Convention Call 2021

UTE CONVENTION 2021

To:     Executive Council
          Alternate Regional Vice-Presidents
          Local Presidents
          Labour Relations Officers

Greetings!

As you are aware, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Eighteenth Triennial National Convention of the Union of Taxation Employees was postponed until 2021.  Accordingly, it is necessary to revise the earlier Convention Call sent in January 2020. 

In accordance with By-Law 9, Section 1 (2), (3) and (4), your Executive Council has now decided to convene the Eighteenth Triennial National Convention from Monday, July 19 to Friday, July 23, 2021.  The Convention Committees will meet prior to the Convention from Tuesday, April 27 to Friday, April 30, 2021. Both the Triennial Convention and the Convention Committees will be held virtually.

1.   REPRESENTATION AT CONVENTION

By-Law 9, Section 1 (5) - For the purpose of representation at a Convention, each Local shall:

(a)      be entitled to one (1) delegate with full voting rights for each block of two hundred (200) members in good standing or fraction of this number during the calendar year preceding the Convention taking into account the month during which the number of members has been the highest for each UTE Local.  Hence, the month may be different depending on the Local.  Every delegate shall be a member in good standing of the Local.

(b)      for the purpose of replacing delegates at Convention, submit to the National Office the name and ranking of the alternate delegates.  Every alternate delegate shall be a member in good standing of the Local.

Convention Committees (By-Laws, Finance, Collective Bargaining and General) will meet virtually as noted above.  Each Local in accordance with Regulation 4 will be able to send a delegate to one of the Committees. All delegates attending the Committees must be delegates at Convention.

The delegate entitlement calculation that was done in 2020 which was based on membership data for all twelve (12) months of 2019 remains valid for the postponed Union of Taxation Employees Triennial National Convention.  Locals who have experienced increases or decreases in membership since December 2019 will not see a change to their delegate entitlement.  It remains as previously calculated, based on their highest month for the year 2019.

March 12, 2021 – Delegates to Convention Committees

Locals must provide to the National Office through their RVP no later than *March 12, 2021, the names of their Convention Committee delegates.  At the same time, please indicate what Committee they would like to sit on, as well as, their second choice of Committee.  You should note that these people must be Convention delegates.  *This deadline also applies to Convention Committee observers.  LOCALS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THE NAMES OF THEIR CONVENTION COMMITTEE DELEGATES AND OBSERVERS BEFORE THE EARLIER DEADLINE OF FEBRUARY 28, 2020, DO NOT NEED TO RESUBMIT THEIR NAMES.

March 26, 2021 – Delegates and observers to Convention

Locals must provide to the National Office no later than March 26, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. EST the names and Registration certificates of all their Convention delegates and observersObservers should be ranked in order of priority to determine replacement of delegate(s) if necessary.  The ranking must be identified to the right of the observer’s box on the form.  LOCALS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUBMITTED THE NAMES OF THEIR DELEGATES AND OBSERVERS FOR THE CONVENTION BEFORE THE EARLIER DEADLINE OF MARCH 21, 2020, DO NOT NEED TO RESUBMIT THEIR NAMES.

March 26, 2021 – Credentials

Credential Certificates will be sent electronically to allow for delegates, observers and other participants to complete the form electronically and download a copy for their own records.  These certificates must be signed by the President and Secretary of the Local and be sent either by mail, by fax or by email (including the scanned form) to the UTE National Office.  They must be RECEIVED at the National Office no later than March 26, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. ESTLate registrations will not be accepted for either delegates or observers.

However, any delegates or observers who submit their credential after this date shall be treated as a "guest" and be subject to an administration fee of $75.00.  In addition, while reasonable measures will be taken to accommodate all Convention participants, any delegates or observers who registered late may not be guaranteed a Convention kit or other such related amenities or services.

2.  WAGES – DELEGATES

UTE shall pay the loss of wages only for the authorized period (5 days) pursuant to By-Law 9, Section 1 (8) for delegates. Given the fact that the Convention will be held virtually and that delegates will not be travelling, no per diem will be paid during this period to delegates. In addition, no travel grant will be provided to Locals.

Delegates paid by UTE missing a session of the Convention shall not be reimbursed for the loss of salaries for the period of absence unless the Executive Council, after reviewing the circumstances, decides to authorize payment.

