RTAM Presentation to MTS

Bill Cann, RTAM President

Objectives

The objectives of this Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba (RTAM) presentation to The Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) Provincial Executive are twofold:

1. To seek, from the MTS, public recognition that RTAM is the official voice of retired teachers in Manitoba. 2. To develop and sign a mutual letter of understanding which will formalize and strengthen the relationship between the MTS and RTAM.

RTAM Background

• With great foresight former Manitoba Teachers’

Society Staff Officer, George Strang envisioned creating the Retired Teachers’ Association of

Manitoba. With a generous monetary support from The Manitoba Teachers’ Society, George contacted several key newly retired teachers, including Murray Smith, who volunteered to design the details for this organization. RTAM was officially incorporated on October 24, 1989.

• Now in our 32nd year of existence, RTAM currently has 10,000 members who pay a fee of $3.00 per month, deducted by TRAF, to access a plethora of insurance plans, services, wellness webinars and links to organizations advocating for Older Persons.

Our membership represents approximately 2/3 of the total number of retired teachers in Manitoba.

• We have a four-member executive which include a President, Vice President, Treasurer and

Secretary. Our volunteer Board is comprised of the

Executive and nine other Directors, each chairing a different committee.

• Our office is located at 106-1780 Wellington

Avenue and is attached to the Hilton Airport

Hotel. RTAM employs three full time staff members including an Executive Director, Office

Manager and Membership Services Co-ordinator.

• RTAM offers travel, extended health, and dental insurance plans through Johnson Inc. RTAM is not competing with either The Manitoba Teachers’ Society or the Winnipeg Teachers’ Association for members of the Manitoba School Employees Benefits Plans or Manulife Insurance Plans. However, we do offer a superior Prestige Travel Insurance program and we encourage teachers who are retiring to join RTAM to access this and our many other services.

• Effective January 1, 2021 RTAM offered retiring teachers their first-year membership for free.

• RTAM provides three Pre-Retirement seminars annually for active teachers.

• RTAM has 18 local chapters located throughout

Manitoba and 3 out-of-province chapters in

Calgary, Kelowna, and on Vancouver Island.

• According to Josh Watt, Executive Director of the Manitoba School Boards Association, retired teachers comprise 80-85% of the substitute teacher supply chain in rural Manitoba.

Activism

• RTAM published its position on Bill 64 in April 2021. We called on the Government to recognize our members’ collective and individual roles as Education Elders, parents, grandparents, and volunteer leaders in local communities throughout Manitoba. We supported the concerns of The Manitoba Teachers’ Society and requested a consultation role in resolving many of the issues posed in Bill 64 and the K-12 Education Review.

• We actively participated in the “Slam the Door on 64” campaign.

• In conjunction with the national retired teachers’ organization (ACER-CART), we actively participated in electronically distributing a

National Seniors Health Care Strategy to every federal election candidate. Indeed, RTAM’s extra financial support made possible the purchase of the New Mode software which facilitated this national distribution and subsequent letter writing campaign.

• RTAM President’s letter (January 21, 2021) to the Prime Minister, the Manitoba Premier and appropriate federal and provincial politicians urged that that Long Term Care Facilities’ supervision and standards be placed under the

Canada Health Act.

• RTAM is currently advocating for recognition as the official voice of retired teachers in Manitoba, a seat on the TRAF Board, a seat on the Minister’s

Education Stakeholders Committee and the development of an action plan with Government and MTS concerning pension sustainability.

• To this end RTAM is planning to utilize the

New Mode software to facilitate a letter writing campaigns prior to and during future provincial elections. RTAM will also develop a “force multiplier” by engaging relatives, friends, and neighbors of our 10,000 members for support in our endeavors.

Relationship with MTS

• Since 1989, Government and Education

Stakeholders have largely ignored RTAM as the unwanted foster child of MTS.

• In the past several years, RTAM and MTS have moved closer together. The improved relationship owes much to the work of individuals from both organizations. Some of the initial steps in this process were the 2018 negotiations and joint submission to the TRAF Board on the

Disbursement of the Restricted Surplus and the cooperative planning for MTS 100 Anniversary in 2019.

• In September 2020, bimonthly Liaison meetings were scheduled to improve communications, strengthen relations, and address critical issues of concern to each organization. The first of many achievements was the development of a joint position on substitute teacher working conditions during the pandemic. Key elements of this agreement were then presented by the

MTS President to the Assistant Deputy Minister’s

Education Stakeholders Committee. members to attend the Pension Sustainability seminar as observers.

• To date, five MTS/RTAM Liaison meetings have been held and have covered a wide range of issues impacting either or both active and retired members. It is generally recognized that these meetings have developed trust and good will based on the leadership and personal friendship of the MTS and RTAM presidents.

• MTS recognition of RTAM as the official voice of retired teachers in Manitoba would help formalize this relationship on a go forward basis so it moves beyond individuals and becomes part of a formal, institutional structure. RTAM believes this recognition is critical to enhancing its future negotiations with Government.

• RTAM strongly believes that pension sustainability needs to be an important consideration during the upcoming Provincial

Bargaining process for both active and retired teachers. The summary of the MTS Pension

Sustainability report (October 2020) noted

“Reducing ancillary pension benefits such as the early retirement benefits could strengthen future funded status and, therefore sustainability.”

• Bill 64 demonstrated that our two organizations are stronger when working together. Speaking to the government as a unified front improves the capacity to make effective changes to pension reform and educational restructuring.

Recommendations

• That the MTS publicly recognize RTAM as the official voice of retired teachers in Manitoba.

• That the MTS and RTAM develop and sign a letter of understanding covering the next three years. The purpose of the letter is to formalize the relationship between RTAM and the MTS. Prior to the expiration of the terms of the letter, both parties will meet to discuss the advisability of a renewal. The letter could include the following:

a. The Presidents and Vice Presidents of MTS and RTAM meet a minimum of four times