OTBU Annual Meeting

OTBU Annual Meeting 2025

To: Secondary Occasional Teacher Members of OSSTF/FEESO District 13 Durham

From: Julia McCrea, OTBU President
Date: April 16, 2025

You are invited to attend, and this is notice of the

OSSTF/FEESO District 13 Durham OTBU Annual Meeting 2025
Date: Tuesday, May 20, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Online Virtual Meeting

DETAILS:

The OSSTF/FEESO District 13 Occasional Teachers’ Bargaining Unit Annual Meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, starting at 4:30 p.m. The meeting will take place on-line. All OTBU members in good standing are invited to attend. Members are asked to register in advance by link that will be sent in the OTBU UPDATE newsletter during April 2025 and May 2025. At the annual meeting, elections of the OTBU Executive for the 2025-2026 federation year and delegates to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly (AMPA) and discussion of resolutions proposed by members take place. Please find the timelines for nominations and resolutions which are referenced in the OTBU Constitution and Bylaws below.

For additional information or to be added to union communications including the OTBU UPDATE Newsletter please send your non-board/ personal email to: Julia.McCrea@d13.osstf.ca

ELECTIONS:

There are 6 elected executive positions and 3 delegates to the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly (AMPA) to be elected. 
Executive Positions: President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Equity, Anti-Racism, Anti-Oppression and Social Justice Lead.
Non-Executive Positions: AMPA Delegates      

Roles and responsibilities for each of the roles can be found below.

The 2024-2025 OTBU Constitution and Bylaws can be found here: june-13-2024-2025-constitution

IMPORTANT DATES/ TIMELINES for the  MAY 20, 2025, OSSTF/FEESO District 13 OTBU ANNUAL MEETING

Please check the OTBU pages of the District 13 website and OTBU UPDATE Newsletters and join our Member Communications List by sending an email from your personal (not Board) email account to julia.mccrea@d13.osstf.ca

The following nominations were received by the on-time deadline.  To be posted here.

Executive Committee
                     President - 
     First Vice-President - 
     Second Vice-President - 
                     Secretary - 
                     Treasurer - 
Anti-Oppression and Social Justice Lead - 

Provincial Assembly Delegates
Additional Delegate to the Provincial Assembly - 3 to be elected: 

1. administer the business of the Unit during the OSSTF/FEESO federation fiscal and membership year from July 1 to the following June 30;
2. establish interim policies and to amend existing policies in order to facilitate the business of the Unit, and to present those interim policies and amendments to the membership for ratification at the Annual Meeting;
3. provide for communication with the membership by means of a newsletter, memorandum, or communiqué, issued regularly by the Bargaining Unit or the Bargaining Unit President;
4. prepare, in conjunction with the Treasurer, a projected budget for presentation to the membership at the Annual Meeting, if possible, or, at the first general membership meeting held in the federation fiscal year;
5. give final approval to the Unit’s negotiating brief;
6. appoint a member(s) to the Collective Bargaining Team;
7. appoint Additional Delegate(s) to the Provincial Assembly, should the position go unfilled or the elected delegate(s) be unable to attend;
8. appoint Additional Representative(s) to District Council, should the position(s) go unfilled or the elected representative(s) be unable to attend;
9. elect or appoint members to the following positions as required:
   1. Lead Negotiator
   2. Collective Bargaining Team
   3. Grievance Representative(s)
   4. One additional Grievance Appeal Committee Member
   5. Communications Representative
   6. Health and Safety Representative
   7. Returning Representative
   8. Educational Services Representative
10. make its financial records available for audit by OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office upon notice of not fewer than five (5) working days;
11. make input to the District budget;
12. provide for the orderly transition of Unit records, materials, and documentation to the subsequently elected executive;
13. actively reach out to members to establish communication;
14. request an audit by OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office Finance department as required;
15. provide for professional development and social opportunities for the members;
16. attend professional development and/or union training relevant to position held; and,
17. attend Annual Meeting, General Meetings and Executive Meetings.

SECTION 2. It shall be the duty of the President to:

1. be the Chief Executive Representative and official representative of the Bargaining Unit;
2. be one of the signing representatives of the Unit;
3. call Unit Executive meetings and General Meetings as required;
4. liaise regularly with the President of the District or the District Executive where the President is also the District President;
5. submit reports each year to the OTBU Annual Meeting and the District Annual Meeting;
6. represent the Unit on the District Executive and the District Council if not already serving on District Executive and District Council by virtue of another position;
7. be the Unit Communications and Political Action Representative;
8. be a member of the OTBU Collective Bargaining Team;
9. represent the Unit at Provincial Council and Meetings of the Provincial Assembly or to appoint an alternate for all or part of these meetings should the President be unable to attend;
10. attend OSSTF/FEESO Regional Meetings, Conferences, and Leadership training opportunities, as appropriate;
11. serve or designate a representative to serve as the Chairperson of the Unit Executive;
12. sit as a member, ex-officio, of all OTBU Committees.
13. utilize the provincial OSSTF/FEESO transition checklist to ensure a smooth transition to the incoming president and executive, if not re-elected or vacating role for any reason; and
14. be the Unit Constitution Representative.
15. maintain the financial records and documentation of the Unit if a Treasurer is not elected, appointed or leaves their position, until a new Treasurer takes over;
16. submit reports to Executive Meetings and General Meetings as required;
17. inform the Chief Financial Officer/Associate General Secretary, Finance Department of OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Office if there is a change in Treasurer; and
18. arrange for the change of signatories on banking and investment records as of change of roles on the Executive.

