PIPSC AFS-HQ Subgroup Executive Meeting Minutes - August 24, 2023

Item

Topic and Discussion

Action

Call to Order and Welcome

Brian Busby announced quorum and called the meeting to order at 7:04 pm.

Brian Busby

Approval of Agenda Items

Patrick McIver sent all executive members a draft copy of the meeting agenda items on August 20, 2023 by e-mail. A revision was made to that draft agenda and it was re-circulated to the executive members. No additional revisions were requested or made.

Andra Weis moved the motion to approve the revised draft agenda. Motion seconded by Audrey Wojcik. Motion carried.

Patrick McIver

Minutes from Prior Meeting

The draft copy of the minutes from the July 13, 2023 executive meeting was distributed by e-mail shortly following the meeting. Patrick received responses from the majority of executive members who informed they want to no changes made to the circulated draft copy.

Therefore, on July 31, 2023, the minutes were considered approved and a copy of the minutes were transmitted to PIPSC for publishing on the AFS HQ Subgroup’s webpage. The minutes were published on the webpage on August 9, 2023.

Patrick McIver

Headquarters Region AFS Representative - Remarks

Abraham Garcia, the HQ AFS regional representative, was invited, but unable, to attend the meeting.

However, Abraham did ask Patrick to pass along to the Subgroup executive a collective bargaining update. On that topic, AFS and the CRA met in July for another round of collective bargaining towards reaching a new collective agreement, no such tentative agreement was reached at the round, and that another round of bargaining is scheduled for

Abraham Garcia

September. AFS publicly provided a bargaining update to its members through a notice posted on the AFS' webpage.

Finance Report from Treasurer

James Armstrong provided the executive with an update on the Subgroup’s current financial position. He informed the executive he was having problems accessing the Subgroup’s bank account electronically online but has since gotten that issue resolved.

During the meeting, he sent all executive members financial reports for the 2021 and 2022 fiscal years (ending December 31st), as well as proposed draft budgets for the 2023 and 2024 fiscal years. These have to be reviewed and approved by the executive prior to the 2023 AGM, where they will have to be approved by the membership.

Due to time constraints during the meeting, it was decided executive members would review the documents and provide comments, changes, or state their agreement to them, by e- mail (replying to all members) following the meeting.

James Armstrong

AFS HQ

Subgroup - Executive Vacant Positions (Follow- up Discussion from April 4, 2023 Meeting)

By email on August 23, 2023 to all executive members, Patrick informed the executive that, having reflected on several decisions taken at the April 20, 2023 and June 15, 2023 meetings that were made to deal with the resignation of Bruce Buchardt as Subgroup President. Those decisions were:

• The position of Subgroup Vice-president was vacant and under By-law 6.7.2, it was up to the current executive to fill that position for the duration of Brian’s original term (i.e. until the 2024 AGM)".
• Andra was nominated and acclaimed to position of Subgroup Vice-president, for the duration of Brian’s original term.
• With Andra now our V-P until the 2024 AGM, it was the Subgroup’s understanding that a new vacancy had been created with respect to Andra's two-year term directorship, resulting in the Subgroup voting to select Louise as Andra’s replacement until the end of Andra's two-year term (i.e. Andra was up for re-election at the 2024 AGM).

Patrick McIver

As a result of these decisions, 1 Brian's tenure as an elected member of the executive was cut from two years to one year because he was required, under the by-laws, to assume the office of President and thus the V-P position was considered vacant; 2) Andra’s tenure/term of office on the executive remained unchanged (she was elected to a two-year term as a director and would serve out the remainder of her two-years as V-P); and, 3) Louise, having only been elected by the members to a one-year term as a director/member-at-large, ended up having her term extended by the executive to two-years.

Patrick’s reflection was prompted by concerns expressed by members of the elections committee as to why the Vice- President position was also not up for election.

Upon reflection, Patrick believed the decisions taken in April and June are not correct and in accordance with the Subgroup’s by-laws, and since the 2023 AGM was in two weeks, he felt it was necessary to discuss the matter and clarify/rectify these errors so that the correct members of our executive know whether they are up for re-election.

Discussion had on the issue.

Patrick informed the executive that he would propose the following motion (text of which was circulated by email to all executive members on August 23, 2023):

That we rectify and correct our decisions from the April 20, 2023 and June 15, 2023 to state that:

• Brian was/is assuming the duties of President until the 2023 AGM, after which he will go back to his position as Vice- President for the remainder of his elected term (unless he runs for, and is elected to, a new two-year term as President of the Subgroup, thus officially creating a vacancy in the V-P position);
• While Brian was/is assuming the duties of President until the 2023 AGM, Andra was nominated/acclaimed to temporarily fulfill the duties of Vice-President of the Subgroup until the 2023 AGM, after which she will go back to her position as a director/member-at-large for the remainder to her elected term (unless there is an opening in that V-P by Brian being elected as Subgroup president, in which case it would be open for the new executive to select Andra as V-P until the "next election", 2024 AGM); and
• Louise, having only ever been elected to a one-year term as director/member-at-large and would, had Bruce not resign, be up for election at the 2023 AGM, would remain up for election at the 2023 AGM.

During the meeting, and following extensive discussion on it, Earle moved the motion as emailed to the executive members. Patrick seconded it. Motion approved.

HQ Subgroup AGM 2023 -

September 7,

2023

The executive continued its discussions and preparations for the upcoming 2023 AGM, to be held on September 7, 2023. Various items were discussed:

Brian Busby

With respect to the composition of the executive elections committee, Andra advised that due to increased workload requirements of running the elections, it was felt one additional individual should be named to join the committee. She proposed the name of Dixie Toma, a retired AFS member who previously worked with Andra and Helga Welward. Andra moved the motion to invite Dixie Toma to join the executive elections committee. Patrick seconded the motion. Motion carried. The executive elections committee now consists of Andra, Audrey, Helga and Dixie.

Andra informed the executive that there will be some costs incurred by the elections committee for photocopying, paper, printing, etc., that would need to be paid for. Earle moved the motion to spend up to $200 for spending on AGM-related supplies. Brian seconded the motion. Motion passed.

Audrey informed the executive members that she has ordered and received the swag items that will be distributed at the 2023 AGM as well as a future mobilization event.  It was decided  that several members will gather prior to the 2023 AGM to assemble the swag gift bags that each member in attendance at the AGM will receive.

Patrick provided an update to the executive on the current numbers of registered members for the AGM. As at the time of the meeting, there were 41 individuals registered to attend the AGM, of which 36 were eligible to vote. The deadline to register is August 27, 2023 and final numbers must be given to the caterer for the meals by August 31, 2023. There was agreement that in giving the final numbers to the caterer, “extra” meals (based on current numbers, nine extra meals) would be purchased to accommodate late requests to attend the AGM Patrick receives. Audrey has reached out to PIPSC to get a AGM reminder email sent out to all Subgroup members. Patrick also informed the executive members he received a couple of complaints from members who disagreed with the decision not to conduct a hybrid AGM. Patrick said this is something we should consider for the next AGM 2024.