Convention Call 2023

UTE CONVENTION 2023

To:     Executive Council
          Alternate Regional Vice-Presidents
          Local Presidents
          UTE Staff

Greetings!

In accordance with By-Law 9, your Executive Council decided to convene the Nineteenth Triennial National Convention in Winnipeg, Manitoba from Wednesday, August 16 to Saturday, August 19, 2023. 

The Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel, 2 Lombard Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba has been selected as Convention Headquarters.  Additional rooms will be reserved at the Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown, 288 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Rooms at each hotel will be assigned by the UTE National Office.  

The Convention Committees will meet prior to the Convention at the Delta Hotel, 101 Lyon Street in Ottawa from April 30 until noon on May 2, 2023.

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 in Ottawa 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.

As soon as we receive membership data for all 12 months of 2022, we will advise all Locals of their delegate and paid observer entitlement if applicable.

March 6, 2023 – Delegates to Convention Committees

Locals must provide through their RVP the names of their Convention Committee delegates and alternates, as well as the observers. Names must be received at the National Office no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST) on March 6, 2023.  Delegates selected to sit on one of the convention committees must also be registered as delegates for Convention.

At the same time, please indicate the delegate’s preference for the convention committee to which they would like to be assigned, along with their second choice of committee. To the extent possible, we will try to accommodate preferences for delegates. 

March 25, 2023 – Delegates and observers to Convention

Locals must provide to the National Office by March 25, 2023, no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST) the name and Credential Form for each of their Convention delegates and observers.  Observers should be ranked in order of priority to determine replacement of delegate(s) if necessary.  The ranking must be identified in the Alternate Ranking Area of the form.

March 25, 2023 – Credential Forms

Credential Forms 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 forms must be signed by the President and another Local Executive Officer and may be hand delivered, sent either by mail or email (including the scanned form) to the UTE National Office.  They must be RECEIVED by the National Office no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST) on March 25, 2023.   

While you are not limited to the number of observers that you may submit, we remind you that observers will be accepted on a first come basis and also subject to space limitation on the Convention floor. In the past, some Locals have named an excess number of observers in order to have contingency plans should some observers be unable to attend. On the forms provided, there will be an area for you to advise of hotel accommodations required. Please note that Locals are responsible for the hotel expenses for their observers not fully funded by UTE and therefore, accommodations should only be requested for those observers whom the Locals truly intend to send to Convention. Should those observers who the Locals have identified as needing rooms be unable to attend, another observer from the list submitted by a local may be substituted for the reserved room.

2. TRANSPORTATION, TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION AND WAGES - DELEGATES

Most delegates from Locals are expected to travel to Winnipeg on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, and to return home on Sunday, August 20, 2023.  Expenses such as loss of wages, hotel accommodation and per diems will only be paid for the authorized period.  Exceptions will be identified on an individual basis by the 1st Vice-President or, in his absence, by the President.

All delegates will be individually responsible for payment of their own room charges, applicable taxes, parking and incidental charges at the time of check-out. A credit card or full payment for the room nights, plus taxes and a One Hundred ($100) Dollar cash deposit for each delegate’s room reserved for incidental charges is required.  The deposit will be refunded upon check out.  Delegates wishing to have their expense claim reimbursed before leaving, must provide a zero ($0) balance receipt prior to 12:00 p.m. (noon) Friday, August 18, 2023.

By-Law 9, Section 1 (7) Travel expenses of delegates, named by a Local, shall be paid by UTE in accordance with Regulation.

NOTE:  Each delegate will be responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the Convention.

IMPORTANT NOTE (1)

Please remember that UTE has a Corporate Rewards account (Air Canada for business) with Air Canada.

We encourage all UTE representatives to sign up to our Corporate Rewards account, if you haven’t done so already.  All you need to do is to send us an email providing us your email address. Send this email to financedept@ute-sei.org.  We will then create your ID and Air Canada will send you a temporary password. Click on the link provided below to sign up and follow the instructions to change your temporary password to a permanent one. Finally, you will have to input your personal information. That’s it! You are ready to go!

https://corporaterewards.aircanada.com/register.html?token=dxNHFQYGJnWcM9WRQsqUfJE79&locale=en_CA

Once you have registered to our Corporate Rewards account, you can book your flights at: https://acforbusiness.aircanada.com/login.html

If you have any questions concerning this matter, please do not hesitate to contact the Finance Department.

IMPORTANT NOTE (2)

We have registered the Convention Committees with Air Canada’s Meetings and Conventions and we have negotiated the following discounts: 5% discount for economy standard fares, 10% discount for economy flex fares. The travel period begins Friday, April 21, 2023, and ends Wednesday, May 10, 2023.

