Call for Nominations: AGSEM Committees

*La version française suit.*

Our Annual General Assembly is on Wednesday, March 25th at 5:30pm in ARTS W-215 and streamed at Macdonald campus in R3-011. Food and refreshments will be served.

Please find the working agenda below and by following this link:

• TA Bargaining update
• Annual reports
• Annual budget
• Executive Committee elections
• Other Committee elections
• Constitutional amendments

The AGSEM General Assembly is the highest decision-making body of our Union and you are a member if you have worked as a TA or Invigilator within the last 12 months, or have signed a union card as an academic support worker as part of the AGSEM Unionization Drive.

AGSEM members in good standing can run for any role: President, Secretary-Treasurer, Grievance Officer (2), Mobilization Officer, Macdonald Campus Officer, Equity Committee (5), Audit Committee (3), External Affairs Committee (open), Mobilization Committee (open), and the Mutual Aid Fund Committee (2). Positions will be held from May 1, 2020–April 30, 2021.

Nomination forms must be signed by the nominee and 5 AGSEM members in good standing. Filled out nomination forms, including self-nominations, for any of the EC or BC positions can be sent to president@agsem-aeedem.ca. A person may be nominated for only one position during the nomination period. Members can also run in absentia provided they submit a Nomination Form prior to the GA.

The nomination period for all positions will last until Monday, March 23 at noon, two (2) working days before the General Assembly where the elections will be held. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor at the General Assembly, but only for positions that have one or no nominees.

The official descriptions of the positions available are as follows:

4.08 – The President ($29.33/ hour up to 180 hours per semester)

• shall be the public face of the Union as the spokesperson and official media contact;
• shall facilitate the smooth functioning of the Executive Committee;
• shall convene Union Assembly and Executive Committee meetings
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for maintaining the Union’s relationships with external bodies, including but not limited to the Affiliates, labour unions and other organizations, on and off campus, as well as with the Employer in all manners not pertaining directly to bargaining or grievances;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for ensuring that the Constitution is respected;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for ensuring the maintenance of the Policy Manual;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for monitoring the union’s incoming email;
• shall sit on the External Affairs Committee;
• shall be a signing officer of the funds of the Union.

4.09 – Secretary-Treasurer ($29.33/ hour up to 180 hours per semester)

• shall oversee the administration of the Union’s finances;
• shall present, at minimum, the following reports:

1. to the Executive Committee, every month, or upon request, including the bank reconciliation and financial statements;
2. to the Audit Committee;
3. to the Annual General Assembly, including the annual financial statements and proposed annual budget.

• shall be empowered, at all times, to disclose the Union’s ledgers and all relevant supporting documents to the duly authorized representative of the Executive Committee of the CSN and to the Union’s Auditing Committee;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for preparing the annual budget;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for ensuring maintenance of the office space, physical and electronic files, and online accounts;
• shall be a signing officer of the funds of the Union.

4.10 – Mobilization Officer ($29.33/ hour up to 180 hours per semester)

• shall be the officer primarily responsible for the organization of Union events, campaigns, outreach, and publicity;
• shall be the primary Executive Committee contact and resource person, for the Delegate Council and for Union members, in all matters not pertaining directly to grievances;
• shall be responsible for the maintenance of the Union’s website and other social media;
• shall be responsible for communications with members, including ensuring the maintenance of email lists;
• shall sit on the mobilization committee;
• shall be a signing officer of the funds of the Union.

4.11 – Grievance Officer (2 positions) ($29.33/ hour up to 180 hours per semester)

• shall be the officer responsible for ensuring the respect of members’ rights and the enforcement of their Unit’s respective Collective Agreement, by, including but not limited to:

1. actively informing members of their rights under the Collective Agreements and the relevant employment law;
2. assisting members of the Union with complaints or grievances, including internal complaints not leading to the filing of a grievance;

• shall normally perform the role of the “Union” where mentioned in the Unit 1 and 2 Collective Agreements;
• shall be responsible for the reception and maintenance of Union membership records and documents received by the Employer or its Hiring Units, including but not limited to membership forms, appointment lists, and dues lists;
• shall have a seat on the Bargaining Committees of their respective Unit;
• shall act as the chairperson at Labour Relations Committee meetings for the Unit which they represent and shall normally be accompanied by the President.

Macdonald Campus Officer ($29.33/ hour up to 90 hours per semester)

• shall be a member of the AGSEM Executive Committee;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for organizing and/or streaming Delegates’ Council meetings and General Assemblies at Macdonald campus;
• shall be the officer primarily responsible for the organization of Union events, campaigns, outreach, and publicity at Macdonald campus.

Equity and Diversity Committee (5 positions, $500 honorarium each per year)

• the Equity Committee will consist of four members at large and one chair. One member of the committee shall sit on the Mutual Aid Committee.
• the committee must be made up of at least one member from each bargaining unit
• to avoid conflict of interest, the Committee members should not hold any other elected position within the union while they are members of the Equity Committee.
• whenever a Concern or Complaint is received, all Committee Members must immediately declare any conflict of interest. In this case, the Committee will decide how to resolve this situation.
• committee members will attend equity training run by at least one of the following organizations: Queer McGill (QM), Union for Gender Empowerment (UGE), Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society (SACOMSS), First Peoples’ House (FPH), Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD), Social Equity and Diversity Education (SEDE) Office, and Racialised Students Network (RSN).
• if the Committee identifies an equity issue, it will be brought forward to the appropriate body.