By-Law 9, Section 1 (9) - Each Officer of the Executive Council shall be considered a delegate and entitled to attend Conventions with full voting rights as provided in By-Law 9, Section 1 (5). Their loss of salaries shall be paid by UTE.  Regional Vice-Presidents shall be considered delegates from the region they represent.  The President and Vice-Presidents shall be considered delegates from the region in which they resided immediately prior to their initial election to the national position.

3. WAGES – OBSERVERS

UTE shall pay the loss of wages only for the authorized period (five days) pursuant to By-Law 9, Section 1 (13) for one (1) observer to the UTE Convention from each Local having two hundred (200) or less members in good standing.  Given the fact that the Convention will be held virtually and that observers will not be travelling, no per diem will be paid during this period to observers.

Observers paid by UTE missing a session of the Convention shall not be reimbursed for the loss of salaries for the period of absence unless the Executive Council, after reviewing the circumstances, decides to authorize payment.

4. ELECTIONS

By-Law 11, Section 8 - Election to any office shall be by simple majority vote of the total votes cast.  Where only two (2) nominees remain, or where only two (2) nominees are standing for election for the same office and a tie vote results, the Chairperson of the Nominations Committee will declare no ballot and a new vote be taken immediately.

5. AMENDMENT TO BY-LAWS

By-Law 15, Section 1 - These By-Laws may be amended at any Convention by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of the votes cast.

6. CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS – March 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST

Convention resolutions are a means by which the membership can formally propose policy and procedure changes, direction, suggestions and ideas on matters which affect or are of concern to them.  Resolutions that are applicable only to UTE come into effect when they are adopted during our Convention unless otherwise stated. Resolutions that require some action by the PSAC are referred to their next Convention for consideration and debate.  Adopted resolutions establish official policies for the guidance of and/or instruction to the governing bodies of the organization.

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS FOR INCLUSION IN THE OFFICIAL AGENDA FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE JULY 2021 CONVENTION IS MARCH 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR RESOLUTIONS BEFORE THE EARLIER DEADLINE OF MARCH 21, 2020, YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESUBMIT THESE RESOLUTIONS.

As many Local Executive Officers may find this a new experience, the following are suggested as guidelines for the preparation and submission of resolutions:

  1. Appoint a Convention Resolutions Committee of three to five members.  More than this number may be unwieldy.

  2. Instruct all Executives and members to submit resolutions to the Committee. The Committee should also be encouraged to submit resolutions of its own. Allow the Committee sufficient time to prepare its report.

  3. Establish a date for a general meeting of the members to study the Committee's report and any additional resolutions.

  4. The membership should be given ample opportunity to debate each resolution and to endorse, amend or reject same.

  5. Each resolution adopted by the meeting is to be submitted to the National Office by March 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

  6. Depending on the size and activities of any given Local, it may be more suitable or expedient to appoint several Committees to deal with the individual subject matters and have each Committee report to the membership meeting.

A resolution should be concise and deal with one matter only.  A maximum of 150 words is a good rule to follow.  The WHEREAS clause(s) is used as an introduction and explanation of the subject matter and the BE IT RESOLVED clause is the "meat" of the resolution; it should specify the objective of the resolution.

  • Each resolution must be clearly written on a separate form. 

  • Amendments to By-Laws and Regulations should be clearly identified either in bold, italic or in some other manner clearly signifying the change.

Examples of resolutions are attached for your guidance and blank resolution forms are also enclosed.  Each resolution should be numbered, and the total number being submitted indicated e.g. No. 2 of 5.  All Locals must submit the enclosed certificate which specifies the number of resolutions your Local is submitting.

The Local President may submit the scanned resolution documents by e-mail to Sister Sylvie Bastien:  basties@ute-sei.org.

Note: The deadline for receipt of all resolutions is March 26, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST.

Remember that your delegates should be prepared to understand and provide the rationale for your resolutions at the Convention Committees and/or the Convention.

7.  CONVENTION REGISTRATION

There will be no registration fee for this virtual convention for delegates and observers who register by the deadline (March 26, 2021 by 5:00 p.m. EST). This decision was made in accordance with the resolution passed by Executive Council at its December 2020 meeting authorizing the First National Vice-President, in consultation with the National President, to reduce or eliminate the registration fee for this virtual convention.

In Solidarity,

Marc Brière's signature

Marc Brière
National President

Encl.

c.c.: National Office Staff