Policy on Institute Sub-Groups

2. Policy Objective

To outline roles, responsibilities, and procedures related to Institute Sub-Groups not covered in Institute, Group, or Sub-Group By-Laws, Regulations, and other policy.

3. Sub-Group Constitution

Every Sub-Group is governed by a Constitution made up of By-Laws and Regulations. The Sub-Group Constitution must be consistent with Institute and Group By-Laws and Regulations and Institute policies, and must be approved by the Board of Directors. Newly formed Sub-Groups approved by the PIPSC Executive Committee shall automatically have the model constitution updated to add their name and this becomes their constitution. Sub-Groups are encouraged to use the language included in the Model Sub-Group Constitution (see Appendix B). Any Sub-Group that does not have a specific Constitution in place shall be governed by the Model Sub-Group Constitution until they develop their own. (Reference: By-Law 10.2.2, Regulation 10.2.2)

BOD – March 2017

4. Sub-Group Name

For Sub-Groups, the name syntax will consist of the Group acronym or name, and the geographic location and/or department reference (if applicable) (in that order).

BOD – March 2017

5. What is a Sub-Group, and What are it’s Aims?

A Sub-Group is a constituent body of the Institute made up of 5 or more members of a group in a geographic area. (Reference: By-Law 10.2.1) Every Sub-Group is governed by a Constitution approved by the Board of Directors. (Reference: By-Law 10.2.2, Regulation 10.2.2)

The aims of the Sub-Group shall align with the aims of the Group and shall be to act within the jurisdiction of the Sub-Group to further the professional interests of its members, to protect the status and standards of their profession and to formulate and express the views of the members on matters affecting them. The Sub-Group Executive shall inform the Group Executive of the concerns of the Sub-Group relative to collective bargaining.

A Sub-Group may specify additional aims in their Constitution.

6. Composition of the Sub-Group

A Sub-Group is comprised of all Regular members of the Group within the geographic area of the Sub-Group as defined by the Institute. Where a Group includes retired members, the level of participation of Retired members in Sub-Group affairs is as specified in the Sub-Group Constitution. (Reference: By-Law 7.1.1)

7. Authority of the Sub-Group

The authority of a Sub-Group is limited to their own affairs. A Sub-Group must act in line with the aims of the Group and Sub-group, and comply with any direction from the Group or Institute.

8. Sub-Group Executive

The Sub-Group Executive shall exercise the authority of and act on behalf of the Sub-Group on all matters subject to the Sub-Group Constitution between general meetings of the Sub-Group. The Sub-Group Executive shall speak for the Sub-Group in dealing with the Institute. This in no way infringes on the right of an individual to approach the Institute on his/her own behalf.

Sub-Group Executives shall provide copies of minutes and all financial reports to the Group in a timely manner. The Sub-Group executive shall provide any additional information or records as requested by the Group.

Composition

The Sub-Group Executive shall be composed of a minimum of three (3) members and up to the maximum number specified in the Institute By-Laws, elected by the members of the Sub-Group for a term of office not exceeding three (3) years. The specific composition of a Sub-Group Executive, their terms of office, nomination procedures, election procedures, and procedures to fill vacancies on the Sub-Group Executive will be as defined in the Sub-Group Constitution. (Reference: By-Law 10.2.3) Alternates to Sub-Group Executive Members (i.e. a non-Sub-Group Executive member taking the place of a Sub-Group Executive member) shall not be allowed.

Notwithstanding the above, where the Sub-Group executive has not complied with the Sub-Group Constitution to fill vacancies on the Sub-Group Executive, the Group may appoint new members to fill vacancies on the Sub-Group Executive on an interim basis, until such time as a call for nominations and an election take place as per the Sub-Group Constitution.

Duties

In general, the members of a Sub-Group Executive shall have the following duties:

President: The President shall call and preside at all meetings of the Sub-Group and of the Sub-Group Executive, and shall present to the Annual General Meeting of the Sub-Group a report on Sub-Group activities.

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.

Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for sending notices of all meetings of the Sub-Group and of the Sub-Group Executive. The Secretary shall record minutes of meetings, including attendance, maintain records and correspondence of the Sub-Group and of the Sub-Group Executive, and shall ensure that copies of minutes are filed with the Group and the Institute.

Treasurer: The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Sub-Group as required by Institute policy, prepare a financial report for each meeting of the Sub-Group Executive and each General Meeting of the Sub-Group, submit a detailed financial statement to the Group and the Institute as required, and prepare the request for the annual allowance of the Sub-Group. Copies of the financial report shall be available to all Sub-Group members.

Members-at-Large: Members-at-Large shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the Executive.

Additional duties will be as defined in the Sub-Group Constitution.

Elections

The Sub-Group Executive shall appoint an Elections Committee to receive nominations for positions on the Sub-Group Executive, and to conduct the elections. The specific nomination and election procedure for the Sub-Group will be as defined in the Sub-Group Constitution. There shall be no additional cost to the Institute.

BOD – May 2015

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 Sub-Group Secretary. Committees shall be dissolved by majority vote of the Executive. Committees shall normally be funded from the Sub-Group’s annual allocation.

