The Retirees' Newsletter Page 7
The Retirees's Association ( Faculty, Librarian, Administrator), University of Windsor, Windsor, Ont. Canada
Vol X III, No. 1, March 2003
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MEMBERSHIP NEWS |
Minutes - WURA Executive Committee, Tuesday, December
10, 2002, Human Kinetics Building Conference Room
Minutes of Nov.12 meeting were approved as circulated.
Business arising: S. Cunningham's report was sent to the Executive Committee. J. Meyer's report will be discussed under the Trust Fund.
1. Report of the President: A. Metcalfe attended meetings Dec. 2, 4 and 5.
The Open Pension Meeting was held Dec. 2. The University Pension Committee has established benchmarks. The managers did not report where they stand in relation to the other fund managers this year. Management fees are now $1.5 million to administer the plan. A meeting was held Dec. 4 with Rita LaCivita and Cheryl Paglione (Human Resources) and they are willing to provide information we require. A productive Trust Fund meeting was held Dec. 5 and another is scheduled for next week. D. Britten is trying to represent our views and there is a sense they are trying to listen to our concerns.
Alan will ask K. Pryke to take responsibility for the form to be filled out for CURAC.
The D7 committee will meet in the New Year. The report for Nov. 9 was missed so there will be one by February perhaps.
2. Trust Fund: A discussion was held on Trust Fund concerns, i.e., eligibility, opting in and opting out, the pros and cons of a University Account and other. There was agreement on universality, after retirement, based on years of service or there would be no justice. The opt-in-out is in limbo and the status quo was the unanimous choice. It was also decided to keep the trust in a university non-segregated account. Legal options should be explored for disbursement.
3. Request to Human Resources: previously distributed letter by J. Black to Human Resources containing information wanted from each manager in advance for the Open Pension Meetings was approved. A. Metcalfe and J. Black will sign and a copy will be sent to Eric Harbottle.
4. The Letter to Dr. Ross Paul was approved in principle with editing to be done by S. Cunningham.
5. Other business: There were 111 applications for the 3 WURA Bursaries. There is a short list now of 22 and a report will be presented at the next meeting. The Retirees' banquet will be held in April and any profit will be applied to the Bursary. Bill 198 changes to the Pension Act have been withdrawn.
The meeting adjourned at 2:30. Next Meeting: Tues. Jan.
14, 2:00 p.m
Minutes-WURA Executive Committee Tuesday, January 14, 2003, Human Kinetics Building Conference Room
Minutes: The minutes of Dec. 10, 2002 meeting were approved as circulated.
Report of the President: A gift of $50.00 each in memory of Leo Miernicke and Blake Gertz will be contributed to the Retirees' Bursary Fund.
Signing authority for the appropriate new executive committee members has been completed.
How to activate the D-7, and its membership was discussed. E.
Harbottle says he is not a member. The only incremental costing
for pensions in the past was for the active members; nothing was
done for the retirees. The D-7 Committee should address this.
Letter to Ross Paul The draft was discussed and changes
suggested. Need to verify the number of retirees (65?) with less
than a $25,000 pension.
CURAC K. Pryke will pass the form he completed for CURAC to A. Metcalfe. Scholarships:Three scholarships were awarded based on applicant's Scholarship and financial need. There were 36 contributors to the Fund during the Annual Giving Program of the University. J. Black is writing personal acknowledgments.
Retirement Seminar- There will be a retirement seminar March 28.
B. Brown and A. Metcalfe will provide opening remarks. D. Britten
and C. Paglione will discuss the Pension Plan; the Benefits
Package, Paglione, G. Olafson and D. Pillay. A. Metcalfe will
discuss Retirement Planning, also WURA. The "Handbook for
Retirees" and the Pension Brochure will be distributed. March 5 is
the Registration deadline. It is expected this will be of interest for
Faculty within five years or less until retirement.
Pension Issues: - The Trust Fund is vague and ambiguous in its definition and benefits have been interpreted as exclusively health.
