Constitution

Name

1. The name of this local shall be the Fort Vermilion Local #77 of The Alberta Teachers' Association.

Boundaries

2. The area served by this local shall include the Fort Vermilion Roman Catholic Separate School District #26, the Fort Vermilion School Division #52 and all other schools administered by the said Division.

Membership

3. All active members of The Alberta Teachers' Association employed by the school authorities listed in article 2 are members of this local.

Objects

4. The objects of this local shall be to further the objects of The Alberta Teachers' Association as set out in section 4 of the Teaching Profession Act and The Alberta Teachers' Association Bylaws.

Fees

5. This local shall have the power, subject to approval of the Provincial Executive Council of The Alberta Teachers' Association, to levy fees for membership in this local such as are determined from time to time in a

General Meeting of the local. Such fees shall be additional to the fees prescribed by the Annual Representative Assembly.

Rules of Procedure

6. The proceedings of all meetings - general, special, local council and executive committee - shall be regulated by the official Rules of Procedures as published in the Members' Handbook of The Alberta Teachers' Association.

Organization

7. (1) The governing body of this local shall be a general meeting of its membership. Twenty percent of total membership, representing a majority of schools in the local, shall constitute a quorum.

(2) A general meeting of this local shall be held at least once a year to hear reports and deal with same, hold elections, approve and establish policy and budget, and deal with such other matters as may arise.

(3) There shall be constituted a local council of this local consisting of:

(a) All members of the executive committee, all of whom shall have voting privileges,

(b) School representatives, other than executive committee members, elected in September by school staffs concerned according to the following schedule:

(i) One voting representative from each school with five or more members,

(ii) Schools with less than five members shall be represented in conjunction with another school.

(d) Chairmen of all standing committees if not members under any other category listed herein.

(e) A convention representative, if not included in (a) to (d).

(4) Members of this local other than members of the local council may attend council meetings, may speak with approval of the meeting, but shall not vote.

(5) Duties of the local council shall be:

(a) To administer the affairs of this local,

(b) To appoint all committees listed under article 11 (except the economic policy committee and the negotiating subcommittee, which are to be appointed/elected by employees of each bargaining unit within this local),

(d) To hear reports from committees and decide on action to be taken, if any,

(e) To designate representatives to the district convention committee, the ATA summer conference, and others as it may decide, and

(f) To deal with other matters not inconsistent with this constitution or The Alberta Teachers' Association General Bylaws.

(6) The local council shall, at least, meet every two months (bi-monthly) or as deemed necessary by the president of this local.

(7) A simple majority vote of those present and voting shall govern the decisions of the local council unless rules and regulations otherwise decree.

(8) Fifty percent of local council members are required to constitute a quorum for council meetings.

Executive Committee

8. (1) The executive committee of this local shall consist of: a) President b) Vice-president c) Past President d) Secretary e) Treasurer f) EPC chair g) PD chair and h) Communications Officer. Positions a through d will be elected at the General Meeting. Position e will be appointed by the Local Council. Positions f and g will be elected from within their committees. All executives members, with the exception of the Communications Officer, EPC chair and PD chair shall have voting privileges. The Communications Officer will be appointed by Local Council.

(2) It shall be the duty of the executive committee to:

(a) Prepare the agenda of business for all meetings,

(b) Exercise general supervision of the affairs of the local,

(c) Prepare and transmit to head office of The Alberta Teachers' Association such reports and statements with reference to the affairs of the local as may be required from time to time,

(d) Assure that all local funds are used to further objects of the local as set out in article 4 of this constitution,

(e) Where time is of the essence, to assume the functions of the local council.

(3) The executive committee shall meet, as local business requires. Such meetings shall be called by the president.

Meetings

9. (1) Notices of intent to hold a general meeting shall be received from the secretary at least one week before such a meeting is to be held, or where time is of the essence, less than one week; while notices of intent to hold a special, local council or executive committee meeting shall be received from the secretary at least one day before such a meeting is to be held, and such notices shall include an outline or agenda of business to be discussed at the meeting.

(2) Meetings of this local shall be called by the president or on the written request of ten members of the local or at the request of an officer of The Alberta Teachers' Association or of the district representative of whose district this local forms a part.

(3) A record shall be kept of all those attending general, special, local council and executive committee meetings of this local.

(4) An officer of The Alberta Teachers' Association or district representative of whose district this local forms a part may attend and participate in any general, council or executive committee meeting of this local.

