CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
PREAMBLE
These By-Laws, in general, 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" and/or "PIPSC" means The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada.
"Members" means those who meet the requirements of By-Law 3 (Membership).
"Employer" means Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (the Hospital)
"SUN-MET" means the Sunnybrook Mechanical and Electronics Technologists Group.
"President" means President of the Group unless otherwise specified.
"Vice-President" means Vice-President of the Group unless otherwise specified.
"Executive" means member of the Group Executive (see By-Law 6, paragraph 6.2)
BY-LAW 1 NAME
The name of the Group shall be the PIPSC SUN-MET Group, 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 standards of their professions; to formulate and express the views of the members on matters affecting them, to protect its members against unfair and unjust practice of the Hospital, and to ensure that the interests of the Group are represented in all proceedings of the Hospital and of the Institute that may affect the Group. The Group Executive shall speak for the Group in dealing with the Institute. This in no way infringes on the right of an individual to approach the Institute on his own behalf.
BY-LAW 3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 Any employee of the Hospital who belongs to the Group and who has been accepted as a member of the Institute shall be a Regular member of the Group.
BY-LAW 4 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
4.1 All Regular members shall be eligible to hold office, nominate members for positions on the Group Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Group, and vote in Group affairs.
4.2 All Regular members shall be eligible to attend and speak at Group General Meetings.
4.3 Only Regular members shall be eligible to vote on matters related to collective negotiations, including the method of dispute resolution and the ratification of proposed collective agreements.
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 Group Funds: Group funds will be maintained in an account assigned by the Institute.
5.4 Signatures: Financial transactions shall require the signatures of any two (2) of the President, Vice-President or the Secretary-Treasurer of the Group. A written account shall be kept of all expenditures.
5.5 Auditing: 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.
BY-LAW 6 GROUP EXECUTIVE
6.1 Role: The Group Executive shall exercise the authority of and act on behalf of the Group on all matters subject to this constitution between general meetings of the Group.
6.2 Composition: The Group Executive shall be composed of a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer, elected by and from the Group members.
6.3 Term of Office: The term of office shall be two (2) years when either the Vice-President or the Secretary-Treasurer may be elected after the first year and the remainder may be elected after the second year. There will be exception of the first election when all Group Executives shall be elected for a three (3) year term. There will be no limit to amount of terms for any elected Group Executive.
6.4 Meetings: The Group Executive shall meet as frequently as is required, but at least twice a year.
6.5 Quorum: A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Group Executive.
6.6 Voting: Decisions shall be made by majority vote.
6.7 Vacancies:
6.7.1 If the position of the President becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-President shall become President until the next election.
6.7.2 If a position of Group Executive, other than that of the President, becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Group Executive shall make every effort to select an eligible member of the Group to fill that vacancy until the next election.
6.7.3 Any member who is absent from two (2) consecutive meetings of the Executives without valid reason shall be considered to have resigned from the Executive.
6.8 Duties
6.8.1 President The President shall call and preside at all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive, and shall present to the Group Annual General Meeting a report on Group activities.
6.8.2 Vice-President The Vice-President shall assist the President in the performance of his duties, and in the absence of the President, perform the duties of that position.
6.8.3 Secretary-Treasurer The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform all the duties of both the Secretary and the Treasurer. They shall be responsible for sending notices of all meeting of the Group and of the Group Executive and also, shall record minutes of meetings, including attendance, maintain records and correspondence of the Group and of the Group Executive, and shall ensure that a copy of minutes are filed with the Institute. The Secretary-Treasurer shall also maintain the financial records of the Group as required by Institute policy, prepare a financial report for each meeting of the Group Executive and each General Meeting of the Group, submit a detailed financial statement to the Institute as required, and prepare the request for the annual allowance for the Group. Copies of the financial report shall be available to all Group members.
6.8.4 Committees The Executive may establish committees as necessary, with terms of reference and membership to be decided by the Executive. Copies of Committee reports shall be filed with the Group Secretary/Treasurer. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the Executive.
BY-LAW 7 STEWARD OFFICER
7.1 There shall be two (2) Steward Officers in the Group: Chief Steward Officer and Steward Officer.
7.2 Chief Steward Officer position shall be assigned to the President of the Group and in his absence to the Vice-President of the Group.
7.3 The second Steward Officer shall be elected from the members of the Group.
7.4 Any member of the Group has the right to address his complaint or grievance to either Steward Officer as per member's preference.
7.5 Steward Officer responsibilities are: to maintain records of all grievances and complaints filed against the Hospital, report on the status of grievances and Steward's activities at each Executive Committee meeting.
BY-LAW 8 ELECTIONS
8.1 Elections Committee 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 from the Elections Committee.
8.2 Procedure for Nominations
8.2.1 The Elections Committee shall distribute a request for nominations to all members of the Group at least two (2) weeks prior to the closing date for nominations.
