The Retirees' Newsletter

The Bi-Monthly Publication of the Retirees' Association (Faculty, Librarian, Administrator)

The University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4

Vol IX, No. 4, October, 1999

First Published in July 1991

Issue # 34

Editor : Datta Pillay

2.30 p.m. Tuesday, October 19, 1999

Hoffman Auditorium, IONA COLLEGE 208 Sunset Ave

Agenda

1. Minutes - March 16, 1999 Spring General Meeting

2. Remarks - Prof. Howard Pawley, President, Faculty Association

3. Remarks - Mr. Jim Skinner - Human Resources

4. Remarks - Ms Asae Cuthbert - Awards Officer

5. Business arising from the minutes

6. Report of the Treasurer - Prof. Phyllis Nolan

a) Bursary Fund Donation

7. Report of the President - Dr. Stan Cunningham

8. Progress Report - Pension Surplus and Money Purchase Pension Reduction

9. Representation on Faculty Association Committees

10. a) Amendments to Constitution

b) Notice of Motion - changes

11. Membership Fees Increase - Previous Notice of Motion

12. Report - Social Committee/Bursary Committee

13. Report of Nominating Committee - Election of Office Bearers

14. Other Business - Queen's University Pension Plan

15. Adjournment

We've been very active this last year, and it's beginning to pay off in long-term developments. On September 10, the U of W Faculty Association Council unanimously passed a set of constitutional changes that include proposals put forward by our Retirees' Association. They have yet to be voted in at the Faculty Association Fall General meeting (October 15), but we do not anticipate opposition. These changes are structural and, we believe, effective in providing means to influence future developments in all matters having to do with pension and associated benefits.

Under these proposals, members of the U of W Retirees' Association (WURA) become associate members of the Faculty Association (WUFA). WURA is formally acknowledged as "the organized voice" of retired faculty, librarians and certain others, and of surviving spouses who are members of WURA. We have an up-front voice and vote "on issues related to pensions and pension benefits" on Faculty Association Executive, Contract committees and Council. (On the Council, we will actually have two votes since our representative on the Executive is ex officio a member of Council). WURA representatives will be elected, by mail ballot, by and from the WURA membership. We also continue to command three voice and votes on the Faculty Association Pension and Benefits Committee.

As a result of these pending constitutional improvements, we are confident that WURA and its members will have a far more effective voice in future policy discussions and negotiations. During the last two years, we became a 'squeaky wheel'. While we were unable to secure justice in the matter of excess surplus and a more fair distribution thereof, we believe that we will shortly command a unified voice that can no longer be ignored by the University and the Faculty Association in all pension and benefits issues. The timing, we think, is propitious: 2001 contract-policy discussions will begin this year.

It now becomes important, as our next initiative, that WURA nominate and elect committed associate members to represent us on the Faculty Association bodies. Exercising a wise "voice and vote" is gong to take time and work, but only in this way can we reverse the inattention and injustice we have experienced in past contracts.There will be a fuller report and update (and discussion) at our Fall General meeting on October 19 (Tuesday). Please make a point of attending.

P 1. Fall General Meeting - President's Message

P 2. Campus News - New Appointments

P 3. Campus News

P 4. Association News

P 5. Faculty Association Constitution Changes

P 6. Faculty Association Constitution Changes

P 7. Faculty Association Constitution Changes

P 8. Editorial Page

P 9. Membership Resources Pool

P10. Membership Resources Pool

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