Unions - what is their purpose?

What do they do for us? Cause trouble or help out?

What I had as benefits as a federal government employee were due to the unions. My dental insurance certainly was useful to me recently.

A friend is hoping to go back to work after a long absence. She said that there was a big meeting with the union to help get her pointed in that direction.

I was reading about OC Transpo and the union - they are meeting regularly. Relations between them after the big strike last year are still not easy. The contract comes up next year. They voted some time ago that they can still go on strike. Oh dear!!

Other countries and places

It is always interesting to explore one’s cultural heritage. St. John’s has had a long history of sponsoring refugees. Many have gone on to do very well in Canada with their families.

*****

In my later years in the library I worked with folks from India, Poland, Montserrat and Russia. Of course there were French Canadians as well with many generations living in Canada.

I also worked with a native Canadian of Mohawk descent. She did native crafts and at one point asked me for some horse hair. Bishop obliged by giving her some of his mane.

****

It is interesting to hear about folks backgrounds and when they take trips back to where they or their ancestors were born.

It is also made for interesting sharing at workplace food events. Some of the dishes came to be quite well known - I am pleased that X is bringing this dish again to the party.

Course files

I found certificates or records of course attendance from October 1979 to May 2007 - almost 30 years.

The first was for “Staff relations for managers” and the last was for “Ready to retire.”

My need to learn about the changing technology was obvious.
1984 - Understanding data processing
1984 - Banyan mail
1998 - Windows ‘95 (the government was always somewhat behind)
2004 - Web page design

There were several certificates of appreciation for volunteering my time for the United Way.

I was pleased to receive a certificate for my involvement in the Librarians Group for revision of the classification system - Universal Classification System - as it was known. It was presented by the National Librarian at the time - Roch Carrier.

In his previous life he had written a well known Canadian children’s story - The Hockey Sweater. So I took a side trip online to the National Film Board and I watched the video.

　

Work files: gone now

Why had I kept some of these files from when I retired almost 2 years ago now?

There were the binders from 2 retirement courses, several versions of my job descriptions and lists of specific duties.

I had not looked at the information about retirement since I had taken the courses. I know where I am at as for dealing with retirement issues. I do have bookmarked in my Internet browser some useful information if I ever need it.

I do not need to read about my specific duties at work. I know what I did and what my skills were and what I learned along the way in my career.

I will not miss any of this printed information.

Competitions of all kinds

Astronauts have to compete for their jobs. Not everyone is suited to the rigorous training, etc. Not too long ago the Canadian Space Agency announced a couple of new candidates.

It is always good to hear about the Canadian astronauts. Julie Payette finally got up in the shuttle.

*****

TV Ontario had some interesting programs recently on schools and how one gets in and the pressures to do so and what is expected when one gets there.

Britain and 4 year olds just starting off on their education.

Britain and pre-teens looking towards secondary school. They do not want to study at their local comprehensive school.

China and primary schools and secondary schools and going onto university. There is very fierce competition for spaces.

*****

Quite different experiences than mine. It was much more relaxed when I was studying. I presume that my parents had to pay for my 2 years of kindergarten in the 1950s. It was a private kindergarten. They paid for private school and for my university education as well. Fees were very much different than they are now.

The only one that they did not have to pay for was for the 7 years of elementary school. They did pay school taxes as I do now. My grandfather wondered why he was paying school taxes with no children in school. It is to support the next generation.

*****

Did I compete for jobs? Certainly not as one has to today. The one I particularly remember is my 2nd government job. I did not get the job at first but got a phone call 6 months later saying it was mine.

*****

Did I compete in athletics or horse shows? I was not too athletic. There is a picture of me and Kathi returning from a horse show - so I did compete. I think it was not too serious a competition.

Changes in my life

I was thinking recently about changes that have been happening in my life. In the past 5 years - there have been lots of those.

The chief librarian that I liked so much was ready to move on to other job opportunities. She did this. Then I had 2 different supervisors before I actually retired.

In the summer of 2004 I took a leave of absence for almost 3 months to get my mom moved and settled in Ottawa.

In the fall of 2005 I started working 3 days a week in preparation for retirement. That was a good move for me and allowed me to get interested in the rest of my life.

It was a big move to pack up my mom’s house. My sister was most helpful in finding a retirement home in Ottawa for my mom and various other specific tasks. She came to visit often.

I was able to attend to my house as well. I finished the basement in the fall of 2005. My mom never saw it. By that time she was not getting out and about. Last year at this time I did major renovations - including lots of painting and a new kitchen.

I enjoyed my time with Bishop even though some times he was not so well. I never thought that I would have to say goodbye to him. But now I have Abracadabra who is a real sweetie and a very welcome addition to my horsy life.

*****

So these were major upheavals in my life. I dealt with them. Now I think about more recent adjustments in my life.

As I took a bath in my bathtub which was installed last year I realized that it felt o.k. That took a while as it is a quite modern one that is different from my old plain one.

I am used to my new kitchen and where things are and how things work.

I am getting used to my new glasses. The sliding down the nose routine is not so bad at all.

I am getting used to Abracadabra and how she is.

