Labour / Le Travail
Issue 84 (2019)
minutes / procès-verbal
Canadian Committee on Labour History
Annual General Meeting
5 June 2019
University of British Columbia, Musqueam Territory
The meeting was called to order at 12:15 pm with CCLH President
Kirk Niergarth in the Chair.
attendees:
Kirk Niergarth (President), Julia Smith, Ben Isitt (Secretary), Rhonda Hinther, Christo Aivalis, James Naylor, Charles Smith, Mikhail Bjorge, Kassandra Luciuk, Edward Dunsworth, Peter Graham
1. approval of agenda
It was moved by Kirk Niergarth, seconded by Charles Smith, that the agenda be adopted as presented.
Carried unanimously.
2. approval of minutes of 2018 agm
It was moved by Edward Dunsworth, seconded by James Naylor, that the minutes of the 2018 AGM of the CCLH be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
3. treasurer’s report
The President delivered a written version of the Treasurer’s Report on behalf of Greg Kealey, who was unable to attend the meeting in person. The report indicated that the CCLH had had a good financial year and that the relationship with Athabasca University Press remained strong. The treasurer expressed the appreciation of the CCLH to Linda Kadis for her contributions to CCLH during her years of service with AU Press.
It was moved by Ben Isitt, seconded by Charles Smith, that the Treasurer’s Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously
4. social media report
Christo Aivalis reported on the progress of the CCLH social media platforms, inviting submissions to the CCLH website.
Following discussion among CCLH members it was moved by Ben Isitt, seconded by Kirk Niergarth, that:
The cclh executive be requested to investigate the expansion of bilingual content on the cclh website.
Carried unanimously.
It was moved by Kirk Niergarth, seconded by Edward Dunsworth, that the Social Media Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
5. labour /le travail report
Labour/Le Travail Co-Editor Charles Smith reported on the journal, sending regrets from Co-Editor Joan Sangster.
He said that the journal is in good financial shape, including the renewal of sshrc funding.
Submissions to the journal are healthy, including bilingual submissions. There is an interest in including content relating to contemporary labour and working-class issues, including shorter contributions for publication online.
The journal’s print run has been consistent, with a slight drop in subscriptions, relating to several factors including the ongoing trend of institutional subscribers toward digital subscriptions.
Following discussion among CCLH members, it was moved by Charles Smith, seconded by Mikhail Bjorge, that the Editors’ Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
6. president’s report
Kirk Niergarth reported that the CCLH had had a very successful year, including the Saskatoon conference on labour and working-class history in October 2018 and various commemorative events in the spring of 2019 relating to the centenary of the Winnipeg General Strike, including the highly successful conference in Winnipeg.
He expressed appreciation to Charles Smith, Joan Sangster, Andrea Samoil, and Christo Aivalis for their efforts in organizing the Saskatoon conference, and appreciation to Andrea Samoil and John-Henry Harter for their efforts organizing the CCLH walking tour and workshop in conjunction with Congress 2019 in Vancouver.
The President expressed the view that the CCLH should continue to expand its profile and activities beyond Congress, while continuing to promote working-class and labour history perspectives at cha and Congress.
It was moved by Charles Smith, seconded by Rhonda Hinther, that the President’s Report be adopted.
Carried unanimously.
6. small grants program
The President raised a matter of old business relating to a proposed CCLH grant program to support small-scale projects in labour and working-class history.
It was moved by Kirk Niergarth, seconded by Jim Naylor, that:
The Executive be empowered to initiate a pilot program to support small scale projects with grants totalling $1000 per year, with the pilot program running for a five-year duration, and a review by the executive and membership at the end of this five-year term.
Following discussion by CCLH members, the motion carried unanimously.
7. motion arising: congress fees for executive members
Building on the discussion from the previous agenda item, with reference to the established practice of the Canadian Committee on Women’s and Gender History, it was moved by Rhonda Hinther, seconded by Kassanda Luciuk, that:
The cclh cover the cost of fees associated with Congress / cha attendance for Executive members who do not have access to other funding sources, to encourage participation of new and precariously employed scholars in the work of cclh and cha.
Carried unanimously.
8. next cclh conference
The President introduced a proposal for a follow-up, stand-alone CCLH conference, building on the success of the October 2018 conference in Saskatoon.
Members discussed factors including timing, the purpose of the conference, potential locations, and potential collaboration with cawls and the labour movement.
It was moved by Kirk Niergarth, seconded by Julia Smith, that:
The cclh Executive strike a committee to organize a cclh Working-Class History conference for 2021.
Following discussion, the motion carried unanimously.
9. elections
The President stated that there was one vacancy for a table officer position to be filled at this year’s AGM, and opened nominations for the position of Second Vice-President.
Mikhail Bjorge was nominated by Ben Isitt. Mikhail Bjorge accepted the nomination.
The President asked for further nominations for the position of Second Vice-President.
There being no further nominations, Mikhail Bjorge was acclaimed as Second Vice-President of the CCLH.
Members discussed the nomination of additional at-large members to support the work of table officers identified in the bylaws, to help advance gender parity on the executive committee, and to encourage succession of leadership within the CCLH.
The President opened nominations for at-large members to support the work of the executive.
Kassandra Luciuk was nominated by Ben Isitt for the position of at-large member. Kassandra Luciuk accepted the nomination.
Julia Smith was nominated by Ben Isitt for the position of at-large member. Julia Smith declined the nomination.
Rhonda Hinther was nominated by Ben Isitt for the position of at-large member. Rhonda Hinther declined the nomination.
The President called for further nominations for the position of at-large members.
There being no further nominations, Kassandra Luciuk was acclaimed as an at-large member to support the work of the executive.
It was moved by Julia Smith, seconded by Ben Isitt, that:
The cclh executive be directed to explore introducing an amendment to the bylaws at the 2020 cclh agm to create a mechanism for the election of at-large members to the cclh Executive.
Carried unanimously.
10. congress 2020 workshop
Members discussed planning for the CCLH Workshop at Congress 2020 in London, Ontario.
Members discussed potential contacts in the labour movement and academia to work with CCLH in hosting the workshop.
It was agreed that Kirk Niergarth and Mikhail Bjorge would reach out to potential partners for hosting the 2020 CCLH Workshop at Congress and report back to the CCLH Executive.
11. new business
Members considered two items of new business.
It was moved by Kirk Niergarth, seconded by Rhonda Hinther, that:
The cclh reimburse Mikhail Bjorge in the amount of $87 for expenses incurred in relation to light catering at the 2019 cclh agm.
Carried unanimously.
It was moved by Rhonda Hinther, seconded by Ben Isitt, that:
The cclh Executive be requested to arrange for food at a cost not to exceed $100 for the 2020 cclh agm and future agms.
Carried unanimously.
12. adjournment
It was moved by Rhonda Hinther, seconded by Mikhail Bjorge, that the meeting adjourn.
Carried unanimously.
The meeting adjourned at 1:20 pm.
Copyright © 2019 by the Canadian Committee on Labour History. All rights reserved.
Tous droits réservés, © « le Comité canadien sur l’histoire du travail », 2019.