PREAMBLE
In general, these By-Laws pertain to matters of Group organization not covered by the By-Laws and Regulations of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada and are made pursuant to those By-Laws and Regulations.
DEFINITIONS
"Institute" means The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada".
"Group" means the Research Group of the said Institute.
"Members" means those who meet the requirements of By-Law 3 and have taken out membership with the Institute.
"Employer" is as defined in the Group's collective agreement
"Sub-Group" refers to a Research Sub-Group, organized in a locality under the By-Laws of the Institute.
BY-LAW 1 GROUP NAME
The name of this organization shall be the Research (RE) Group of The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, hereinafter referred to as the "Group".
BY-LAW 2 GROUP AIM
The aim of the Group shall be to further the professional interests of its members, to protect the status and standard of their profession, and to formulate and express the views of the members on matters affecting them. This in no way infringes on the right of an individual to approach the Institute on their own behalf.
BY-LAW 3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Any member who belongs to the Research Group and who is a Regular member of the Institute shall also be a Regular member of the Group.
3.2 Any Regular member of the Group who becomes a Retired member of the Institute shall also become a Retired member of the Group.
BY-LAW 4 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
4.1 Only Regular members shall be eligible to stand for elected office. Only Regular members and Retired members who ceased to be Regular members during the retroactive period of a collective agreement shall be eligible to vote on matters related to collective negotiations, including the method of dispute resolution and the ratification of proposed collective agreements.
4.2 Retired members shall be eligible to be appointed to fill vacancies and serve on the executive
4.3 All members shall be eligible to serve as delegates at General Meetings (GM) of the Group, to attend and speak at GM of the Group, to nominate members for positions on the Group Executive and propose amendments to the By-Laws of the Group.
BY-LAW 5 FINANCES
5.1 Fiscal Year: The fiscal year of the Group shall be the calendar year.
5.2 Expenditures: The Group Executive shall expend such monies as it considers necessary for the conduct of the business of the Group.
5.3 Funds: Group funds will be maintained in an account assigned by the Institute. As required, auditing and verification procedures shall be carried out by members of the Group who are not responsible for the administration of Group funds.
5.4 Signatures: Financial transactions shall require the signature of any two (2) of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Group.
BY-LAW 6 GROUP EXECUTIVE
6.1 Composition: The Group Executive shall be limited to a maximum of thirteen (13) Executive members, in accordance to PIPSC By-Laws. There shall be a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer and additional members at-large to the maximum permitted. This By-Law shall come into effect for the Executive taking office after the 2007 AGM.
6.2 Term of Office: The term of office shall be two (2) years.
6.3 Meetings: The Group Executive shall meet as frequently as is required, but at least twice a year.
6.4 Quorum: A majority of the Group Executive shall be a quorum at meetings of the Group Executive.
6.5 Voting: Decisions shall be by majority vote.
BY-LAW 7 DUTIES OF THE GROUP EXECUTIVE
7.1 President: The President shall call and preside at all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive.
7.2 Vice-President: The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of the President’s duties. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President.
7.3 Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for sending notices of all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive. The Secretary shall keep records of all meetings and correspondence of the Group and of the Group Executive and shall ensure that a copy of the minutes is filed with the Institute.
7.4 Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Group as required by Institute policy, prepare a financial report for each General Meeting of the Group, submit a detailed financial statement to the Institute as required, and prepare and submit a budget for the Group along with the request for the Group’s annual allowance.
7.5 Members-at-Large: Other members of the Executive may be assigned specific duties as the Executive deems appropriate.
7.6 Committees: The Executive shall establish committees as necessary, with terms of reference and membership to be decided by the Executive. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the Executive.
BY-LAW 8 ELECTIONS
8.1 The Executive shall appoint an Elections Committee to receive nominations for positions on the Group Executive and to conduct the elections. Any member of the Elections Committee who becomes a candidate in the election shall resign immediately from the Committee.
8.2 The Elections Committee shall distribute a request for nominations to all Regular members of the Group at least 120 days prior to the Group Annual General Meeting. The call for nominations shall be made at least 30 days before the deadline for submitting nominations.