Duties of Officers

10. (1) President - It shall be the duty of the president to call and preside at all general, special, local council and executive committee meetings of this local and to exercise general supervision over the affairs of this local. He shall ex officio be a member of all committees of this local.

(2) Vice-President - It shall be the duty of the vice-president to take charge of the affairs of this local in the absence of the president and to assist the president in the discharge of his duties.

(3) Secretary - Duties of the secretary shall be, inter alia:

(a) To keep records of all proceedings of this local,

(b) To bring before the executive committee of this local all communications received,

(d) To prepare and transmit to The Alberta Teachers' Association such statements and reports as may be required from time to time,

(e) To send out notices of meetings, agendas, minutes as required.

(4) Treasurer - Duties of the treasurer shall be, inter alia:

(a) To keep accurate records of all funds received and collected and to take charge of same,

(b) To make the disbursements of the funds of this local as authorized by the executive committee or local council,

(d) To assist the secretary in preparation of certain statements for The Alberta Teachers' Association.

(5) Local Communications Officer - The local communications officer shall:

(a) Act as the chairman of the communications committee,

(b) Be in charge of all internal and external communication activities approved and authorized by the local council,

(c) Advise the president and the executive committee on all matters concerning communications/PR aspects of activities of this local.

(6) Local Representatives - The duties of each local representative of this local shall be:

(a) To represent this local at all representative assemblies and regional conferences of The Alberta Teachers' Association,

(b) To report the proceedings of the above to the local council and other such gatherings as may be decided by the president, and

Standing Committees

11. (1) Professional Development Committee - It shall be the duty of this committee to assume general responsibility for all professional development activities undertaken by this local. This committee shall be composed of school staff representatives, other than the executive committee members, elected in September by each school staff according to the schedule outlined in article 7. (3) (b).

(2a) Economic Policy Committee - Each bargaining unit shall have an economic policy committee. It shall be the duty of this committee to gather and study data and prepare proposed amendments to the salary

Agreements for consideration of members of the bargaining units affected. These committees shall be composed of no more than seven members.

(2b) Negotiating Subcommittees - Members of the negotiating subcommittee for each of the bargaining units shall be chosen by the economic policy committee for the respective bargaining units. It shall be the duty of these subcommittees to engage in collective bargaining with the Board of Trustees concerned.

(3) Communications Committee - It shall be the duty of this committee to assume general responsibility for all communications, public relations, and social activities undertaken by this local. Composition of this committee shall be decided by the local council from time to time.

(4) Sports Committee - It shall be the duty of this committee to facilitate the operation of the Fort Vermilion School Division Athletic Program. The committee shall consist of staff members from each school under the jurisdiction of the local, plus schools outside this jurisdiction that are approved by the committee. The committee shall consist of a maximum of two voting members from each school. The members of this committee are to be designated by the staff of each school in September each year.

Other Committees

12. (1) Nominating and Audit Committees shall be appointed annually by the local council.

(2) Local council may appoint, from time to time, ad hoc committees as needed. Duties of such committees shall be specified at the time of their appointments.

School Representatives

13. All school representatives elected under the provisions of article 7. (3) (b) shall have the following duties:

(a) Represent their respective school staffs at the local council,

(b) Act as a liaison between local council and their respective schools through an effective two-way communication,

(d) Serve on various committees of this local if and as appointed by the local council,

(e) Fulfill any other local association duty assigned by their respective school staffs.

Elections

14. (1) The officers (i.e. president, vice-president, secretary, and local representatives) shall be elected annually by a vote of the members of this local not later than June 7 of each school year shall. Chairman of the nominating committee shall act as the returning officer.

(2) A vacancy on the executive committee occurring between annual elections shall be filled by appointment of a member of this local by the remaining members of the local council.

(3) Should one or more of the local representatives be unable to fulfill his term of office, replacements shall be made by the local council.

Finances

15. (1) The financial year of this local shall be September 1 to August 31.

(2) This local shall reimburse members acting on its behalf for all necessary expenses according to a rate to be established in the budget of this local council.

(3) This local shall pay all other expenses as determined and authorized by the local council.

Amendments

16. Amendments to this constitution may be made after a two-month notice of motion to each local member and subsequently passed by a two-thirds majority vote at a general meeting of this local association and subject to ratification by the Provincial Executive Council of The Alberta Teachers' Association.

A motion for amendment may be made by any member of this local or a committee of this local.

Constitution ratified by TOC on behalf of PEC 1978 09 15

Amendments ratified by TOC on behalf of PEC 1980 10 16