8.2.2 Nomination forms must be received by the member of the Elections Committee by the close of business on a date to be determined by the Elections Committee. In the event that insufficient nominations are received to fill the vacancies, the Elections Committee shall attempt to obtain the names of additional persons willing and able to serve sufficient to fill the remaining vacancies. If none are forthcoming, the Executive may appoint someone to that position.
8.2.3 Nominations (including self-nominations) must be supported by additional one (1) member of the Group and the nominee must indicate a willingness to serve if elected.
8.2.4 Any member of the Group shall support only one nominee for each Executive position.
8.2.5 The Elections Committee shall scrutinize the nominations for eligibility and arrange for ballots to be distributed to all members eligible to vote in the election.
8.3 Election Procedure
8.3.1 The Elections Committee shall serve as Returning Officers and shall establish procedures for the efficient conduct of an election, distribution of ballots, the counting and tabulating of ballots and all matters directly related thereto not otherwise specified in these By-Laws.
8.3.2 Election shall be held by secret ballots at the Group Annual General Meeting. Ballots must be distributed at least two (2) weeks prior to the date set for the Group AGM.
8.3.3 If the member of the Group will be absent at the day of election, he is allowed to cast his vote prior to the day of the election by handing his ballot to the Returning Officer in a sealed envelope.
8.3.4 The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for a position shall be declared elected.
8.3.5 The Elections Committee shall ensure the membership is informed of the results of the election as soon as possible.
8.3.6 The Returning Officers shall inform the National Office of the Institute about the results of the election in a reasonable time.
BY-LAW 9 GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE GROUP
9.1 Group Annual General Meeting
9.1.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Group is its governing body. All members are entitled to attend.
9.1.2 The Group Executive shall call Group Annual General Meeting once each calendar year. The interval between such meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months. Members shall be notified of the meeting and of any proposed changes to this constitution at least four (4) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
9.1.3 Quorum
Fifty percent (50%) of the members in attendance at the beginning of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
9.1.4 Agenda
The agenda shall include the following items:
- Roll Call (members of the Group Executive)
- Approval of the Agenda
- Adoption of the Minutes of the previous Group Annual General Meeting
- Business Arising from the Minutes
- Report of the President
- Annual Financial Report
- Election (if required)
- Report of the Elections Committee
- New Business, Including Proposed By-Law Amendments
9.1.5 Voting All members present at the Group Annual General Meeting are eligible to vote. 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. In case of impasse, the President's vote prevails.
9.1.6 Filing of Documents Each year, following the Group Annual General Meeting, the Group Executive shall submit a copy of the draft Group AGM minutes, the annual financial report and the elections report to the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Institute prior to the end of the calendar year.
9.2 Special General Meetings of the Group
9.2.1 A Special General Meeting of the Group shall be called by the Group Executive or at the written request of at least three (3) Group members. This meeting shall be held within six (6) weeks of such call or request.
9.2.2 Only the matter(s) for which the Special General Meeting of the Group was called shall appear on the agenda.
9.2.3 The same requirements shall apply to the notice, quorum, governance, attendance and voting at Special General Meetings of the Group as are prescribed for the Group Annual General Meeting.
9.2.4 Members shall be normally notified of the Special General Meeting of the Group two (2) weeks prior to the meeting.
BY-LAW 10 RULES OF PROCEDURE
10.1 At any meeting of the Group or Group Executive, or Committees thereof, 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 edition of Sturgis' Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure available at the meeting.
BY-LAW 11 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
11.1 These By-Laws may be amended at an Annual General Meeting of the Group. Approval of proposed amendments requires a simple majority of those voting.
11.2 All proposals for amendments to these By-Laws shall be submitted, in writing, to the Group Executive. Proposed amendments may be submitted by any member of the Group. The notice of the Group Meeting at which the amendments will be considered, shall include:
a) Specific article to be amended; and
b) New wording of the article.
11.3 New Constitutions and By-Laws, as well as any approved by the membership amendments, shall be submitted to the By-Laws and Policies Committee of the Institute for review.
11.4 This Constitution and By-Laws and any amendments thereto shall take effect upon ratification by the Group membership and approval by the Institute.
BY-LAW 12 REGULATIONS
12.1 The Group Executive may make such Regulations and any amendments thereto, not inconsistent with these By-Laws, as it deems necessary or convenient for the operating of the Group.
12.2 All proposed Regulations and amendments thereto shall be submitted to the Institute for review and approval. They shall take effect on a date determined by the Group Executive, but not earlier than the date they were approved by the Institute.
12.3 Each such Regulation shall be presented to the next General Meeting of the Group, and may be rescinded or amended by such meeting. These constitute changes to the Regulations and shall be subject to Article 12.2.
BY-LAW 13 CONTEXT AND GENDER
In this Constitution and By-Laws, expressions in the masculine or feminine gender, in plural or in singular, may be substituted to give effect to the true meaning of the Constitution and By-Laws.
Approved by the Board of Directors
23 May, 2013