Presented to the 102nd Annual General Meeting
P-1 Canadian Pension Plan and Public Service Pension Plan Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Whereas the burning of fossil fuels is the main contributor to global warming, an existential threat to humanity that Canada and the other signatories of the Paris Agreement committed to limit to 1.5℃ to avoid long-lasting or irreversible catastrophic impacts; and
Whereas the 1.5℃ target requires both drastically reducing global fossil fuel production and foregoing further investments on new fossil fuel infrastructure, which questions the morality and wisdom of continued investment in fossil fuel holdings; and
Whereas the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and the Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) have billions of dollars invested in fossil fuel companies and have no plans to divest in full from those holdings, therefore making current and future pension beneficiaries vulnerable to significant undue financial risk; and
Whereas more than 1200 institutions across the world, possessing in the aggregate funds for over $14 trillion USD have already in place fossil fuel divestment policies, including nation states, banks, cities, and universities; and
Whereas PIPSC has been leading progress in Canadian society for over 100 years, acknowledges fossil fuel divestment is a necessary step towards a decarbonized economy, and recognizes the financial risk that its members incur by their pension plans keeping fossil fuel holdings;
Be it resolved that PIPSC will send, before the end of 2021, an open letter to the respective investment boards of the CPP and the PSPP recommending they fully divest from fossil fuel holdings by the end of 2022; and
Be it further resolved that the letters will be accompanied with a media release and will be permanently posted on the PIPSC website.
Resolutions Sub-Committee Comments : No comment
P-2 Accountability of the Board of Directors
Whereas the Professional Institute of the Public Service has an inherent responsibility to demonstrate accountability and transparency to its membership.
Whereas the policy positions and actions of the BOD must be consistent with those determined by the AGM and therefore the membership.
Whereas it is essential to the operation of the Institute, to maintain accord, good will and clear communication between the BOD and the AGM, as supreme governing body of PIPSC.
Be it resolved that forthwith, all votes taken on all motions of the BOD, will be recorded votes, to be included in the published minutes of the BOD, while respecting the privacy of members. This record will consist of the full content, originator and vote (yea or nay) for each motion by each member.
Resolutions Sub-Committee Comments : No comment
P-3 Policy on President and Vice Presidents’ Terms & Conditions of Employment
Whereas no compensating part time Vice Presidents at the same pay scale as full-time Vice Presidents although both are institute signing officers, have the same position description and the same duties, obligations and authorities within their service agreement is contrary to principles of fair and equitable treatment.
Whereas it has been a long-standing practice that unions support the principle of equal compensation for work of equal value.
Whereas the Institute is a member driven organization therefore General Meeting delegates must have the opportunity for input to the compensation principles applied to elected officials.
Be it resolved that the Policy on President and Vice Presidents’ Terms and Conditions of Employment, item 8 Review and Approval of the Terms and Conditions be amended as follows:
The terms and conditions of employment for the President and Vice-Presidents will be reviewed by the Executive Compensation Committee (ECC) in year two (2) of the Board’s term of office. The ECC recommendation will be presented to the Board for approval. The Board will submit the policy to the year two (2) AGM for approval and/or direction to the PIPSC Board. The Board shall include the Policy on President and Vice-Presidents Terms and Conditions in the year three (3) call of Election.
The compensation philosophy and principles for the President and Vice-Presidents is a long term policy and approach. The philosophy and principles will be reviewed by the Board once every eight years. In the event of a compelling environmental or economic concern this review can be conducted sooner.
No changes in terms and conditions, with the exception of annual adjustments to remuneration, shall take effect between triennial reviews unless directed by a General Meeting.
Resolutions Sub-Committee Comment: This resolution is redundant and does not override the Board’s authority to set compensation for the President and VPs as set out in the CNFPCA and BLs.
P-4 Executive Compensation Policy, Full Time Vice Presidents (FTVPs) and Part Time Vice Presidents (PTVPs)
Whereas the Canada Not for Profit Corporations Act, states under section 143 (1) “Subject to the articles, the by-laws and any unanimous member agreement, the directors of a corporation may fix the reasonable remuneration of the directors, officers and employees of the corporation.”
Be it resolved that the 2021 AGM hereby directs the Board that the revised policy on executive compensation, with respect to FTVPs and PTVPs, be rescinded, with immediate and retroactive effect, without regard to any perceived legal or other encumbrance. Compensation for all PTVPs will be at the same hourly rate as FTVPs.
Resolutions Sub-Committee Comments : This resolution is out of order. Unless BL 20.5 is changed, as per the CNFPCA, the Board has the authority to set remuneration. The Board’s decision on the remuneration of the PTVPs was made in accordance with BL 20.5. The terms and conditions for the upcoming term have been published with the notice of elections as required under BL 20.5 and cannot be changed now retroactively.
P-5 Policy on President and Vice-President Terms and Conditions of Employment
Whereas all Vice-Presidents should be paid the same hourly rate regardless if position is full or part-time; and
Whereas it has been a long-standing practice that Part-Time Vice-Presidents be compensated based on a Vice-President’s job description; and
Whereas not compensating Retired Members who seek and win an election for Part-Time Vice-President contradicts the concept of labour rights that individuals in the same workplace be given equal pay for equal work; and
Whereas all elected officials, when carrying out the duties of Vice-President, should be compensated equally regardless of their current non-PIPSC employment status; and
Whereas our Union would want our employer to pay part-time employees at the same hourly rate as full-time employees for the same job description; and
Be it resolved that Appendix 1 to the Policy on President and Vice-President Terms and Conditions - Terms and Conditions of Employment for President and Vice-Presidents (Effective date: January 1, 2022) para 1.3, read as follows:
1.3 Part-Time Vice-President will receive salary at the hourly full-time Vice-President rate, for duties associated with the Vice-President role, as approved by the President. No additional compensation, such as overtime payments, would be provided. For activities not related to the role of Vice-Presidents, they will receive salary replacement, paid at the rate of pay of their substantive positions, for hours missed from their substantive position.
A ‘substantive position’ is the position from the unionized employer, represented by the Institute, where the Part-Time Vice-President is on leave in order to perform his or her duties for the Institute.
Be it further resolved, the Policy be applied to the service agreements for this year’s elected officials for the period starting January 2022.
Resolutions Sub-Committee Comments : This resolution is out of order as it is not compatible with BL 20.5 and CNFPCA. The terms and conditions for the upcoming term have been published with the notice of elections as required under BL 20.5 and cannot be changed now retroactively. A policy cannot override a BL.
Unless BL 20.5 is changed, as per the CNFPCA, the Board’s decision on remuneration was made in accordance with BL 20.5, a decision which can only be made by the Board.