The Constitution Motion proposed for retirees' representation on the negotiating team was rejected by WUFA. WURA will pursue all avenues possible to change the Constitution of WUFA to enable WURA to have a full membership on the negotiating team. Meyer/Black. (Unanimous).
Health Benefit Equity This is a social justice issue. It was moved: To pursue the issue of equity in health benefit payments from the Trust Fund to those with the longest service and smallest minimum guarantee. Meyer/Pillay. (Unanimous).
It was moved that a Cost Analysis on the feasibility of incrementally increasing pension payments retroactively to all those retirees on a formula less than 1.5% should be the priority of the D-7. Meyer/Cunningham. (Unanimous.)
Other Business: A. Metcalfe appointed to the contract committee.
Meyer/Cunningham. (Unanimous). Feb-March Representative on
Council J. McPhail. Malone/King. (Unanimous).
Announcements: A lunch for retirees at the AGW was proposed for mid March, moved by Olafson/Pillay and carried. It was moved to honor E. Habib, K.Chatterjee, and P.Nolan at the next retirees' dinner. Pillay/Malone. The Meeting adjourned 3:20.pm.
Next Meeting, Feb. 11, 2:00 p.m.
Minutes - WURA Executive Committee - Tuesday, February 11, 2003, Human Kinetics Building Conference Room
Minutes: The minutes of January 14, 2003 were approved as circulated.
Report of the President: A. Metcalfe met with E. Harbottle on Thursday, January 9, 2003, to discuss retirees issues. R. LaCivita and C. Paglione were in attendance, and appeared attuned to these issues. A. Metcalfe expressed concern that, despite ongoing efforts, retirees have gained very little in the last few years. It is a question of justice to rectify past wrongs, such as the lack of benefits accruing to retirees from the recent pension holiday, and the hardships experienced by those with lesser pensions. These latter cases need to be given preference, with the Anomalies Fund serving as a possible model. It is essential to secure accurate data.
The letter to President Ross Paul was reviewed, and a few minor editing changes were made. The letter was signed by all Executive members and will be delivered immediately to Dr. Paul.
Retirement/ Benefits Committee Report: G. Olafson submitted a written report, with additional comments.
1. The WURA/WUFA Retirement Benefits Questionnaire, sent to the CAUT, has elicited a response from Gordon Piche, Associate Executive Director, who is pursuing the matter.
2. The Pension Plan Brochure, produced jointly by WURA and Human Resources is in the final editing stages.
3. The revised edition of the Retirees Handbook will be available for the March 28, 2003 Retirement/Benefits seminar.
4. The feasibility of combining health benefit plans is being reviewed by R. LaCivita. A spreadsheet showing all benefits should be available for the March 11, 2003 meeting.
5. A request has made by A. Metcalfe to the Pension and Benefits Committee to provide information on the cost of extending the 1.2 to 1.5 for all retirees. This matter should be addressed at the March 11, 2003 WURA Executive meeting.
6. The proposed amendment to article 8.7(e) of the WUFA Constitution has not been raised and remains a tabled motion.
7. A concern has been raised that the category "Certain Others"
remains undefined in the benefits package.
CURAC: K. Pryke reported that we have been invited to become founding members of CURAC, an event which is to take place at the Learned Societies Meeting in Halifax, NS on May 26, 2003.
It was moved by K. Pryke, seconded by S. Cunningham and
approved unanimously that WURA accept the invitation to
become founding members of CURAC, subject to ratification at
the Spring General meeting. It was requested that K. Pryke inform
CURAC.
Other Business:
J. Malone suggested that we should communicate the above information in the Newsletter.
G. Olafson will proceed with possible arrangements for a luncheon for retirees at the AGW at the end of March.
The Meeting adjourned at 3:15.
Next Meeting, March 11, 2003 at 2:10 p.m.
| What's Inside
P 1. Spring General Meeting, President's Message P 5. Letter to President Ross Paul P 6. Letter to President Ross Paul |