The promotional code to use is: JR28YHY1We encourage all participants who are flying to this event, both delegates and observers, to book their flights using the promotional code to get the discount. Simply do your booking and put the promotional code in the appropriate box. Voilà, it’s that simple!

IMPORTANT NOTE (3)

We have registered the Convention with Air Canada’s Meetings and Conventions and we have negotiated the following discounts: 10% discount for economy standard fares, 15% discount for economy flex fares. The travel period begins Monday, August 7, 2023, and ends Sunday, August 27, 2023.

The promotional code to use is: JTJNCV41We encourage all participants who are flying to this event, both delegates and observers, to book their flights using the promotional code to get the discount. Simply do your booking and put the promotional code in the appropriate box. Voilà, it’s that simple!

By-Law 9, Section 1 (8) - The cost of accommodation and per diems of the delegates at Conventions and all loss of salaries incurred as a result of attendance at the Convention shall be paid by UTE at the rate and under conditions determined by the Executive Council. Delegates missing a session of the Convention shall not be reimbursed for loss of salary for the period absent 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 expenses, including traveling expenses, 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.  TRANSPORTATION, TRAVEL, ACCOMMODATION  AND WAGES - OBSERVERS

All observers from Locals fully funded by UTE are expected to travel to Winnipeg on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, and to return home on Sunday, August 20, 2023.  Expenses such as loss of wages and per diems will only be paid for the six-day period.

By-Laws 9, Section 1 (12) - UTE shall pay the transportation costs in accordance with By-Law 9, Section 1 (7) for one (1) observer per Local in order to attend the Convention.

By-Law 9, Section 1 (13) - UTE shall pay the transportation cost in accordance with By-Law 9, Section 1 (7) as well as accommodation costs, loss of wages and per diem for one (1) observer to the UTE Convention from each Local having two hundred (200) or less members in good standing.

Each observer fully funded by UTE missing a session of the Convention shall not be reimbursed expenses for the period of absence unless the Executive Council, after reviewing the circumstances, decides to authorize payment.

LOCALS WILL BE ENTITLED TO ONE OBSERVER UNDER BY-LAW 9, SECTION 12 OR SECTION 13 BUT NOT UNDER BOTH.

4.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS

By-Law 11, Section 8 - Election of Officers – Officers are elected by an absolute majority of votes (simple majority vote of the total votes cast); if no candidate obtains the required majority in the first ballot, the candidate with the lowest result in that ballot is eliminated and a new ballot is held. This process is repeated until a candidate obtains the required majority. 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. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if only one candidate accepts the nomination for a position, the candidate is declared elected by acclamation at the close of nominations without the need for a ballot.

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. ACCOMMODATION

All hotel accommodations will be made by the UTE National Office.  Any delegate or observer requiring other than standard accommodation should indicate so using the credential form under the Special requirements section, it being understood that anything over and above standard accommodation will be at the delegate's or observer's own expense.

  • Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel - The room rate for standard accommodations is $159.00 plus applicable taxes for single/double occupancy. An amount of $30.00 per night will be charged per extra adult in the guest room up to a maximum occupancy of four (4) per room.  There will be no charge for children aged 18 or under who share a room with their parents.  This rate will be available from August 8th to August 22nd inclusively. Guests must also maintain a $100.00 deposit for incidental room charges.  Valid ID is required at check-in.
     
  • Radisson Hotel Winnipeg Downtown - The room rate for standard accommodations is $149.00 plus applicable taxes for single/double occupancy. An amount of $20.00 per night will be charged per extra adult in the guest room up to a maximum occupancy of four (4) per room.  There will be no charge for children aged 18 or under who share a room with their parents.  This rate will be available from August 12th to August 22nd inclusively. Guests must also maintain a $100.00 deposit for incidental room charges.  Valid ID is required at check-in.

7.  CONVENTION RESOLUTIONS – March 25, 2023

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 National 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 AUGUST 2023 UTE CONVENTION IS MARCH 25, 2023 no later than 5:00 p.m. (EST).

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 members 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 25, 2023 no later than 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 clauses are used as an introduction and explanation of the subject matter and the BE IT RESOLVED clauses are the "heart" 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 Guylène Lepagelepageg@ute-sei.org.

Note: The deadline for receipt of all resolutions is March 25, 2023, no later than 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.

8.  CONVENTION REGISTRATION

Registration for Convention will take place at the Fairmont Winnipeg Hotel, Tuesday, August 15, 2023, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and from 1:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and from 7:30 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, with the opening session of Convention commencing at 9:00 a.m.

There will be no registration fees for the 2023 UTE Triennial National Convention.

In Solidarity,

Marc Brière's signature

Marc Brière
National President

Encl.
c.c.: National Office Staff