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Section VI: By-Law Provisions and Sample By-Laws

The by-laws for each council shall have, at minimum, provisions for:

• Meetings
– AGM/BGM
– Executive
– Other Meetings
• Quorum
– Executive Meetings
– General Meetings
• Rules of Order
• Amendment of By-Laws

Notwithstanding the required provisions above, the sample by-laws presented below are strongly recommended:

Name
The name of the council shall be: 

Affiliation
The council shall be operated under the auspices of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association as a Special Interest Council.National or international affiliation shall be with XXX.

Objectives
The objectives of this council shall be the improvement of professional practice by increasing members’ knowledge and understanding through professional learning programs, the communication of ideas and information and the general improvement of curriculum by recommendations through appropriate NLTA channels to the various educational agencies.

Membership
A. Active: Persons who are active members of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association as specified in NLTA By-Laws are eligible for active membership in this council. All such members shall be entitled to full privileges of council membership including the right to vote and to hold office.

B. Other categories of membership: Consistent with policies of the NLTA, other categories may be determined by this particular council. Such members may be persons who are not NLTA members; they may receive all the benefits and services of council membership except the right to vote and to hold office.

Executive
The mandatory officers of a Special Interest Council shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer (or Secretary-Treasurer) and Communications Officer.

All Officers shall be elected at the AGM/BGM of the council.

Vacancies
The Executive shall have the power to fill, through appointment, offices becoming vacant during a council’s year. This shall not apply to the office of President.

A member of the executive absenting themselves for two consecutive meetings without showing good cause shall be deemed to have resigned.

Duties of Officers
See Appendix B. 

Meetings

A. AGM/BGM

Each council shall hold an AGM/BGM during which the agenda shall provide for the following topics:

  • Adoption of minutes from the preceding AGM/BGM and any special general meetings held in the interim.
  • The President’s report of council activities over the term of office of the Executive.
  • The Treasurer’s financial report, financial statement and budget.
  • The receiving of reports of committees where applicable.
  • Revisions to the fees for membership in the council for which the required notice of motion has been given, where applicable.
  • Amendments of the constitution and by-laws for which the required notice of motion has been served, where applicable.
  • The election of officers for the year ahead. Such election will be held early in the council’s BGM, enabling the outgoing and incoming Executive members to meet and facilitate the smooth transition of officers and record books.
  • Presentation of all required documents as outlined in Section III C.

B. Executive

  • The executive shall meet at regular intervals to conduct the affairs of the council between annual general meetings.
  • Executive members of provincial special interest councils shall be reimbursed for any expenses at existing NLTA rates and in accordance with NLTA procedures.

C. Other Meetings

  • The executive may call other meetings from time to time that it deems appropriate.
  • The provincial executive of the council shall be required to call an extraordinary general meeting upon the receipt of a written petition signed by the majority of council members (50% plus 1). Thirty days notice must be given for such a meeting.

Fees
Membership fees shall be established and may be changed by resolution at an annual general meeting of this council, provided such fees fall within the range of $5 to $100. This is applicable for active and other types of membership.

Quorum

  • For executive meetings, three of the officers shall constitute a quorum.
  • For general meetings, the number of members present shall constitute a quorum provided 30 days notice has been given for the meeting.

Nominating Committee
A nominating committee appointed by the Executive shall attempt to nominate at least one person for each elective position. At the AGM/BGM, nominations from the floor will be accepted.

Rules of Order
All meetings of the council, either of a provincial or affiliate nature, shall be governed by “Advice on the Conduct of Meetings,” published by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, supplemented by “Robert’s Rules of Order.”

Amendment of By-Laws
The by-laws may be amended by a majority vote of two-thirds of the voting members present, provided that notice of such amendments shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the general meeting or to a special meeting called for this purpose. All amendments shall be subject to the approval of the NLTA Professional Issues Committee.

Affiliates
In accordance with Association policy, Special Interest Councils may establish affiliates wherever possible. (See Section VII).

Annual Reporting
Councils shall submit annual reports as indicated in Section III C and complete Viability Profile and Annual Provincial Registration and Budget forms.

Submission of Resolutions
Resolutions may originate:

  • In any affiliate of the council
  • In any meeting of the general membership
  • In any executive meeting
  • From any individual member of the council

All resolutions shall be submitted to the executive of the council for consideration and actioning, following which relevant resolutions may be submitted to the Provincial Executive of the NLTA for its consideration.

Dissolution
In the event that the council or an affiliate of the council ceases to be active, namely, that the council or an affiliate thereof fails to form an executive or meet viability requirements, the assets of the council or the affiliate shall be disposed of at the discretion of the NLTA.