8.3 Nominations must be supported by at least two (2) members of the Group and the nominee must indicate, in writing, a willingness to serve if elected.
8.4 All members of the Group Executive shall be elected by a nationwide vote. Each of the Regions defined in the By-Laws of the Institute shall be represented on the Executive by a minimum of one (1) elected member and each of the classifications within the RE Group shall be represented on the Executive by a minimum of one (1) elected member. The number of elected representatives is restricted to 3 from any one department in any one Region. If positions on the Executive remain unfilled after the election process in 8.4, the Executive will appoint people to fill those positions in a way that takes into account the demographics of the RE Group.
8.5 Nomination forms must be received at the National Office of the Institute by the close of business no later than ninety (90) days prior to the Group Annual General Meeting. In the event that insufficient nominations are received to fill the vacancies, the Executive may appoint someone to that position in accordance with By-Law 8.4 above.
8.6 Ballots must be distributed at least four (4) weeks prior to the date set as the deadline for the return of ballots.
8.7 Ballots must be received at the National Office of the Institute by the close of business on a date to be determined by the Elections Committee, but not later than the date of the Group Annual General Meeting.
8.8 The member from each classification in the Group receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. For each Region not represented by the members so declared, the member from each Region receiving the highest number of votes for a position shall be declared elected. The remaining members of the Executive shall be selected from the remaining candidates based on number of votes. If at the close of nominations only one candidate stands for election in a Region or from a given classification that candidate will be elected by acclamation.
8.9 The Elections Committee shall ensure the membership is informed of the results of the election as soon as possible.
8.10 The newly elected Executive shall take office immediately after the Group Annual General Meeting of the year of the election.
8.11 Once members of the Executive have been elected, they shall meet and elect from amongst themselves, members to the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
8.12 Election of the President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall occur not later than the first Executive meeting following the Group Annual General Meeting.
BY-LAW 9 VACANCIES
9.1 President: If the position of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-President shall become President until the end of the original term of office. The position of Vice-President shall then be filled in accordance with these By-Laws.
9.2 Executive: If any Executive position other than that of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining officers of the Executive may, at their next meeting, act to fill the vacancy by election or appointment as appropriate.
9.3 Cessation of membership: Any Executive position shall be automatically vacated:
9.3.1 If a member of the Executive resigns by delivering a written resignation;
9.3.2 If a member of the Executive is absent from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executive without a reason acceptable to the Executive and is, by a majority vote, considered to have resigned from the Executive;
9.3.3 If a majority of at least two-thirds of the members of the Executive, present at a regular meeting should vote that a member of the Executive shall no longer serve on the Executive, provided the said vote of the Executive is ratified at a subsequent General Meeting of the members by a two-thirds majority of the delegates present. The participation of the designated Executive member in Executive activities is suspended pending confirmation of status by the General Meeting.
BY-LAW 10 GENERAL MEETINGS
10.1 Annual General Meeting
10.1.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Group is its supreme governing body, except that it has no jurisdiction in the following areas:
the ratification or rejection of contracts
the selection of collective bargaining method,
the selection of members of the Group Executive, and;
the selection of members of the bargaining committee
10.1.2 The Executive shall call an Annual General Meeting of the Group at least once each calendar year. The interval between such meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months.
10.1.3 Delegates: Each member of the Group may attend and speak at Annual General Meetings. Only delegates shall be entitled to move or second motions or resolutions and to vote at annual general meetings. Delegates shall be apportioned by Region.
10.1.3.1 Group Executive: Each member of the current and incoming Group Executives shall be a delegate.
10.1.3.2 Regions: In addition to those specified in 10.1.3.1, the Executive shall select additional delegates in accordance with the PIPSC Policy on Institute Groups. The apportion shall take into account the RE population of each Region.
10.1.3.3 The number of members in each Region and the total number of members shall be the number determined from the members at a time 90 days before the AGM.
10.1.3.4 The Annual General Meeting shall be held in a location that will minimize the cost to the Institute.
10.1.3.5 Substitutes Should a delegate be unable to attend, the President shall select a substitute from the waiting list of initial applicants, or if none may canvas for another additional member. These appointments shall be in line with the considerations in 10.1.3.2.
