We are pleased to announce that John McLuckie will be co-chairing Lancaster House’s annual Bargaining in the Broader Public Sector Conference this fall.

When: December 7, 2016, plus pre- and post-conference workshops

Where: Toronto Westin Harbour Castle

Early registration will save you lots of money, so don’t wait.  Check out details and register on  the Lancaster House website: http://lancasterhouse.com/conferences/show/id/63

 

Although we’ve already had weeks of toasty summer heat, yesterday we marked the imminent beginning of the summer season with our annual 1505 Carling Avenue barbecue! There were about 45 people out enjoying the blue sky, sunshine and tasty grilled items, including the JM&A staff, folks from CUPE Local 503, the friendly people of Westboro Photonics, at least 3 dogs, and a few special guests.  We always love to get outdoors and chat with friends, so it was a great way to kick off the summer!

Pictured above: Some happy diners

Pictured below: The burger lineup; Grillmaster Meghan showing off her guns

BBQ collage 2

 

Last week, Jewitt McLuckie & Associates partnered with REACH Canada to host one-day conference called “Mental Wellness in the Workplace: Understanding and Working with PTSD, Addictions and Depression.”  With mental health issues now a leading cause of short and long-term disability claims in Canada [1], this timely topic drew over 80 people to the CUPE Local 503 Training Hall on Carling Avenue.  Medical experts, labour lawyers, union leaders,  first responders, peer support program coordinators, mental health and disability advocates  all generously shared their knowledge via slide presentations and lively panel discussions.  We learned about  identifying these “invisible disabilities”, developing accommodation plans that work for employees and employers, and the upcoming changes recognizing PTSD presumptively as a Workplace Illness for first responders as set out in Bill 163, as well as practical tips for lawyers and laypeople working their way through the WSIB and long-term disability claims processes.

Conference feedback was extremely positive for the overall experience, and we are proud to report that while they enjoyed the presentations, attendees also found practical benefits.  Some appreciated the strategies for dealing with insurance companies and navigating workplace accommodation processes, while others intend to use what they learned to initiate peer support groups in their own workplaces.

This conference had a purpose beyond merely sharing knowledge: it was a fundraiser for REACH Canada, a charitable, self-funded and non-profit organization currently celebrating its 35th year connecting people with various disabilities to lawyer referral and educational services.  Jewitt McLuckie & Associates is pleased to announce that  as a result of this Conference, REACH will be receiving a donation of  $3000.00 and we wish them many fruitful years continuing their excellent work in the community.

[1] https://canadasafetycouncil.org/workplace-safety/mental-health-and-workplace

 

 Jennifer & Josieback of room

 

“Where have all the good people gone?” wonders Canadian rock legend Sam Roberts in one of his songs. We’re pretty sure a lot of them were gathered at TD Place Saturday night for the 8th annual Rock for Public Services concert organized by CUPE Local 503. Roberts and his band were joined by Matt Mays and Amanda Rheaume and played for a full house of music-loving union members and public servants, as well as Ottawans who appreciate a free concert. As always, the concert was raising funds for charity, and this year’s chosen organization was the NWAC’s Sisters In Spirit initiative.  Attendees raised $12, 246.72!  JM&A was proud to contribute to this important cause.

Matt Mays

Jewitt McLuckie & Associates recently held its first Halloween candy drive collecting boxes of candy for the Orleans-Cumberland emergency food cupboard. Halloween candy to hand out to trick-or-treaters is a luxury that families in poverty can’t afford and just one more way that children in poverty miss out and are isolated from their peers. We had great participation for our first drive and look forward to making it an annual event.

David Jewitt spoke to incoming students at uOttawa Faculty of Law (Common Law Section) on Mind Body Awareness Practices for Lawyers: How to Find Balance and Focus in the Practice of Law.   David had the students up and out of their seats for some firsthand experience in mind/body awareness. He credits his yoga and mindfulness practice for his ability to thrive in an incredibly challenging field. We wish this year’s class all the best as they develop their own strategies for handling the stressful world of law practice!

(Photo credit – Marina Pavlović, via Twitter)

Jewitt McLuckie & Associates got a bird’s eye view of Ottawa’s Labour Day Parade 2015. Despite the scorching weather, there was a strong union presence, with enthusiastic marchers from CUPE, ATU, IBEW, CAPE, PIPSC, PSAC and others on their way over to McNabb Park.  Thanks to the generosity of the Ottawa District Labour Council, the festivities continued with a free barbecue and lots of family fun. We hope everyone had a great long weekend and remembered to thank the labour movement pioneers who made it possible!

Hosted with flair by CUPE Local 503 and held at Manderley on the Green, the Jacques Trépanier Open is an annual event collecting food items for the Ottawa Food Bank.

JMA donated a number of door prizes, and seven of us played a round of golf, with skill levels ranging from quite experienced to totally new.

We all enjoyed the relaxed, fun atmosphere, and even finished the afternoon with a bit of beautiful sunshine!

In April, Jewitt McLuckie & Associates  had the opportunity to join another area firm, SGM, as part of the Lawyers Feed The Hungry program, an initiative put together by the Law Society in four different cities across Ontario.  The Ottawa branch of the program serves up a feast for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents on the third and fourth Thursday of each month at the Ottawa Mission, located at 35 Waller Street, between the hours of 3:00 – 5:00 P.M.

The law firms sponsor the cost of the meal and provide enough volunteers to work as servers, to bus tables and to generally provide those in need with a full restaurant-style experience.  As you can see from the smiles, everyone had a great time and JM&A can’t wait for our next chance to participate in this noble venture.