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CFC Governor, and Treasurer, Fred McKim, and I ( GTCL/Ont CFC Governor, and Public Relations Coordinator ) intend to file a motion for the upcoming 2011 Spring Meeting, set to start Friday, April 1, to make CFC a more member-friendly organization. To do this, the obnoxious s. 14 of Bylaw # 1, must be repealed, and in our view, replaced. The motion is set out below.
We would be pleased to hear any comments/proposed amendments before filing.
Thanks.
Bob/Fred
( P.S. The Cooperative Chess Coalition ( CCC ) , as initiator of this motion, sees it as being member-friendly, and going to encouraging greater member interest in the CFC. The CCC is a new grassroots' chess organization focused on member development at all chess levels, and increasing member participation. This will be done by affording members a greater degree of influence on the affairs of the Canadian chess structures, and in some cases, may involve some changes to these structures. If you would like to learn more about this new organization, just e-mail me, Bob Armstrong, CCC Coordinator ( cooperativechesscoalition@gmail.com ).)
Motion 2011 – X – Clarifying CFC Member Rights
11/3/17
Moved – Bob Armstrong; Seconded – Fred McKim
( motion brought on behalf of the Cooperative Chess Coalition, a grassroots’ group of CFC members concerned with chess membership development and improving the operation of the CFC, and other chess organizations )
Moved - Bylaw # 1, s. 14, is deleted, and replaced by:
MEMBER RIGHTS
14. ( 1 ) Any individual Member shall have a right to be heard on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Federation, or his individual membership, or any situation where any individual member is aggrieved by any matter arising in the conduct of the affairs of the Federation, by approaching a CFC governor for assistance in presenting their submission, motion, etc. to the CFC AGM, Quarterly Meeting, or otherwise.. Any complaints or suggestions of any individual Member shall be dealt with by the Federation Secretary replying in writing to any governor acting on behalf of such member, with copy to such individual Member.
( 2 ) Any individual member may bring a motion directly to the CFC governors, without governor assistance being required, if they have a member seconder, and endorsement of members totaling 5% of the total Adult and Life members. The total shall be based on the membership statistics issued May 1 by the CFC Secretary. Endorsing members must be 18 years of age or over, and there must be proof provided directly from the endorser to the CFC Secretary of that member’s endorsement of the motion.
( 3 ) As set out elsewhere in the Handbook, CFC members have the right as there set out, to elect their CFC governors.
Commentary:
The old section on membership is now considered antiquated, anti-member, and no longer relevant as between the CFC and the Provincial Affiliates.
The current section reads:
CFC Bylaw # 1
LIMITATION OF RIGHTS
14. No individual Member shall have any right to be heard on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Federation, or his individual membership. Should any individual member be aggrieved by any matter arising in the conduct of the affairs of the Federation, his remedy shall be to bring the matter before his provincial organization, and if there be no Provincial Organization in the Province in which he resides, he may bring the matter to the attention of a Governor representing such Province. Any complaints or suggestions of any individual Member shall be sufficiently dealt with by the Federation Secretary, if he shall reply to such individual Member quoting this By-law.
In place of a limitation of member rights, we have substituted a positive statement of member rights. We do have a governor system, and they run the affairs of the CFC. But they are elected by and accountable to the CFC members. As such, the governors must make all reasonable efforts to assist members in their actions to influence the affairs of the CFC. This may involve presenting briefs and submissions to governor meetings on behalf of members, or moving and seconding motions submitted by CFC members. However, governors are free to decide whether or not, in any individual instance, they will assist, and to what extent. As well, they need not necessarily agree to the position of the member, in order to assist them to present their case.
Although working through governors is the preferred method of CFC member participation in the affairs of the CFC, the CFC members should have an absolute right to approach the CFC with a motion of their own accord, without having to plead for governor assistance, which may not be forthcoming. So we have allowed a motion by a member, with a member seconder. The limitation is that the member bringing the motion must find some support among the membership, to the extent of 5 % of the total of the adult and life members. This is not felt to be onerous, and at the same time protects the CFC from a flood of frivolous member motions, which could grind CFC business to a halt. There will have to be direct proof from each endorser of their support for the motion, to prevent fraudulent motions. This is a new significant member right, and allows members direct intervention, and the forcing of a governor vote on their concern, even where governors may initially be disposed against the motion. Governors will deal with issues of concern to a significant minority of CFC members, who consider their issue vital to the operation of the CFC.
