Dear members,
I would like to wish you all a safe and healthy 2015.
I have been in office since May 2014 as your Component Secretary-Treasurer. I work closely with our Component Accountant to review invoices and expense claim forms. I sign cheques and verify that there are two authorized signatures on every cheque. In addition to being a voting member of the Air Canada Component Executive (ACCEX), I am also responsible to ensure that the Component Bylaws and ACCEX motions are respected.
I have included below an update on the Component finances:
COMPONENT BUDGET
The 2014-2015 Component Budget was adopted at the July 2014 ACCEX meeting. A copy of the adopted Component budget has been forwarded to all of the Local Presidents to present at their Local Membership meetings. Local Presidents are members of ACCEX who vote along with the Component Officers in adopting a budget. I will also be proposing that the budget be made available on the Component website.
BYLAW CHANGE REFERENDUM
In August 2014, a referendum vote was conducted and the membership voted to adopt a bylaw change which would increase the amount of Union dues that would be allocated to each Local. Adopting this new Bylaw eliminates the augmentation the Locals were receiving from Component. The Bylaw took effect as of October 2014 when CUPE National President Paul Moist accepted the change to the Component Bylaws.
The new Bylaw states:
8.4.1 Local Budgets:
- The ACC shall remit the monthly budget for each Local with less than 2,000 members $3,250.00 base amount plus $8.00 per dues paying member.
- The ACC shall remit the monthly budget for each Local with 2,000 members or more $600.00 base amount plus $8.00 per dues paying member.
- The ACC shall remit an additional monthly budget for each Local with less than 500 members $3,000.00 a month.
COMPONENT EXPENSE POLICY
During the September 2014 ACCEX meeting, a Component Expense Policy was adopted which will apply to any member working at the Component level. The Component Expense Policy clearly defines expenses covered for Union work. This is the first time a Component Expense Policy has been adopted by ACCEX. A copy of this Expense Policy can be found on the Component website (www.accomponent.ca) under Resources > Downloads > General > Component Expense Policy – 2014.
PREVIOUS FISCAL YEAR – 2013-2014
For the fiscal year from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014, union dues received were $4,452,624.38.
Our unaudited numbers show that we were over budget by $28,183.83.
Greater detail will be provided once an accounting audit and a Component Trustee audit is completed.
FIRST QUARTER FOR THE 2014/2015 FISCAL YEAR: July to September, 2014
Union Dues: From July 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014, we have received $1,135,382.00 in Union dues.
ACCEX budget line: We went over for the ACCEX budget, which covers meeting rooms, transportation, hotels and per diems for ACCEX members. There was a greater amount of Component Executive meetings that took place during this period compared to the previous year, which has been due to preparations for bargaining and the bargaining survey.
FINANCIAL REVIEW FOR THE PERIOD OF FEBRUARY 2013 TO DECEMBER 2013
The Component Trustees have completed a financial review of the Component’s finances for the period of February 2013 to December 2013, which was due to the resignation of the Component Secretary-Treasurer. In a Component Trustee report, that was sent to me on May 28, 2014, they stated they have reviewed the balance sheets, accrued liabilities, accounts payable, expenses, salaries, and final statement of revenue. The only issue they found was that approximately $14,000 in cheques were not cashed by a member for work done at the Component. The cheques not cashed became stale dated, and new cheques were issued to the member. At this time, all newly issued cheques have been cashed.
ACCEX has made a request to the Component Trustees (via a motion at an ACCEX meeting in September 2014) to issue a bulletin to the membership in order to update the membership on their financial review for this period.
An audit will be done in the future by accounting auditors and the Component Trustees, and greater detail will be provided to the membership for this period in the form of a Component Trustee audit report.
NEXT AUDIT
The accounting auditors are working on the 2012/13 fiscal year. Once they have completed their audit, the Component Trustees will be able to begin, and complete, a trustee audit. Accounting auditors verify that proper accounting procedures are applied. Component Trustees verify that the CUPE Constitution is followed, and that the Component Bylaws and ACCEX motions have been respected.
In service to the membership,
Marc Roumy
Secretary-Treasurer
CUPE, Air Canada Component