35 years ago this month

I received a letter in the mail from where I had worked the previous year as a summer student. There was a job for me. I accepted the offer very quickly.

I spent a few days staying with a friend whom I had met in Toronto whose family lived in Ottawa. I looked for an apartment downtown close to where I was going to be going to church. I found one easily.

I moved to Ottawa in early May and I started my work career as a librarian soon after. The building where I first worked is no longer there. It was a temporary building built during WWII but still around in the 1970s.

January 2001

As I saw George Bush move off into history on Tuesday I thought about what was happening in my life 8 years ago when he took office.

I checked out my Christmas letter for 2000 and my journal for that time.

At work, there was the usual struggles of a lot to do and dealing with the people that I was working with. We were in limbo with the library accommodation as we were doing major renovations. The chief librarian who had been on leave for 2 years was not expected to return. We were quite supportive of each other and I missed her.

Bishop had moved into his new barn just before Christmas. It was very nice for him and a long awaited development for the stables.

My mom was doing fine after 2 cataract surgeries the year before.

Interesting too when I fast forwarded to the end of 2001. My mom was struggling with health issues after having major surgery in July. The chief librarian returned to work in December. It was good to have her back even though she was only working a few days a week. The library did move in April 2001 and we were enjoying our new space.

Phone calls and phones

Thinking about talking led me to think about phone calls and phones.

Since I have been retired and at home more, I often get annoying sales calls. They start off being very personal - how are you Mrs. Milnes. I am on to them right away. No - I am not interested in what you are selling.

Then there are the calls from friends whose voice you do not easily recognize. They start talking and then you realize who it is.

Then there are the sad and difficult calls when someone has died. When my dad died it was so unexpected. When my mom died it was less so. More recently I know some of the same emotions about death when I had a phone call about Bishop’s condition.

I do remember one of the last phone calls I had on my last day of work. I was on the circulation desk at lunchtime. This was a place to keep up with my French language skills because you never knew what language someone would use. The person started in French and I knew what they wanted but I had already forgotten how to use the various computer applications. I kindly explained that this was my last day. The person said - do you want me to change to English. I said that was not the problem - going to retire I had already forgotten all about the detailed library procedures.

*****

Now folks start to ask you - can I contact you on your cell phone? No - I do not have one. I wonder when I may feel the need for one. I manage quite well with my voice mail at home.

I changed my phone line to touch tone some years ago. It certainly helps when trying to contact various businesses.

I was looking at the amount on my latest phone bill to try and figure out what all the charges were for. Then I looked at changing my long distance options but it was so complicated and there are so many packages available. I gave up for now.

If you watch old movies as I do, it is interesting to watch the progression of the phones used. The styles change. Movies from the early 20th century - they have a phone - surprise! Now in the murder mystery programs I watch often cell phones are much in use. How did they do their business before the age of cell phones?

Walking the picket line

Unfortunately for some folks in Ottawa, OC Transpo has gone on strike. Being retired and getting around mostly by car and not needing to be in the downtown area too much, I can manage quite well. I do notice too that there are a lot more cars on the road and driving around can be a slow process. It did not help that there was a major snow event in Ottawa this week.

I have been using the bus to go downtown and then walking to and from various transit stations. I do not have an appointment downtown until early January and hopefully by then, the two sides will have got their differences sorted out.

When I was working there was a transit strike that lasted quite a few weeks. Some of us living close by got together and shared in a car pool. There was parking available quite cheaply at one of the municipal arenas. It worked out alright but it was an inconvenience.

*****

I did work in a unionized environment and the union decided a couple of times to go on strike. Some of my colleagues did walk on the picket line but I was not inclined to do so.

*****

The other strike that affected me at work was a postal strike. At that time the library had many printed magazines and books being sent in the mail. It was more of an issue when the strike was over because we were deluged with very large piles of mail.

I wonder now that the library is more virtual with electronic resources that a postal strike would not have such a major impact.

*****

I was involved somewhat in labour relations. I went to work for the Department of Labour (later Labour Canada and the Labour Program) in November of 1976. Of passing interest to those working in the library, the first Minister of Labour was Mackenzie King and he started the library in the department. I think if you looked hard enough in some of the hidden corners of the library, you might still find a few books from his era.

Anniversaries

There are lots of anniversaries that come to be part of our lives - both personal and less so. There are nice ones to remember and not so nice ones to remember. Even the ones that are more difficult make us stop and remember.

As the 1st anniversary of my retirement approaches, I remember my work career and important dates - when I started my government career,when I moved to my 2nd and final job - it lasted a long time but there was lots of changes.

I remember the date I bought my first car.

I remember the day I bought my house and the day I took possession of the house.

I also need to remember my dad and my mom on the anniversaries of their deaths. I can understand why it is a tradition to put flowers on the altar at church and remember loved ones in that specific way.

*****

I know that some of this remembering of anniversaries was prompted by news items and not just September 11th.

Princess Diana's death.

Hurricane Katrina.

The Swissair airplane crash off Nova Scotia.

*****

My blog will always have lots of remembering of events - I started with one for a stuffed animal who was an important part of my life.