Lastly, in order to bring member rights into one section, the section also refers to the right to elect CFC governors, set out elsewhere in the Handbook.
We would be pleased to hear any comments/proposed amendments before filing.
Thanks.
Bob/Fred
( P.S. The Cooperative Chess Coalition ( CCC ) , as initiator of this motion, sees it as being member-friendly, and going to encouraging greater member interest in the CFC. The CCC is a new grassroots' chess organization focused on member development at all chess levels, and increasing member participation. This will be done by affording members a greater degree of influence on the affairs of the Canadian chess structures, and in some cases, may involve some changes to these structures. If you would like to learn more about this new organization, just e-mail me, Bob Armstrong, CCC Coordinator ( cooperativechesscoalition@gmail.com ).)
Motion 2011 – X – Clarifying CFC Member Rights
11/3/17
Moved – Bob Armstrong; Seconded – Fred McKim
( motion brought on behalf of the Cooperative Chess Coalition, a grassroots’ group of CFC members concerned with chess membership development and improving the operation of the CFC, and other chess organizations )
Moved - Bylaw # 1, s. 14, is deleted, and replaced by:
MEMBER RIGHTS
14. ( 1 ) Any individual Member shall have a right to be heard on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Federation, or his individual membership, or any situation where any individual member is aggrieved by any matter arising in the conduct of the affairs of the Federation, by approaching a CFC governor for assistance in presenting their submission, motion, etc. to the CFC AGM, Quarterly Meeting, or otherwise.. Any complaints or suggestions of any individual Member shall be dealt with by the Federation Secretary replying in writing to any governor acting on behalf of such member, with copy to such individual Member.
( 2 ) Any individual member may bring a motion directly to the CFC governors, without governor assistance being required, if they have a member seconder, and endorsement of members totaling 5% of the total Adult and Life members. The total shall be based on the membership statistics issued May 1 by the CFC Secretary. Endorsing members must be 18 years of age or over, and there must be proof provided directly from the endorser to the CFC Secretary of that member’s endorsement of the motion.
( 3 ) As set out elsewhere in the Handbook, CFC members have the right as there set out, to elect their CFC governors.
Commentary:
The old section on membership is now considered antiquated, anti-member, and no longer relevant as between the CFC and the Provincial Affiliates.
The current section reads:
CFC Bylaw # 1
LIMITATION OF RIGHTS
14. No individual Member shall have any right to be heard on any matter pertaining to the affairs of the Federation, or his individual membership. Should any individual member be aggrieved by any matter arising in the conduct of the affairs of the Federation, his remedy shall be to bring the matter before his provincial organization, and if there be no Provincial Organization in the Province in which he resides, he may bring the matter to the attention of a Governor representing such Province. Any complaints or suggestions of any individual Member shall be sufficiently dealt with by the Federation Secretary, if he shall reply to such individual Member quoting this By-law.
In place of a limitation of member rights, we have substituted a positive statement of member rights. We do have a governor system, and they run the affairs of the CFC. But they are elected by and accountable to the CFC members. As such, the governors must make all reasonable efforts to assist members in their actions to influence the affairs of the CFC. This may involve presenting briefs and submissions to governor meetings on behalf of members, or moving and seconding motions submitted by CFC members. However, governors are free to decide whether or not, in any individual instance, they will assist, and to what extent. As well, they need not necessarily agree to the position of the member, in order to assist them to present their case.
Although working through governors is the preferred method of CFC member participation in the affairs of the CFC, the CFC members should have an absolute right to approach the CFC with a motion of their own accord, without having to plead for governor assistance, which may not be forthcoming. So we have allowed a motion by a member, with a member seconder. The limitation is that the member bringing the motion must find some support among the membership, to the extent of 5 % of the total of the adult and life members. This is not felt to be onerous, and at the same time protects the CFC from a flood of frivolous member motions, which could grind CFC business to a halt. There will have to be direct proof from each endorser of their support for the motion, to prevent fraudulent motions. This is a new significant member right, and allows members direct intervention, and the forcing of a governor vote on their concern, even where governors may initially be disposed against the motion. Governors will deal with issues of concern to a significant minority of CFC members, who consider their issue vital to the operation of the CFC.
Lastly, in order to bring member rights into one section, the section also refers to the right to elect CFC governors, set out elsewhere in the Handbook.
Comment