

I’d like to thank the members who went to the rally at Jim Bradley’s office on Friday. The OFL had contacted me last week about the ongoing campaigns that are being proposed. The theme of the rally was Labour Laws but for some reason this rally was about the fight for $15 and fairness, but I guess it is all part of the Labour Laws. When I came down to the hall on the Monday before, the Local did not know about this rally but we did have a few turnout. I do not have an email list, so I emailed who I could and asked my contacts to pass this on. The Niagara Labour Council tried to get as many out as they could but I have to say we did have a poor turnout, but thanks to you who attended. I think there is a lot of lack of communication because we should of had hundreds of people there.

Just a friendly reminder to the convenors to hand in a report as to the prize money that they have received.

I still don’t know what we are going to do about a Recreation Executive. Things are running great thanks to the convenors but an executive would help. All our activities are coming to a close and it has been a great year once again. We have a very active Retiree’s Center and want to keep the center as active as we have had in the past.

We will be having elections for the USCO and Retired Workers Conference in May. Bill has the details on these conferences.

Runoff elections are being held here today so don’t forget to vote.

I’d like to congratulate the members who were elected in the local elections.

Bruce Allen was not re-elected and I would like to thank Bruce for all the work that he has done on behalf of the membership and retirees. Bruce always gave an excellent report at our meetings as to what was happening in the Local. We attended City Council in March when Bruce gave an excellent report regarding the TPP. He is also attending Welland and Port Colborne City Councils with his report.

Anytime Bruce wants to come to our meeting, he is more than welcome. I do not know what Bruce has in mind for the future. I did talk to him at the rally and he stated that he is on holidays at the present time.

I do appreciate the emails that I receive regarding senior issues. I take them to the executive board meeting where we discuss these important matters. Improvements to Long Term Care homes is a must. Three hundred (300) Long term care homes are going to be renovated to improve care and comfort to the residents. This has been a long time coming. Over the next nine (9) years homes will be upgraded and are eligible to receive a construction funding subsidy.

We had a lot of discussion on the government’s Reversing Course on Senior Drug Fee Increases. The Ontario Health Coalition along with eighty (80) other senior organizations signed a letter to Premier Wynne asking her to revisit the increase in user fees.

Cindy Forster NDP, MPP for Welland was going around to adult and wellness centers in her area urging seniors to sign a petition to stop hikes to prescription cost. Well the government did listen and have reversed their decision. I wish we would have had a copy of the petition as we could have filled it with signatures just from our meeting, but I would like to thank the groups that did step up to this issue.