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Constitution

Holy Spirit Catholic Local No 5

Name

1. The name of this local shall be Holy Spirit Catholic No 5 local association of The Alberta Teachers’ Association.

Boundaries

2. The area served by this local association shall be the Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division No 4.

Membership

3. (1) All active members of The Alberta Teachers’ Association employed within the boundaries listed in section 2 are members of this local.

(2) Subject to approval of Provincial Executive Council of the Association, associate members of The Alberta Teachers’ Association who hold the highest category of membership available to them and who pay the prescribed local association fee may become members of this local association with all rights and privileges of active members.

Objects

4. (1) The objects of this local association shall be to further the objects of The Alberta Teachers’ Association as set out in Section 4 of the Teaching Profession Act and ATA General Bylaws.

(2) A common bond of association, as members committed to public education within the Catholic faith, may be recognized in a mission statement which may form part of the general bylaws of the local association. Such mission statement shall be

  1.  not inconsistent with the objects and General Bylaws of The Alberta Teachers’ Association,
  2. developed under direction of the local council,
  3. approved at a general meeting, and
  4. subject to review from time to time.

Fees

5. This local association 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 association such as are determined from time to time in a general meeting of the local association. 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 Order and Procedure as published in the Members’ Handbook.

Organization

7. The governing body of Holy Spirit Catholic No 5 local shall be a general meeting of its members, 10 per cent of whom shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, business from the general meeting shall be carried over to the next local council meeting.

8. A general meeting of this local shall be held at least once a year to hear reports and deal with same, and other matters as may arise.

Local Council

9. There shall be constituted a local council of this local consisting of

  1. all members of the executive committee,
  2. school representatives, other than executive committee members, one representative per school, shall be elected by each staff in September,
  3. three ARA representatives; the president, economic policy committee chair, and one member elected from and by local council,
  4. one representative of the substitute teacher group,
  5. chairs of standing committees if not members of the executive committee, or school representatives,
  6. convention representative(s) if not included in (a) to (e),
  7. representative of Lethbridge Area Field Experiences Committee, and
  8. one representative of the local principal’s group.

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

11. The duties of the local council shall be

  1. to administer the affairs of the local association, including presentation of an audited annual financial statement and recommendation of an annual budget to a general meeting for approval,
  2. to elect/appoint membership to standing and ad hoc committees unless otherwise specified in the constitution or approved committee frames of reference,
  3. to approve frames of reference for each of its committees,
  4. to hear reports from committees and decide on action to be taken, if any,
  5. to elect or appoint representatives to events requiring local representation on an ad hoc basis,
  6. to deal with other matters not inconsistent with this constitution or ATA General Bylaws, and
  7. to elect or appoint representatives to the district convention association no later than March 31.

12. The local council shall meet once a month, September through June.

13. A majority vote of those present shall govern the decisions of the local council unless rules and regulations otherwise decree.

14. Fifty-one per cent of local council members are required to constitute a quorum.

Executive Committee

15. The executive committee of this local shall consist of: president, two vice‑presidents, past president, secretary, treasurer, economic policy committee chair, professional development committee chair and the local communications officer.

16. It shall be the duty of the executive committee to prepare the agenda of business for all meetings, to exercise general supervision of the affairs of the local association, to review and revise policy as needed, to elect or appoint delegates to the ATA Summer Conference, to prepare and transmit to head office of The Alberta Teachers’ Association such reports and statements with reference to the affairs of the local association as may be required by the Provincial Executive Council of The Alberta Teachers’ Association and to ensure that all Association monies are used to further the objects of the Association as set out in the Teaching Profession Act, to ensure that there is liaison between the local and the employing boards and, where time is of the essence, to assume the functions of the local council.

17. The executive committee shall meet as often as local business requires.

Notice of Meetings

18. Notices of intent to hold a general, special, local council or an executive meeting shall be transmitted by the secretary or other officer assigned by the executive committee to schools at least five days before such meeting is to be held, and such notices shall outline the business to be discussed at the meeting, provided, however, that any meeting may, by a two‑thirds vote of the total number of members on the roster, waive notice of a meeting or of any motion brought before the meeting.

19. Meetings of this local association or the bargaining unit shall be called by the president

  1. or on the request of the executive committee or the local council,
  2. or on the written request of at least 20 per cent of the membership,
  3. or at the request of the chair of the economic policy committee,
  4. or at the request of an officer of The Alberta Teachers’ Association,
  5. or of the district representative of whose district this local association forms a part.

20. A record shall be kept for no less than three years of all those attending general, special, local council and executive committee meetings of this local.


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

Duties of Officers

22.(1) An ATA officer shall not vote. A district representative shall not vote except at a general meeting of a local of which the representative is a member.

(2) President—The duties of the president shall be

  1. to call and preside at all general, local council and executive committee meetings of this local association,
  2. to exercise general supervision over the affairs of this local association,
  3. to serve as an ARA representative to the Annual Representative Assembly,
  4. to serve ex-officio on all local committees, and
  5. to maintain and update an archive of the local (this may be designated to another local officer).

