Faculty Association Membership Approves Constitutional Changes

To Provide

Windsor University Retirees' Association

Membership On Various Committees

It was reported in previous newsletters, WURA attempts to seek representation on several key committees of the Faculty Association (FA). Finally, the Executive of the FA set up a Joint Task-Force Committee of three members from the FA and three from WURA. This committee produced a report recommending membership on the following committees. The FA accepted those recommendations and accordingly amended their constitution and submitted it to their general membership for ratification. After two unsuccessful attempts to get a quorum, the FA finally sent out a mail-ballot a few days ago and the results were announced on December 14, 1999, that all the suggested amendments were approved.

This gives the retirees' Association the following representation on the FA Committees:

Executive Committee: One Retiree member (voting)

Council: Two Retiree members (voting)

(One new member plus the retiree who is a member of the Executive Committee)

Contract Committee: One Retiree member (voting)

Pension & Benefits Committee: Three Retiree members (voting)

As per the FA Constitution and Agreement with WURA, elections will be conducted to choose members to serve on the Executive, Council and the Contract Committees. A mail ballot will be sent out to all retirees in January 2000, irrespective of their membership in WURA, inviting them to participate in the elections.

Please watch for the mail ballot in the New Year and promptly return the ballot with your vote for the suggested name on the ballot or you have the choice to write in the name of your preferred candidate, after consulting with the candidate and obtaining his/her consent in writing to allow their name to contest the election.

The FA Pension and Benefits Committee is not a retiree's committee, but the FA permits up to three retiree members to sit on it. It is advisory in nature, advising the Contract Committee at negotiation time. The President of the FA in consultation with the retirees' association appoints the three retiree members to this committee. Hence, there will not be an election for the three members.

The above arrangements are significant achievements for WURA. In future retirees will have a voice and vote with respect to matters that affect them, namely pension and benefits, including surpluses.

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