October 2026

Dear Members,

I am pleased to provide you with an update on the key priorities, governance activities, and departmental engagements I have undertaken since stepping into the role of National President.

Our focus remains on ensuring strong governance, enhancing employer accountability, and building a more resilient union to serve you better.

Governance, Staffing, & Operations

• Leadership Transition: I have been deeply engaged in mastering the full scope of the National President’s responsibilities. This includes a rigorous review of our rules of order and procedural variations to ensure seamless governance across all union components.
• Key Staffing Updates:
  • Director of Operations: Following a thorough committee review, a successful candidate has been selected. A letter of offer is currently being prepared, and a formal announcement to the Council and UHEW staff will follow once signed.
  • Communications Officer: We are reviving the process to fill this critical role. I am reviewing past incomplete processes from the last cycle and will provide direction to the staffing committee shortly to launch the competition.
• Technology & IT Accountability: Following operational issues during a recent technical upgrade, I have established a direct accountability framework with our technical service provider, Thrive. We have implemented biweekly meetings to closely monitor and improve service delivery.
• Financial Administration: I am meeting regularly with our Finance team to streamline billing and payments. While full financial authority is currently awaiting the resolution of outstanding banking issues, I continue to provide all necessary interim approvals to keep operations running smoothly.

Union-Management Consultation & Committee Leadership

• National Committee Elections: I am proud to share that union committee members have elected me as Employee Co-Chair of the Health Canada National Union-Management Consultation Committee (NUMCC). Additionally, I continue to serve as Employee Co-Chair for the DFO National UMCC.
• Departmental Consultations: I recently attended UMCC meetings across DFO, ECCC, ISC, and Health Canada. A clear and troubling pattern of systemic issues was raised across the board, including RTO4 (Return-to-Office mandates), a widespread fear of reprisal, and management misconduct.
• Essential Services Agreements (ESAs): Working alongside your Regional Vice Presidents (RVPs), we have advanced the DFO and ISC Essential Services Agreements. Meetings are being scheduled with the employer to challenge and resolve outstanding disagreements regarding position designations.
• Workforce Adjustment: I am actively participating in workforce adjustment meetings across multiple departments and am receiving regular updates to protect affected members.

Media Advocacy & Senior Leadership Engagement

• Defending Members in the Media: We are ensuring your voices are heard publicly. Recent media engagements include:
  • CBC Moncton: Discussing the critical work refusal by Fishery Officers in the Maritime Region.
  • Ottawa Citizen: Addressing the alarmingly low Public Service Employee Survey results at PHAC, using on-the-ground insights provided by RVPs to explain the systemic issues driving these scores.
• Holding Deputy Ministers Accountable: I have met with senior departmental leaders to reinforce that while we want constructive collaboration, meaningful progress requires active effort from their side. To date, I have met with:
  • Paul MacKinnon (Deputy Minister, DFO)
  • Mollie Johnson (Deputy Minister, ECCC)
  • Mark Fisher (President, Canada Water Agency)
  • Michelle Kovacevic (Deputy Minister, ISC)
  • Additional high-level meetings are currently being scheduled.

Member Case Files & Training

• Representation: I have continued to directly manage complex case files carried over from before my appointment. One major file has been successfully closed after the allegations were found to be completely unfounded; another file remains active and ongoing.
• Training & Fall Council Preparation: In partnership with the National Vice President, planning is well underway for upcoming RVP and Alternate RVP training, as well as the governance agenda for our upcoming Fall Council meeting.

Thank you for your continued trust and solidarity as we navigate these transitions and fight for better, safer, and fairer workplaces.

In Solidarity,

Rae McCleave

National President
Union of Health and Environment Workers (UHEW)