Report of the Finance Committee

Finance Committee
Report of the Finance Committee
March 2018

Doug Gaetz

The Finance Committee met February 27 & 28, 2018 in Ottawa to discuss and review a number of items, including but not limited to, a review of Regulation 13, banking issues and service charges, reviewed budget and financial statements, review of draft audit statements for 2017 and the Financial Statement of Line Item Review Book. 

The completed minutes, once finalized, will be posted and shared.

Following a thorough review of Regulation 13, the committee has proposed the following recommendations to the March 2018 Executive Council:  

Recommendation #1

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that 13.2.1 (5) be changed from one hundred dollars ($100.00) to one hundred and five dollars ($105.00) with the following breakdown for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner:

Be it further resolved that the following housekeeping changes be made to 13.2.1 (1) and 13.2.2 (1)

13.1 REIMBURSEMENT OF EXPENSES

The purpose of this Regulation is to cover the reimbursement of expenses while on union business authorized by UTE.

13.2 PER DIEM

13.2.1 Executive

  1. National Officers, when working on union business authorized by UTE outside their home metropolitan area shall be paid a per diem of one hundred dollars ($100.00) as per 13.2.1 (5) to cover the costs of meals and incidental expenses.  This amount shall be paid to those on authorized UTE business and not otherwise compensated by UTE for the day of departure from their home up to and including the day of return.  However, a per diem of one hundred and twenty-five dollars ($125.00) shall be paid for Saturday and Sunday to those on authorized UTE business and not otherwise compensated by UTE.
  2.  (a)      Officers of the Executive Council attending a meeting of the Executive Council, a Presidents’ Conference, National Committee meeting, Regional Conference,  Inter-regional Conference, Convention, Federation of Labour Convention, a CLC Convention or any other UTE Conference within their home metropolitan area shall be paid the per diem referred to in Regulation.  For a National Committee meeting where the Officer is staying at a hotel, with prior approval of the President or in their absence the 1st Vice-President, they shall be paid the per diem referred to in Regulation.
    (b)       Officers of the Executive Council attending a meeting of a National Committee being held in the UTE National Office and not receiving a per diem under clause (a), shall be paid the lunch per diem referred to in Regulation.  A dinner per diem referred to in Regulation may be paid with the approval of the President or in their absence the 1st Vice-President.
  3. Officers of the Executive Council and designated UTE appeals representatives shall be paid the per diem referred to in Regulation when they either represent an appellant or act as a technical advisor at a hearing within their home metropolitan area.
  4. UTE appeal representatives shall be entitled to reimbursement for the actual cost of expenses incurred in representing an appellant during an appeal, in addition to the per diem referred to in the above paragraph.
  5. Officers of the Executive Council shall be entitled to reimbursement of necessary meals in accordance with UTE rates as shown below, travel and parking costs while on union business authorized by UTE within their home metropolitan area except as provided in Regulation.

 

 

Weekday

Weekend

(a)

Breakfast

$23.00 ($25.00)

$30.00

(b)

Lunch

$30.00 (n/c)

$40.00

(c)

Dinner

$47.00 ($50.00)

$55.00

 

Total

$105.00

$125.00

13.2.2 Members

  1. (a) Members of UTE who are not Officers of the Executive Council shall be entitled to receive a per diem of one hundred dollars ($100.00)  as per 13.2.1 (5)  while on union business authorized by UTE and not otherwise compensated by UTE outside their home metropolitan area or while attending a Presidents’ Conference or any other UTE Conference within their home metropolitan area.  However, a per diem of one hundred   and twenty-five dollars ($125.00) shall be paid for Saturday and Sunday to those on  authorized UTE business and not otherwise compensated by UTE. Per Diem for Regional and Inter-regional Conferences shall be established by Regional Vice-Presidents.

Recommendation #2

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that regulation 13.3.1 be removed and that the remaining be re-numbered;

Be it further resolved that 13.3.2 be changed to remove last sentence.

13.3    ADVANCES

(1)       Officers of the Executive Council shall be entitled to obtain a standing advance of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to three hundred dollars ($300.00) to deal with UTE business. Generally, this advance will be used for typing of correspondence, mailing costs, buying supplies and travelling.

(2)       Officers of the Executive Council shall not obtain more than three (3) advances at the same time unless it has been authorized by the 1st Vice-President. This excludes the standing advance and any advance for Regional, Inter-regional Conferences or Executive Council meetings.

(3)       Officers of the Executive Council, prior to obtaining an advance, shall provide a detailed accounting to the best of their knowledge for the use of this advance unless it is used for an Executive Committee meeting, a Presidents’ Conference or a meeting of a UTE Committee.

(4)       An advance for any member will not be issued under the amount of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) unless authorized by the 1st Vice-President.

(5)       An approved advance for any member including staff shall only include costs for travel, hotel and per diem. The travel portion of the advance shall normally be Flex Class Airfare. Any other airfare shall have prior approval of the President or in their absence the 1st Vice-President.

13.3 ADVANCES

  1. Officers of the Executive Council shall be entitled to obtain a standing advance of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to three hundred dollars ($300.00) to deal with UTE business. Generally, this advance will be used for typing of correspondence, mailing costs, buying supplies and travelling.
  1. Officers of the Executive Council shall not obtain more than three (3) advances at the same time unless it has been authorized by the 1st Vice-President. This excludes the standing advance and any advance for Regional, Inter-regional Conferences or Executive Council meetings.
  1. Officers of the Executive Council, prior to obtaining an advance, shall provide a detailed accounting to the best of their knowledge for the use of this advance unless it is used for an Executive Committee meeting, a Presidents’ Conference or a meeting of a UTE Committee.