10.1.4 Quorum A majority of the accredited delegates shall constitute a quorum at an Annual General Meeting of the Group.
10.1.5 Agenda The agenda shall include the following items:
Roll Call of the delegates
Approval of the Agenda
Adoption of the Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Business Arising from the Minutes
Report of the President
Annual Financial Report
Report of the Elections Committee
New Business
10.1.6 Voting Voting shall normally be by a show of hands and each delegate shall have one (1) vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority vote.
10.1.7 Notice of meeting Notice of each Annual General Meeting of the Group shall be sent to all members at least four (4) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
10.2 Special General Meetings
10.2.1 A Special General Meeting of the Group may be called by the Group Executive when it deems such a meeting to be necessary for the conduct of the business of the Group. The Group Executive must call a Special General Meeting of the Group when petitioned to do so by at least ten percent (10%) of the membership of the Group. Group Special General Meetings shall be held at a time and place to be selected by the Group Executive with the proviso that, when the Group Executive has been petitioned to hold such a meeting, it must occur within six (6) weeks of the receipt of the petition. Formal notice shall be mailed to all members at least two (2) weeks before the date of the meeting. Only the business for which the Special General Meeting was called shall appear on the agenda.
10.2.2 The same requirements shall apply to the delegates’ entitlement, the quorum and voting at Special General Meetings (SGM) as are prescribed for the Annual General Meeting (AGM). If an SGM is called within 60 days of the AGM the items of interest may be placed on the agenda of the AGM.
10.3 Sub-Group Presidents Meeting
10.3.1 A Sub-Group Presidents meeting may be held at the call of the Group Executive when it deems such a meeting to be important to inform Sub-Groups of current issues and to allow each Sub-Group President or their representative to have input into the effective running of the Group. If held on a national basis, it shall be held the day before the Group AGM.
10.2 Quorum A majority of the Group Executive and Sub-Group Presidents present shall constitute a quorum at a Sub-Group Presidents meeting.
10.3.3 Voting Voting shall normally be by a show of hands and each member shall have one (1) vote. Decisions shall be by a simple majority vote.
BY-LAW 11 RULES OF PROCEDURE
At any meeting of the Group or Group Executive, matters of procedure, insofar as they are not specifically provided for, shall be governed by a majority vote of the members present and voting on the matter of procedure. The Chair of such meeting shall first rule on any matter of procedure or order and shall, in the absence of any By-Law to the contrary, rely upon and be governed by the latest version of the American Institute of Parliamentarians Standard Code or Parliamentary Procedure available at the meeting.
BY-LAW 12 BY-LAWS
12.1 These By-Laws may be amended at a General Meeting (AGM or SGM) of the Group. Approval for amendments requires a simple majority of the voting delegates.
12.2 All proposals for amendments to these By-Laws shall be submitted, in writing, to the Executive no less than 45 days before the Annual General Meeting or Special Meeting at which they are to be discussed. The Secretary shall circulate the proposed changes to the members at least 30 days before the meeting. Proposed amendments may be submitted by any member of the Group.
12.3 These By-Laws, and any amendments thereto, take effect upon approval by the Institute.
BY-LAW 13 REGULATIONS
13.1 The Executive may make such Regulations, not inconsistent with these By-Laws, as it deems appropriate for the operation of the Group.
13.2 Regulations or amendments thereto must be submitted to the Institute for review.
13.3 Regulations and changes thereto shall take effect on a date determined by the Executive and shall be reported to the members at the next Group General Meeting. Any General Meeting of the Group may approve, make, amend, suspend or repeal any Regulations.
13.4 The membership will be notified of any changes to the Regulations or By-Laws.
BY-LAW 14 CONTEXT AND GENDER
In these By-Laws, expressions in the masculine or feminine, in plural or in singular, may be substituted to give effect to the true meaning of the By-Laws.
APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
APRIL 29, 2000
Approved by the Board of Directors
May 11, 2006
Approved by the Board of Directors
October 4, 2014