Saturday’s annual general meeting of the Yukon Teacher’s Association was a bust, says former president Sandra Henderson.
“At times in the meeting there were not enough members present for us to achieve quorum,” she said.
Henderson was voted out of presidency. She’s replaced by Jim Tredger, who is currently principal of Jack Hulland Elementary School.
Tredger won after receiving 284 out of the 484 votes cast.
According to Henderson, immediately after the new president was elected 60 members left the meeting. Several more members left after a motion to increase the president’s salary was passed.
Tredger’s salary is now set at the highest rate of pay an education administrator can receive.
This year, he’ll make $110,000. Henderson’s salary was $86,000.
The way the voting at the meeting occurred is really a problem, said Henderson.
“It’s almost an ethical issue,” she said.
She is concerned that the members that were at the meeting to cast proxy votes for other members had no direction on how to vote.
At a meeting on Friday, people said they had four proxies and their own vote.
“They had no direction from the people that gave them the proxies on how to vote, so that means that the person carrying the proxies has five votes and can vote whichever way they feel,” said Henderson.
“I don’t think that’s healthy.
“After the people got what they wanted in regard to the president’s pay being increased significantly someone called quorum. We did not get into the business of our meeting.”
Important items weren’t discussed and voted on said Henderson.
Reports from standing committees, constitutional policy changes and membership motions fell to the wayside because of lack of quorum at the meeting, she said.
Thirty-five per cent of the 714-member association — about 250 members — had to be present at the meeting for quorum to be reached.
Tredger, who will assume the association’s presidency in July, said he’s feeling pretty excited about the opportunity to serve the members of Yukon Teacher’s Association.
He wants to work with the government as an advocate for education.
“I believe teachers are an important advocate for children and should have their voices heard,” said Tredger.
Tredger, 55, has been an educator for 22 years.
He has worked in Yukon school administration for 17 years and has been based out of Pelly Crossing and Whitehorse Elementary.
Tredger will be completing the remainder of the academic year at Jack Hulland before taking a leave of absence to begin his job with the association.
Contact Sarah Fox at sarahf@yukon-news.com