(3) Past-President—The duties of the past president shall be

  1. to act as a resource person to the president and executive committee, and
  2. to coordinate the local’s part of the Holy Spirit Catholic Schools Teacher Mentorship Program.

(4) Vice‑Presidents—The duties of the vice‑presidents shall be

  1. to take charge of the affairs of this local association in the absence of the president,
  2. to assist the president in the discharge of duties,
  3. to have one to serve as the local political engagement officer, and
  4. to have one to chair the social committee.

(5) Secretary—The duties of the secretary shall be

  1. to keep accurate records of all proceedings of this local association,
  2. to bring before the executive committee of this local association all communications received by the local,
  3. to prepare and send notices calling all meetings, whether regular, special, local council or executive council,
  4. to prepare and send to The Alberta Teachers’ Association such statements and reports as may be required from time to time, and
  5. to chair the policy committee.

(6) Treasurer—The duties of the treasurer shall be

  1. to prepare at the direction of the executive committee an annual budget for the local,
  2. to keep accurate records of all monies received and collected and to take charge of same,
  3. to prepare an annual financial statement for audit purposes,
  4. to make the necessary disbursements of the funds of this local association as authorized by the executive committee or local council, and
  5. to prepare and send to The Alberta Teachers’ Association such statements and reports as may be required from time to time.

(7) Economic Policy Committee Chair—The duties of the economic policy chair shall be

  1. to ensure compliance with the frame of reference of the Economic Policy Committee,
  2. to attend meetings of local council and executive committee, and
  3. to serve as one of the ARA Representatives.

(8) ARA Representatives—The duties of each ARA representative of this local association shall be

  1. to represent this local association at all representative assemblies of The Alberta Teachers’ Association,
  2. to report the proceedings of all representative assemblies to the local council and to such other gatherings as may be decided, and
  3. to attend meetings of the local council of this local association.

(9) School Representatives—The duty of the school representatives shall be

  1. to attend local council meetings, and
  2. facilitate two-way communication between the schools and the local.

(10) Local Communications Officer—It shall be the responsibility of this officer to carry out a communications program with the teachers in the local and between the local and its various publics. All actions of this officer shall be subject to prior approval by the executive of the local involved.

Committees

23.(1) Economic Policy Committee (EPC)CThe duties of this committee shall be

  1. to prepare for and oversee negotiations and oversee the enforcement of the collective agreement on behalf of the teachers who are employed by Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division No 4.

(2) Negotiating Subcommittee—as per EPC frame of reference.

(3) Grievance Subcommittee—as per EPC frame of reference.

(4) Professional Development Committee—The duty of this committee shall be to facilitate two-way communication pertaining to professional development between the schools and the committee.

(5) Policy Committee—The duties of this committee shall be

  1. to review and assess the work of the local association and report to the local council,
  2. study all matters referred to it by the local council or from other committees,
  3. make recommendations to the proper bodies regarding matters which have been referred to it,
  4. initiate recommendations for the local council to consider, and
  5. establish and maintain a policy handbook.

(6) Social Committee—The duties of this committee shall be to organize activities agreed to by local council or the executive committee.

(7) Scholarship Committee—The duties of this committee shall be

  1. to promote and administer the scholarship program within the policies and guidelines set by local council,
  2. to make recommendations to council when they think these guidelines should be waived, and
  3. to review policies and guidelines re: scholarships.

Elections

24.(1) The president, two vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer, local communications officer, professional development chair, LAFEC representative and SWATCA representative shall be elected bi-annually by a vote of the members of this local.

(2) The bargaining unit shall elect an economic policy committee as per the procedures outlined in the frame of reference approved by local council.

(3) All persons elected under subsection (1) shall assume office no later than the first day of the next school year (see EPC frame of reference for exceptions).

(4) A vacancy on the executive committee occurring between bi-annual elections shall be filled by election of a member of this local association by the remaining members of the executive committee.

(5) Should one or more of the ARA representatives be unable to fulfil their term of office, replacements shall be elected by the local council.

Substitute Teacher Group

25.(1) At the request of 10 or more substitute teacher members, this local shall organize a substitute teacher group.

(2) Those eligible for participation in the group shall be members who substituted for one of the employing jurisdictions included in the local for at least one day during the previous 12‑month period.

(3) An appropriate budget for the group shall be established.

(4) The frame of reference for the group shall be as follows

  1. its objects shall be to advance the professional skills and knowledge unique to substitute teaching and to advance within the local the special interests of substitute teachers,
  2. it shall have at least one general meeting per year,
  3. it shall elect a chair, a vice‑chair, a secretary‑treasurer, and two members‑at‑large to an executive which shall be responsible for organizing activities to promote the objects of the group, and
  4. its executive shall present to the local an annual report of its activities and of the disbursement of its funds.

General

26. The financial year of this local shall be July 1 to June 30.

27. (1) This local association shall reimburse members acting on its behalf for all necessary out‑of‑pocket expenses.

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

28. Amendments to this constitution may be made after a one month notice of motion by a two‑thirds vote at a general meeting of this local association, subject to ratification by the Provincial Executive Council of The Alberta Teachers’ Association.

Ratified by Provincial Executive Council 1994 12 03.
Amendments ratified by TOC on behalf of PEC 2006 09 11.