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" mean “The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada"
"Members" means those who meet the requirements of By-Law 3 and have taken out membership with the Institute.
"Employer" shall be as defined in the Group's collective agreement.
“UOITP” means University of Ottawa Information Technology Professionals
“President” means President of the Group unless otherwise specified.
“Vice-President” means Vice-President of the Group unless otherwise specified.
“Executive of the Group” means those who meet the requirements of the Institute By-Law 6.
BY-LAW 1 NAME
The name of this Group shall the University of Ottawa Information Technology Professionals 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 standards of their professions; to formulate and express the views of the members on matters affecting them, and to ensure that the interests of the Group are represented in all proceedings of the employer 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 Every member who belongs to the Group and who is a member of the Institute shall also be a member of the Group.
3.2 Every member of the Group who becomes a Retired member of the Institute shall also become a Retired member of the Group.
3.3 Retired Members shall have the right to attend and speak at General Meetings without having the right to move and second motions or vote thereon.
BY-LAW 4 RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
4.1 All 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 members shall be eligible to attend and speak at General Meetings of the Group.
4.3 Only 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, Secretary and 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, and the following Officers; Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Members-at-Large up to the maximum permitted by Institute By-Laws, elected by and from the Group members.
6.3 Term of Office: The term of office shall be two (2) years, with the exception of the first election, when half the members shall be elected for a two (2) year term and the remainder for a one (1) year term.
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 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, other than that of the President, becomes vacant for any reason, the remaining members of the Executive may 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 Executive 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 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 The Secretary shall be responsible for sending notices of all meetings of the Group and of the Group Executive. The Secretary 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.
6.8.4 Treasurer The Treasurer shall 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 of the Group. Copies of the financial report shall be available to all Group members.
6.8.5 Members-at-Large Members-at-Large shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Executive.
6.8.6 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. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the Executive.
BY-LAW 7 ELECTIONS
7.1 Elections shall be held at the Annual General Meeting of the Group. Notice of Elections and call for nominations shall be sent to the Membership at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of the Annual General Meeting.
7.2 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. Members of the Elections Committee shall act as scrutineers to tally the votes.
7.3 Nominations may be made in writing, supported by at least two (2) members of the Group and submitted to the Elections Committee, or may be moved and seconded from the floor of the Annual General Meeting by members of the Group. The nominee must indicate a willingness to serve if elected.
7.4 The President and four Officers (see 6.2) are to be elected. Voting will be done by show of hands or, if requested by a majority of members present, secret ballot.
7.4.1Election of President The vote for President If after a round of voting, no candidate has a majority, the candidate with the least votes is eliminated and the vote is held again until a candidate has a majority.
7.4.2 Election of Officers Members may vote for as many candidates as there are positions to be filled and but may only mark each name once per ballot. Candidates receiving a majority of the vote are elected. If a majority is not achieved for all Officer positions, the candidate with the least amount of votes is eliminated and a subsequent vote is held with the candidates not yet elected or eliminated until all positions are filled.
7.4.3 Ties will be resolved by the scrutineers in the manner they see fit.
7.5 The term of office of the new Group Executive shall start at the end of the Group Annual General Meeting.
7.6 The new Group Executive shall determine at its first Executive meeting which of the elected Officers will occupy the position of Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Member-at-Large.
BY-LAW 8 GENERAL MEETINGS OF THE GROUP
8.1 Annual General Meeting
8.1.1 The Annual General Meeting of the Group is its governing body. All members are entitled to attend.
8.1.2 The Group Executive shall call an Annual General Meeting of the Group once each calendar year. The interval between such meetings shall not exceed fifteen (15) months. Members shall be notified by the Executive of the meeting and of any proposed changes to this constitution at least three (3) weeks prior to the date of the meeting.
8.1.3 Quorum Fifty percent (50%) of the members in attendance at the beginning of the meeting shall constitute a quorum.
8.1.4 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 Annual General Meeting
Business Arising from the Minutes
Report of the President
Annual Financial Report
Elections (if applicable)
New Business; including proposed Constitution and By-Law amendments
8.1.5 Voting All members present at the 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.
8.1.6 Filing of Documents Each year, following the Annual General Meeting, the Group Executive shall submit a copy of the draft 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.
8.2 Special General Meetings
8.2.1 A Special General Meeting of the Group shall be called by the Group Executive or at the written request of at least 10% of the Group members. This meeting shall be held within six (6) weeks of such call or request.
8.2.2 Only the matter(s) for which the Special General Meeting was called shall appear on the agenda.
8.2.3 The same requirements shall apply to the notice, quorum, governance, attendance and voting at Special General Meetings as are prescribed for the Annual General Meeting.
BY-LAW 9 RULES OF PROCEDURE
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 10 CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS
10.1 These By-Laws may be amended at a General Meeting of the Group. Approval of proposed amendments requires a simple majority of those voting.
10.2 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) the article to be amended; and
b) the new wording. (See 8.1.2)
10.3 New Constitutions and By-Laws, as well as any amendments, shall be submitted to the Institute By-Laws and Policies Committee for review.
10.4 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 11 REGULATIONS
11.1 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.
11.2 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.
11.3 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 11.2.
BY-LAW 12 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.
BYLAW 13 DISCIPLINARY MEASURE (NEW)
Disciplinary measures may be taken in accordance with the By-Laws and Regulations of the Institute.
Approved by the Board of Directors
October 4, 2014