Document Filing and Document Retention

Each year, following the Sub-Group’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), the Sub-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 and to the Group prior to the end of the calendar year. A Sub-Group failing to file these documents is not in good standing will not receive an annual allocation.

Approved minutes of Sub-Group Executive Meetings and Sub-Group Annual General Meetings shall be filed with the Institute for long term storage.

Detailed financial records shall be maintained by the Sub-Group. The Sub-Group shall keep no more than two (2) years of records on hand. Older records shall be filed with the Institute for long term storage.

9. Sub-Group Executive Meetings

The Sub-Group Executive shall meet as frequently as is required, but at least twice a year. Except as provided below, the Institute will fund travel and meals for up to six (6) Sub-Group Executive meetings per year. For Sub-Groups spread over a large geographic area (such as region-wide), the Institute will only fund one face-to-face Sub-Group Executive per year, in conjunction with the Sub-Group AGM. All other Sub-Group Executive meetings for these geographically dispersed Sub-Groups shall be held using electronic means. This in no way affects the rights of Sub-Groups to bring in observers at any meeting at their own expense.

Sub-Group Executive meetings shall be held during non-working hours at the most cost effective location. Meetings will be scheduled in accordance with the availability of the members of the Sub-Group Executive, recognizing the frequency of meetings and the requirement to permit a balance between union activities and family life.

Sub-Group Executive meetings, other than Closed Sessions, are open to any member of the sub-Group.

Minutes shall be taken at all regular and special meetings of the Sub-Group Executive. The minutes shall contain formal motions and a short summary of the discussions that take place. Minutes of the Sub-Group Executive meetings are not normally distributed beyond the members of the Sub-Group Executive until after they have been approved at the next regular meeting of the Sub-Group Executive. However, when necessary, Sub-Group Executive decisions will be distributed as soon as possible to the appropriate individual(s).

Notwithstanding the above, detailed minutes are not taken during closed sessions of the Sub-Group Executive. For each decision made during a Closed Session, the Sub-Group Executive shall determine whether the record of this decision shall be published. If the record for a decision is to be published, it shall be considered to be an integral part of the Minutes of the Open Session. Violation of the confidentiality of Closed Sessions of Sub-Group Executive meetings shall be considered a matter subject to disciplinary action in accordance with Institute By-Laws and Regulations.

When and where feasible, Sub-Group executives are encouraged to use electronic means (such as e-mail, teleconferences, and video-conferences) to conduct the business of the Sub-Group Executive in order to reduce the burden of travel on Sub-Group members.

10. Sub-Group Annual and Special General Meetings

Each Sub-Group is governed by an AGM. The costs to hold a Sub-Group AGM are paid out of the Sub-Group’s annual allocation. Any travel required to attend a Sub-Group AGM is at the member’s expense.

Simultaneous interpretation will be provided by the Institute at Sub-Group Annual General Meeting at the request of the Sub-Group Executive.

11. COMMUNICATIONS

Newsletters

A Sub-Group may publish newsletters from time to time using Institute resources.

The issuance of newsletters shall be limited to a maximum of four (4) per year. The size of all newsletters shall not exceed eight (8) pages. Any exception to the size and frequency of newsletters shall be subject to prior approval of the Board of Directors.

Logos

Sub-Group logos or identifiers may be used provided that:

• the logo / identifiers are submitted to the Executive Committee for approval;
• logo / identifiers do not replace or interfere with the Institute logo or address, the placement of identifiers to comply with postal regulations, and
• additional printing costs are paid for by the Sub-Group.

PIPSC Web Site

The Institute retains editorial authority over material published on it’s web site. Such authority shall be exercised by the Communications Section, under the direction of the President or as delegated by the President.

Material submitted for publication may be edited, reformatted, or rejected due to the limitations of the site, other technical considerations or costs.

Sub-Groups submitting material are encouraged to do so in a format compatible with that used by the Institute. Sub-Groups considering making submissions are encouraged to contact the Communications Section or Informatics to determine the preferred formats.

12. Sub-Group Funds

Sub-Groups shall conduct their business in accordance with the financial policies of the Institute as specified in the Policy on Constituent Body Finances.

All Sub-Group funds remain the property of the Institute, and shall be returned to the Institute upon dissolution of the Sub-Group.

13. Travel & Compensatory Salary

Travel expenses, in accordance with Institute policy, is paid to members of the Sub-Group Executives for attendance at meetings of the Sub-Group Executive.

For the one face-to-face executive meeting funded by the Institute for Sub-Groups spread over a wide geographic area (such as region-wide), compensatory salary may be paid in accordance with Institute policy, subject to prior approval by the Institute.

Travel expenses and compensatory salary, in accordance with Institute policy, is paid to the member of the Sub-Group Executive who attended the annual Sub-Group Presidents meeting.

Sub-Group funds shall not be used for compensatory salary.

14. Group Mergers

On merger of Groups, existing Sub-Groups shall cease to exist. A new system of Sub-Groups may then be re-composed pursuant to the relevant Institute By-Law.

Appendix A – Balancing Union and Family Life

Appendix B – Policy on Constituent Body Finances

Appendix C – Model Sub-Group Constitution