Constitution

WAPSO CONSTITUTION

The masculine nouns and pronouns throughout the Association’s Constitution, By-Laws and Rules of Order are used for succinctness and refer to both female and males.

1. NAME:

The name of this organization shall be the Winnipeg Association of Public Service
Officers (WAPSO) IFPTE Local 162, hereinafter referred to as the "Association".

2. MISSION STATEMENT:

The mission of WAPSO is to proactively represent its members who are employed in an Administrative, Supervisory, or Professional capacity with their employer regarding all matters of compensation, benefits, working conditions and other employment issues.

WAPSO is dedicated to and strives to achieve the following goals for the membership:

- effectiveness as a bargaining unit
- economic security for its members
- employment security for its members
- quality of work life for its members

3. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP:

a. A person shall be recognized as a member of WAPSO if: i) they are identified under a WAPSO bargaining unit certification, ii) are in good standing with the Association and iii) pay dues to the Association.

b. Notwithstanding the provisions of Sub-clause 3a. the Board of Directors of the Association shall have the sole and exclusive authority to determine whether an applicant is eligible or not eligible to be a member of the Association.

4. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

The Officers of the Association, the immediate Past President and the Members-at-Large shall constitute the Board of Directors of the Association.

a. Officers: The Officers of the Association shall include a President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer.

b. Members-at-Large: The number of Members-at-Large elected from the general membership will be a minimum of seven (7) and a maximum of twelve (12).

5. ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND IFPTE CONVENTION DELEGATES:

The Officers and the Members-at-Large of the Association shall be elected at Annual General Meetings of the membership, by a majority vote of the members attending such Annual Meetings.

Elections for the following Board of Directors positions of President, 2nd Vice- President and Members-at-Large from Groups 1, 3 and 5 shall take place at the Annual General Meeting in odd numbered years.

Elections for the following Board of Directors positions of 1st Vice-President, Secretary/Treasurer and Members-at-Large from Groups 2, 4 and 6 shall take place at the Annual General meeting in even numbered years.

IFPTE Convention Delegates shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting immediately proceeding the IFPTE Convention, by a majority vote of the members attending such Annual meeting. Nominations from the floor at the Annual General Meeting for members wishing to be considered by the membership to attend and be a delegate for WAPSO at the IFPTE Convention must be present and in attendance to accept the nomination.

6. TERMS OF OFFICE and ELECTORAL GROUPS:

a. All Officers and Members-at-Large shall serve for a term of
two years or until such time as successors are elected.

b. Board of Directors shall be recruited from the following identified Groups and shall be recruited on the basis of having as wide a representation as reasonably possible. These Groups should be reviewed annually by staff of the Association who shall make a recommendation at each Annual General Meeting that shall be voted on by the membership.

Group 1 Riverview Health Centre
                Winnipeg Regional Health Authority

Group 2 City Clerk’s Department
               Fire Paramedic Service
               Assessment & Taxation Department
              Corporate Support Services Department
              Corporate Finance Department
              Special Operating Agencies

Group 3 Public Works Department

Group 4 Water and Waste Department

Group 5 Community Services Department

Group 6 Planning, Property & Development Department
               Transit Department

7. DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS:

a. Duties of the President: The President shall be the presiding Officer at all general
membership meetings of the Association and at all Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings, shall be a delegate to IFPTE Conventions and shall be an ex-officio member of any Committee of the Association. He/she shall have general supervision of the business of the Association and perform all such other duties as may be assigned to him by the Board of Directors or the membership. The President may appoint at any time by resolution such other Committees, as he/she deems necessary for conducting the work of the Association.

b. Duties of the 1st Vice-President: The 1st Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the event of his/her absence for any reason, shall be a delegate to IFPTE Conventions and shall perform all such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Board of Directors or the Membership.

c. Duties of the 2nd Vice-President: The 2nd Vice-President shall perform the duties
of the 1st Vice-President in the event of his/her absence for any reason whatsoever, shall be the 2nd alternate delegate to IFPTE Conventions in the event that the President or 1st Vice President is unable to attend and shall perform all such duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Board of Directors or the Membership.

d. Duties of the Secretary/Treasurer: The Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for all correspondence and records of the Association including the receipt, deposit, disbursal and withdrawal of all funds and shall render periodic financial statements to the Board of Directors. He/she shall also furnish a financial statement to the Membership at its Annual General Meeting. He/she shall be responsible to ensure a record be kept of all persons who are members of the Association, showing the date membership commenced and the date on which the fees of the Association have been paid. He/she shall notify or cause to be notified all members of the date, place and time of meetings. He/she shall be the 1st alternate delegate to IFPTE Conventions in the event that the President or 1st Vice President is unable to attend and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned to him/her by the President, the Board of Directors or the Membership.

At the end of his/her term of office the Secretary/Treasurer shall turn over to his/her successor, all properties and assets, including funds, books, and records belonging to the Association.

e. Subject to the provisions of Article 5 of the Constitution and of Section 14. of the Association’s By-Law, at each Annual General Meeting of Members, an Executive Committee shall be elected that shall consist of the President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President and the Secretary/Treasurer whose responsibilities will focus on the day to day operational and limited administrative needs of the Association as assigned by the Constitution and By-Laws of the Association. The Executive Committee does not have the authority to make policy but will have the authority to interpret By-Law policy on an interim basis between meetings of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may also delegate to such Executive Committee any powers of the board except those which, under The Corporations Act (Manitoba), the Executive Committee has no authority to exercise.

8. DUES:

The Association dues shall be determined by the majority at a duly authorized General Meeting of the Association and may be amended only by a General Meeting of the Association.

9. GOVERNING POWER:

The powers of the Board of Directors to govern shall be exercised through By-Law. The Board of Directors shall have the right to create new By-Laws or amend existing ones as they may consider necessary for the well-being of the Association. It is an obligation of the Board of Directors to notify each member by mail/email at least two (2) weeks prior to the creation or amendment of any By-Law.

10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION:

The provisions of this Constitution may be amended, repealed, or re-enacted only at any General Meeting of the Association, provided that a notice of motion to so amend has been filed with the Secretary/Treasurer at least thirty (30) days prior to such meeting. Each member shall be notified in writing of any proposed change to the Constitution and such notice shall be mailed/emailed or delivered to each member not less than one week prior to the holding of a general meeting. A change in this Constitution shall be effected only with support of two-thirds of votes cast by members present at the General Membership Meeting.