Audit, Commerce and Purchasing Group (AV)
Representing AU-CO-PG Classification Members
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
Date: July 24, 2018
Hello Subgroup Executives,
At our AV Group 2017 Annual General Meeting, a motion was approved 33 (yes) to 5 (no) that stated only regular members can hold office. See our Group By-Law 4.1.
4.1 All Regular and Retired members (unless specified elsewhere in these Bylaws) shall be eligible to nominate members for positions on the Group Executive, propose amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Group, and vote in Group affairs. Only Regular members shall be eligible to hold office.
This motion was then approved by the PIPSC Board of Directors on August 12, 2017.
Our Group By-Laws are available for all members to read on our PIPSC AV Group website: http://www.pipsc.ca/groups/av/bylaws
Furthermore, as noted in our PIPSC National By-Law 10.2.2 and supported by the PIPSC Board of Directors recently through the delegated authority of a committee of the Board, the PIPSC By-Law and Policy Committee, in that “Each Sub-Group shall be governed by a Constitution, consistent with these By-Laws and those of the appropriate Group…”
See PIPSC National By-Law 10.2.2:
10.2.2 Constitution Each Sub-Group shall be governed by a Constitution, consistent with these By-Laws and those of the appropriate Group, providing as a minimum, the right of each member to be a candidate and to vote for the election of Sub-Group Executive members. Each Sub-Group shall, upon amendment of its Constitution, submit it to the By-Laws and Policies Committee and the appropriate Group Executive for review. Any amendments to the Constitution take effect only upon approval by the Board and ratification by the Sub-Group membership.
Therefore, as Group President, I am directing all AV Group Subgroup’s to amend their subgroup Constitution and By-Laws as soon as possible to reflect the above Group By-Law 4.1, as per the direction given from PIPSC By-Laws and Policy Committee and the PIPSC Board of Directors.
This amendment can be done at your next Annual General Meeting or through a Special General Meeting of your Subgroup, as only Regular Members can hold office going forward.
Many Subgroups have already made the changes accordingly or will do so at their upcoming AGM.
I am also asking all retired members that hold subgroup executive positions to support this directive and show solidarity by becoming a member of the PIPSC Retired Members Guild in your local region. Several Retired Members have gracefully and willingly stepped down from their subgroup executive positions already, and continue to support their local subgroup in many ways through volunteerism at events. Also, they have joined the PIPSC Retired Members Guild and now advocate for Retired Members issues such as guarding our Pensions, Healthcare Benefits and so on.
I have attached the Retired Members Guild website for your reading: http://www.pipsc.ca/groups/rmg
I can say at this point, that several new positions have become vacant through a few subgroups. These vacancies are now being filled by new members in the workplace that wish to begin their role on a sub group executive. The transition has been positive to date with the support of the retired members.
In closing, I wish to thank all retired members that have contributed years of service on subgroup executive committees, and wish you all the best as you move forward advocating for our PIPSC Retired Members Guild.
In solidarity,
Better Together!
Peter Gabriel
President
Audit, Commerce and Purchasing Group (AV)
Representing AU-CO-PG Classification Members
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada
CC: PIPSC Board of Directors; PIPSC Executive Committee; PIPSC By-Laws and Policy Committee; PIPSC Legal Counsel Office; AV Subgroup’s Executives Members; AV Group Executive Members