GEDSBOT Constitution

Grand Erie District School Board Occasional Teachers’ Constitution

Definitions:

Federation means the provincial Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Local means the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local

Name
Affiliation
Objects
Membership
Rights and Privileges of Membership
Local Organization
Organizational Duties
Meetings
Elections
Delegates to the Etfo Annual Meeting
Resolutions to the Etfo Annual Meeting
Amendments to the Local Constitution
Protocol

ARTICLE I - NAME

1.1 This organization shall be known as the "Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local."

ARTICLE II -AFFILIATION

2.1 The Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local is a member of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

2.2 The boundary of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local is coterminous with the Grand Erie District School Board.

ARTICLE III - OBJECTS

The objects of the local shall be:

3.1 to represent members of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local;

3.2 to regulate relations between the members of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ local and the Grand Erie District School Board including but not limited to securing and maintaining through collective bargaining, the best possible terms and conditions of employment;

3.3 to advance the cause of education and the status of occasional teachers in the local;

3.4 to promote a high standard of professional ethics and a high standard of
professional competence;

3.5 to foster a climate of social justice and provide a leadership role in such areas as anti-poverty, non-violence and equity;

3.6 to promote and protect the interests of all members of the Local and the students in their care;

3.7 to co-operate with other organizations having the same or like objects.

ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP

Section I - Active Membership

4.1 Active members shall be all members who are in good standing with OTF and ETFO within the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local.

Section II - Honourary Life Members

4.2.1 Local Honourary Life membership may be granted to retired members of the Local who have given outstanding service to the Local or Federation.

ARTICLE V - RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES OF MEMBERSHIP

Section I - Rights and Privileges of Active Membership

5.1.1 Active member shall have full rights, privileges and responsibilities of membership in the Federation unless limited by disciplinary action taken in accordance with Article VII of the Federation Constitution.

5.1.2 The rights of an active member shall be:

a) to hold office in the Local and in the Federation;
b) to attend general meetings of the Local;
c) to participate in the ratification of the collective agreement
d) to participate in all votes related to general membership.

Section II - Rights and Privileges of Honourary Life Membership

5.2.1 An honourary member may attend Local functions in a non-voting capacity by invitation.

5.2.2 An honourary member may attend Local Annual and General meetings by invitation.

5.2.3 An honourary member may receive Local publications.

ARTICLE VI - LOCAL ORGANIZATION

Section I - Local Executive

6.1.1 The local Executive shall include the following positions:

a) President - must have at least one school year as a member of the Local Executive;
b) Immediate Past President, where the most recent president chooses to continue to serve in an executive capacity;
c) One (1) Vice President;
d) Secretary;
e) Treasurer or Secretary/Treasurer;
f) Other Executive positions as determined by the Executive;
g) Chief Negotiator;
h) a non-voting member from each of the other Federation Locals whose members are employed by the Grand Erie District School Board.

6.1.2 The Executive of the Local shall be elected at the Annual Meeting.

6.1.3 The term of office for the Executive shall be for two (2) years

6.1.4 The Executive shall take office on July 1st.

Section II - Committee

6.2.1 The following standing committee may be established:

a) Budget
b) Collective Bargaining
c) Political Action / Public Education
d) Professional Development
e) Goodwill / Social
f) Social Justice and Equity

6.2.2 Other committees required to carry out the work of the Local may be established by the Executive.

ARTICLE VII - ORGANIZATIONAL DUTIES

Section I - Duties of the Executive

The executive shall:

7.1.1 uphold the constitution, bylaws and policies of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario;

7.1.2 execute the business of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local in accordance with the constitution and the decisions of the general meetings of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local;

7.1.3 hold at least four (4) regular Executive meetings per year including the Annual General Meeting;

7.1.4 hold an executive meeting at the call of the President, or at the call of fifty percent (50%) of the executive members.

7.1.5 receive a financial report at each executive meeting;

7.1.6 forward to the provincial office by September 30th of each year the annual audited financial statement;

7.1.7 forward to the provincial office each year the annual report of the Local;

7.1.8 recommend committee membership to the general meeting;7.1.9 appoint and develop terms of reference for ad hoc committees;

7.1.10 appoint at least three (3) signing officers of the Local;

7.1.11 appoint when necessary, a successor to complete any unexpired term of
an elected or appointed Local representative;

7.1.12 to recommend the appointment of the auditors to the Annual Meeting;

7.1.13 to develop investment policy;

7.1.14 to appoint a Grievance Officer;

7.1.15 assign other duties to the President as needed.

7.1.16 The executive staff attend and participate in all meetings of the Local Executive. Any member of the Executive who is absent for more than five (5) meetings in a school year shall be deemed to have resigned from the Executive. Should extenuating circumstances prevent a member of the Executive from attending a meeting, such absence shall not be counted, at the sole discretion of the majority of the remaining Executive.

Section ll - Duties of Officers

7.2.1 Duties of the President:

a) to be an ex-officio member of all committees
b) to represent the Local on the District Executive;
c) to be the official spokesperson of the Local;
d) to be responsible for the operation of the Local;
e) to be one of the signing officers;
f) to preside at meetings of the Executive, the Representative Council and the Annual Meeting.

7.2.2 Duties of the Vice-President:

a) To assume the duties, responsibilities and privileges of the President in the President’s absence or at the request of the President;
b) to prepare in consultation with the President, the Treasurer and other committee members, a budget "in principal" for presentation to the Local’s Annual Meeting;
c) to prepare in consultation with the President, the Treasurer and other committee members, a final budget for presentation to the Local’s Fall General Meeting;
d) to assume other duties as determined by the Executive.