SECTION 3. It shall be the duty of the First Vice-President to:

1. perform the duties of the President in the President's absence;
2. represent the Unit on District Council when the number of Representatives to the District Council, as specified in the District Constitution and Bylaws, is one or more;
3. be a member of the Collective Bargaining Team if not already serving on District Council by virtue of another position;
4. chair the OTBU Communications Committee;
5. represent the Unit on the District Executive and District Council, in the event that the President is elected or appointed to an additional position on the District Executive;
6. carry out other duties as may be delegated by the President.
7. be one of the signing representatives of the unit, when more than two (2) signing representatives are required; and
8. submit reports to the Annual Meeting, General Meetings and Executive Meetings as required.

SECTION 4. It shall be the duty of the Second Vice-President to:

1. perform the duties of the First Vice-President in their absence;
2. represent the Unit on District Council if not already serving on District Council by virtue of another position;
3. coordinate the Professional Development and Social activities of the Unit;
4. carry out the duties of the Educational Services Representative;
5. attend Provincial and Regional Educational Services conferences and workshops, as required;
6. carry out other duties as may be delegated by the President.
7. be one of the signing representatives of the unit when more than three (3) signing representatives are required; and
8. submit reports to the Annual Meeting, General Meetings and Executive Meetings as required.

SECTION 5. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to:

1. receive correspondence on behalf of the Unit;
2. take minutes and keep the records of Unit Executive meetings, General Meetings, and the Annual Meeting;
3. carry out other duties as may be delegated by the President;
4. represent the unit on District Council, if not already serving on District Council by virtue of another position.
5. submit draft minutes for adoption to the Annual Meeting, General Meetings and Executive Meetings.

SECTION 6. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to:

1. keep accurate account of Unit funds and report to each Executive, General Meeting, and Annual Meeting regarding the status of Unit funds;
2. at least twice a year, provide to the Bargaining Unit Executive financial reports which include expenses to date for each budget line and the financial position of the Bargaining Unit, including all Bargaining Unit assets, and forward the reports to the District Treasurer;
3. present the projected budget on behalf of the Unit Executive to the Members for approval at the Annual Meeting;
4. carry out other duties as may be delegated by the President;
5. represent the unit on District Council, if not already serving on District Council by virtue of another position.
6. be one of the signing representatives of the unit;
7. shall prepare an Annual Financial Report for presentation to the Annual Meeting and District;
8. arrange to pass on financial records and related documentation, when leaving the position, to the President of the Unit and new Treasurer in a timely fashion; and
9. maintain and organize the financial records and documentation of the Unit, including the following: accounting files including bank statement and vouchers, blank cheques, computerized accounting program, any bargaining unit equipment, and, Income Statement as of the last day in role and Balance Sheet as of the last day in role.

1. Advise and assist the UNIT executive and UNIT membership to implement the following OSSTF/FEESO goals to dismantle racism and oppression within OSSTF/FEESO and to create a truly equitable, inclusive, and accessible Federation;
   • address disproportionality and disparity in member engagement, participation, and representation;
   • include and amplify the experiences of members of First Nation, Métis, Inuit, and equity deserving groups in Federation discourse, governance, and practices;
   • build Federation knowledge and union-specific skills to increase representation in leadership roles;
   • cultivate sustainable relationships with community members and organizations to work together to address socio-economic and other inequities, racism, and oppression in publicly funded education;
   • promote equity, anti-racism and anti-oppression in the Federation, publicly funded education sectors, the labour movement, and in the broader society;
2. advise, and assist the Unit executive and membership to develop strategies to dismantle racism and oppression within OSSTF/FEESO and to create a truly equitable, inclusive, and accessible Federation, which can include;
   • examine organizational structure to identify areas of concern;
   • consult, research, review;
   • develop recommendations;
   • implement action;
   • assess and evaluate action to determine next steps.
3. attend professional development, union training or mentorship opportunities provided for OSSTF/FEESO equity, anti-oppression, anti-racism, social justice, human rights, and status of women leads as appropriate;
4. assist in planning professional development and/or creation of resources for members on related topics;
5. report to the membership at general meeting and Annual meetings; and
6. carry out other duties as may be delegated by the President.

SECTION 13. It shall be the duty of the Delegate(s) to the Provincial Assembly to attend the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly, and Special Meetings as called, during their term of office and to submit reports to the Annual Meeting, General Meetings and Executive Meetings as required.