  2. An advance for any member will not be issued under the amount of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) unless authorized by the 1st Vice-President.

  3. An approved advance for any member including staff shall only include costs for travel, hotel and per diem. The travel portion of the advance shall normally be Flex Class Airfare. Any other airfare shall have prior approval of the President or in their absence the 1st Vice-President.

Recommendation #3

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that 13.6.2 be changed to now read (90) days from the previous (30) days.

13.6 LOCAL OBSERVER STIPEND FOR PRESIDENTS CONFERENCE

  1. Notwithstanding By-Law 8 Section 1 (1) (j), a Local that brings an observer to a Presidents’ Conference will, upon completion of the required documentation, be entitled to one (1) observer stipend of up to the lesser of either five hundred dollars ($500.00) or the actual expenses incurred. In the event that locals send additional observers this will not be considered in the calculation of expenses incurred.

  2. The above mentioned expense claim must be accompanied by all required documentation and/or receipts and be received by the National Office within thirty (30) (90) days of the close of business of the Presidents’ Conference.

Recommendation #4

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that 13.8 (4) be changed to include Executive Council.

13.8 DAY OFF

Officers of the Executive Council shall be entitled to reimbursement of one additional day for loss of wages, if loss incurred, to a maximum of six (6) days per year when they:

  1. attend UTE Executive Council followed by a Presidents’ Conference; or
  2. attend a UTE National Committee meeting preceded or followed by a UTE Executive Council meeting; or
  3. attend a UTE National Committee meeting preceding or following a UTE Executive Council meeting and a Presidents’ Conference; or
  4. attend UTE Executive Council or a UTE National Committee meeting preceding or following a Conference or a Convention that lasts more than six (6) consecutive days.

Recommendation #5

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that 13.10.9.b be changed to read CRA and not CCRA.

13.10 GUIDELINES FOR EXPENSES (Change in English only)

(9)       Miscellaneous General:  All Miscellaneous expenses except tips must be receipted.

  1. Phone calls: A reasonable amount of telephone calls will be reimbursed.
  2. Sick/Vacation: If on authorized union business and you work less than 75 hours   for CCRA in a given month. Thus causing a loss of vacation and sick credits. UTE will reimburse you for this loss by the submitting of a salary claim for the period, indicating loss of credits.
  3. Tips: A reasonable amount of tips will be reimbursed, examples include bell person at hotels, not included, tips at

Recommendation #6

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that 13.10.10.k be changed to delete (excluding the President and 1st Vice-president);

Be it further resolved that the amount be changed from one hundred and fifty dollars to two hundred and fifty dollars per month.

13.10  GUIDELINES FOR EXPENSES

(10)     Executive Council Miscellaneous:

  1. Laundry:  Reasonable amounts can be expensed for laundry charges for   extended stays seven days (7) or due to short time frames between trips or if the expenses have been pre-approved for exceptional situations.
  2. Brief Cases: An Officer of Executive Council is entitled to a briefcase and replacement when necessary (approx. one hundred and fifty dollars $150.00).
  3. Luggage:  Executive Council is entitled to an appropriate set of luggage at a pre-approved reasonable price and to be replaced when necessary.
  4. Telephone Accessories:  As each Officer of Council is given the use of a cell phone, UTE will reimburse approved cell phone accessories (i.e. case, hands free etc.)
  5. Computer Accessories:  As each Officer of Council is given the use of a Laptop computer, UTE will reimburse approved computer accessories. (i.e. printer ink, mouse, etc).
  6. General Office Supplies: As this is considered to be covered by the Council members’ residence expense, only pre-approved exceptional items will be reimbursed.
  7. Postage: The expense of regular stamps should come from the Council members’ residence expense. Large postage items, parcels etc. can be reimbursed by attaching receipts to the expense claims. (i.e. grievance files.)         
  8. Day Off: As per Regulation.
  9. Admin Day:  Officers of Executive Council (excluding the President or the 1st Vice-President) may use an administration day to complete union work if approved by the President or the 1st Vice-President.
  10. Residence Expense: Officers of the Executive Council (excluding the President or 1st Vice-President) shall receive twice yearly a residence expense to be paid in the months of June and December an amount of $100.00 per month.
  11. A Stipend: Officers of the Executive Council (excluding the President and 1st Vice-President) shall receive twice yearly a stipend to be paid in the months of March and September in the amount of one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00) per month two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) per month.

Recommendation #7:

m/s Doug Gaetz/Gary Esslinger

Be it resolved that the following line items be approved for overspending:

UTE
OVER-EXPENDITURES
DECEMBER 2017 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

    DATE    

LINE ITEM DESCRIPTION

2017 BUDGET

ACTUAL + PROJECTED

PREVIOUSLY APPROVED

OVERAGE REQUIRED

31-Dec-17

National Office Salaries - Office Staff

1,477,000.00

1,584,932.63

103,892.86

4,039.77

31-Dec-17

National Office Salaries - President

109,720.00

118,177.93

6,973.81

1,484.12

31-Dec-17

Vacation Leave

25,000.00

49,495.09

 

24,495.09

31-Dec-17

National Office Benefits - Employees

452,000.00

522,401.74

50,255.74

20,146.00

Respectfully submitted,

Doug Gaetz
Chair of the Finance Committee