Audit Committee (3 positions, $500 honorarium each per year)

• meet at least once every six (6) months. Quorum is two (2) members and meetings should include the Secretary-Treasurer unless the committee decides otherwise.
• submit annual report to the GA, including any recommendations. The report shall present a comparison of the previous year’s financial statements and budget, and note any discrepancies. If the report is not ready within 14 days of GA, the Secretary-Treasurer will forward the audit to a representative from the Affiliates.
• receive a monthly report of all revenues and expenses, with references to the decision approving an expense where appropriate;
• examine and authenticate the reconciliation of the Caisse Populaire or bank account, the Treasurer’s report, as well as all other financial accounts of the Union (leisure, insurance, strike funds, etc.);
• alert the Delegate Council of any discrepancies or concerns;
• verify the adherence to the resolutions of the Executive Committee and the General Assembly

Mutual Aid Committee (2 members at large, $500 honorarium per year)

• the Mutual Aid Committee consists of:

1. one member from the Equity Committee;
2. Mobilization Chief Delegate;
3. two elected members at large
4. Secretary-Treasurer (ex-officio)

• recommend recipients of money from the Mutual Aid Fund and the amount to be received to the Delegate’s Council
• review requests submitted to the union for mutual aid.
• identify individuals or organisations in our community in need of mutual aid.
• assist the EC in securing contact information, vetting information, publicising the Mutual Aid Fund, and documenting work on the union website.
• identify opportunities for inter-union fundraising

External Affairs Committee (open committee, $85 honorarium per semester)

• promote inter-union solidarity at McGill, with members of the Affiliates, and with others that share the Union’s objectives
• assist in recruiting Union delegates for meetings of the Affiliates
• review the relationship of the Union and the Affiliates, including the services and benefits received from this relationship as well as any challenges, and to present a report to this effect to the Annual General Assembly

Mobilization Committee (open committee, $200 honorarium per semester)

• support the work of the Mobilisation Executive Officer and the Mobilization Chief Delegate, who is the chair of the Committee.
• organise events and works on campaigns as mandated by the DC and GA.
• support bargaining and unionisation drives by working with those committees.
• assist delegates with member outreach.
• produce materials, media, and content for the website and social media.
• conduct surveys and other research-related tasks.

In accordance with 6.5 and 6.6 of the AGSEM Constitution, at least one member of a Committee (including the Executive Committee) must be a woman. At least one member of each Committee (including the Executive Committee) must be fluently bilingual in French and English. For the EC, this may be the President. Nominees for the position of President shall be bilingual (English/French).

You are also invited to submit any topic of discussion or motion to adopt that you wish, simply by emailing the chair at president@agsem-aeedem.ca, up to 24 hours before the start of the meeting.

Hope to see you there.

—The AGSEM Executive Committee

Notre Assemblée générale aura lieu mercredi 25 mars à 17h30 (ARTS W-215) et diffusé en direct au campus Macdonald (R3-011).

L’ordre du jour provisoire :

• mise à jour sur les négociations pour les auxiliaires d’enseignement
• rapports annuels du comité exécutif et des autres comités
• le budget annuel
• élections du comité exécutif
• élections des comités
• amendements constitutionnels

L’Assemblée générale d’AÉÉDEM est le haut de la pyramide quant aux décisions et directions le Syndicat doit / peut prendre. Vous êtes considéré.e.s comme membre si vous avez travaillé comme auxiliaire d’enseignement et / ou surveillant.e d’examen au cours de l’année. Vous êtes également.e considéré.e.s comme membre si vous avez signé une carte de membre dans le cadre de la campagne de syndicalisation.

Tout membre en règle d’AÉÉDEM peut se présenter à un poste électif : président.e, secrétaire-trésorier.ère, responsable de la mobilisation, responsable aux doléances (2), responsable du Campus Macdonald, comité d’équité & diversité (5), comité de contrôle (3), comité des affaires extérieures (comité ouvert), comité à la mobilisation (comité ouvert), et comité de fonds d’entraide (2). Il s’agit d’un mandat d’un an (du 1er mai 2020 au 30 avril 2021).

Les formulaires de nomination doivent être signé.e.s par le .la candidat.e et par 5 membres d’AÉÉDEM en règle. Les formulaires de nomination remplis peuvent être envoyés à president@agsem-aeedem.ca. Toute personne éligible peut poser sa candidature à un seul poste à la fois. Les membres peuvent également se présenter « in abstentia » s’ils.elles soumettent un formulaire de nomination avant l’AG.

La période de nomination pour tous les postes durera jusqu’au lundi, le 23 mars à midi, deux (2) jours ouvrables avant l’Assemblée générale où se dérouleront les élections. Les candidatures proposées par les participant.e.s à l’assemblée générale sont aussi acceptées, mais uniquement pour les postes comportant un.e candidat.e ou aucun.e candidat.e.

Les descriptions officielles des postes sont disponibles en anglais dans notre constitution et ici.

Vous êtes aussi invité.e.s à soumettre des points de discussion ou des motions à adopter en envoyant tout simplement un courriel à la présidence à president@agsem-aeedem.ca, jusqu’à 24 heures avant le début de la réunion.

Espérons vous y voir.

—Le comité exécutif de l’AÉÉDEM