7.2.3 Duties of the Treasurer;

a) to keep accurate and detailed financial records of the Grand Erie Occasional Teachers’ Local, July 1st to June 30th of the following year;
b) to make a financial report to each Executive and general meeting of the Local;
c) to make investments with the approval of the Executive;
d) to report investments during each financial report;
e) to ensure the audit is completed;
f) to forward the annual audited financial statement of the Grand Erie Occasional Teachers’ Local to the provincial office of the Federation by September 30th.

7.2.4 Duties of the Secretary;

a) to maintain accurate records of all meeting of the Local;
b) to maintain accurate records of correspondence received by and sent on behalf of the local;
c) to prepare and circulate minutes of executive and general meetings;
d) to forward the annual report of the Local to the provincial office of the Federation by September 1st.

Section lll - Duties of Committees

7.3.1

a) Committees are responsible to the Local Executive.
b) New committees shall receive and act upon proposals and referrals from the Executive and the membership.

7.3.2 The Elections Committee:

a) may consist of the Past President and two (2) other members;
b) may be appointed by the Executive;
c) may conduct the elections procedure.

7.3.3 The Collective Bargaining Committee:

a) shall consist of the Negotiating Officer, the President and at least four (4) other members;
b) shall be appointed by the Executive;
c) shall provide the best collective agreement possible.

7.3.4 The Budget Committee:

a) shall consist of the President, the Treasurer and other committee members, with the Vice President as chair.
b) shall provide, "in principle", a budget for the Annual meeting;
c) shall provide a "final" budget for the first Fall General Meeting.

7.3.5 The Political Action/ Public Education Committee:
a) may consist of at least four (4) members;
b) shall be appointed by the Executive;
c) shall provide the membership with updated information.

7.3.6 The Professional Development Committee:
a) may consist of at least four (4) members;
b) shall be appointed by the Executive;
c) shall provide programs to the members.

7.3.7 The Good Will/social Committee:
a) may consist of at least four (4) members;
b) shall be appointed by the executive;
c) shall arrange the activities for the General Meeting(s) and for the Annual Meeting .

7.3.8 The Social Justice and Equity Committee:
a) may consist of four (4) members;
b) shall be appointed by the Executive.

7.3.9 The structure and duties of the other committees will be determined by the Executive.

ARTICLE VIII - MEETINGS

Section 1 - General Meetings

8.1.1 A quorum for a general meeting shall be the number of members present.

8.1.2 The official authority for conducting all Local meetings shall be the current Roberts Rules of Order.

8.1.3 There shall be at least one General Membership Meeting annually which shall be held in the Fall.

8.1.4 The membership shall be notified of a General Membership Meeting in advance of the meeting.

8.1.5 Approve the final budget as presented .

Section ll - Local Annual Meeting

8.2.1 An annual meeting of the members of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local shall be held before June 1st.

8.2.2 The Annual Meeting shall:

a) receive the annual reports of the officers and committees of the Local;
b) every two (2) years elect the officers for the next year;
c) approve the budget, in principle, for the next year;
d) appoint the auditor;
e) receive the financial statements as certified by the auditors.

ARTICLE IX - ELECTIONS

Section I - Eligibility

9.1.1 An active member in good standing of the Local may be nominated to stand for elected office.

9.1.2 For the position of President, the candidate(s) must have at least one term of local executive experience or one term on the Teacher Local Executive.

Section 11 - Nominations

9.2.1 Members shall be notified of the request for nominations 30 days prior to the Local Annual Meeting.

9.2.2 The deadline for receipt of nominations shall be 14 days prior to the Annual Meeting.

9.2.3 Notwithstanding the above, nominations duly moved and seconded and with the consent of the nominee, shall be accepted at the Annual Meeting.

Section 111 - Election Procedures

9.3.1 The Executive of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Local shall be elected at the Local Annual Meeting.

9.3.2 Candidates shall have the opportunity to address the Local Annual Meeting before election.

9.3.3 The election shall be by secret ballot.

9.3.4 Each candidate may appoint one scrutineer to observe the counting of the ballots for that candidate’s election.

9.3.5 The vote count for all elected positions shall be released to the members present following each ballot and may be published in the minutes of the Annual Meeting.

9.3.6 A candidate is declared successful by simple majority.

9.3.7 An unsuccessful candidate may seek another position on the Executive for which the member is eligible.

9.3.8 The ballots will be destroyed by motion of the Annual Meeting immediately following the elections.

ARTICLE X - DELEGATES TO THE ETFO ANNUAL MEETING

10.1 Delegates and alternates of the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional
Teachers’ local to the ETFO Annual Meeting shall be:

a) President;
b) an Executive member;
c) if the budget permits, up to two (2) alternates;

ARTICLE XI - RESOLUTIONS TO THE ETFO ANNUAL MEETING

11.1 Resolutions to the ETFO Annual Meeting shall be passed by the Local
Executive before March 1st.

11.2 Resolutions must be submitted to the Executive 14 days prior to the February Executive Meeting.

ARTICLE XII - AMENDMENTS TO THE LOCAL CONSTITUTION

12.1 Proposed amendments to the local Constitution must be submitted to the Executive sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

12.2 The Executive shall publish all proposed amendments to the general
membership thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

12.3 The Constitution shall be amended if 60% of the members present at the Annual Meeting vote in favour of the proposed amendment.

ARTICLE XIII - PROTOCOL

13.1 The Local Executive shall establish a Protocol consistent with this Constitution and the ETFO Constitution and Bylaws.