INTRODUCING THE A.R.E.Q. JUNE 2007
MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT Welcome to the A.R.E.Q.! You re now part of our big Arequian family. You have just joined over 42,000 members, who are all retired. Right from the time Laure Gaudreault founded it in 1961, the A.R.E.Q. has been committed to improving retired people s living conditions and defending their rights and interests. This is an association of retirees who hail from a union affiliated with the CSQ. Your new Association offers you many province-wide services and keeps you informed through its magazine Quoi de neuf? But it is also closer to you in that you belong to a region and a sector. Every one of the ten regions organizes regional activities and holds a general assembly. Each of the 93 sectors will be delighted to receive you. Every sector organizes activities to respond to its members expectations and interests; it will keep you abreast of them either by word of mouth or through a newsletter. Become engaged to act Retirement is not a leave from citizenship, A.R.E.Q. former President André Goulet liked to say. Indeed, although you re retired, you are still a full-fledged citizen. Perhaps you re involved in municipal or school activities or you re a volunteer working with elderly women and men or young people; you benefit from public services; you are still contributing to the community by paying taxes and providing services. Now that you are a member of the A.R.E.Q., you have many choices to become involved as a volunteer, if you wish, at the sectoral, regional or provincial level. Taking part in activities in your sector is the first kind of engagement we hope for. One receives as much by giving as by receiving. Our names are no longer on a list of employees, but we must take our place in society, continue learning and developing (we have as many wonderful years ahead of us as those we spent at work) and help improve everyone s living conditions. I wish you a retirement during which you develop your potential fully, one that meets your aspirations and your dreams, while you enjoy the best possible health! Mariette Gélinas President 3
1. BACKGROUND One of the A.R.E.Q. s particular features and actually a source of envy among many other groups of formerly unionized retirees is the ties it maintains with its original central labour body and the numerous advantages stemming from these ties. Brief history In 1961 Laure Gaudreault, founder of the first trade union that gave rise to the CSQ, laid the groundwork for the Association des instituteurs et institutrices catholiques retraités du Québec. She was impelled by the poverty in which most of her retired colleagues lived. With the backing of the Corporation des instituteurs et institutrices catholiques du Québec (CIC), to which she belonged, she recruited 295 members. The first goal of the new organization was to get the government to revise teachers retirement pensions. Since union dues amounted to just six dollars a year, the Association could never have survived without the financial, technical and political support of the central labour body. In fact, it was the latter that led the battle for the indexation of pensions at the bargaining table, backed of course by the A.R.E.Q. s briefs and interventions before the government. The concerted action produced the first major gain: the indexation of pensions in 1969, and many other achievements followed: 1973 - Adjustment of previously acquired pensions to be calculated on the basis of a minimum salary of $5000. 1978 - First issue of the newsletter Quoi de neuf? appeared. 1979 - Introduction of the first group insurance plan offered to retired persons, with the financial participation of all CSQ members. 1985 - Survey of all A.R.E.Q. members on the living conditions of people retired from the field of education in Québec. 1990 - Fondation Laure-Gaudreault set up. 1992 - A.R.E.Q. gave itself a mission. 1997 - First biennial Congress. 2001 - A.R.E.Q. s 40 th anniversary. 2003 Policy Congress 2004 Special Congress on the Statutes 2007 Seminar: Still on the go during retirement 5
2. MISSION The Association has developed considerably since it was founded, but the reasons for its existence have not changed. The reasons are included in the mission that the members decided on during the 1992 Congress: 1 - To defend and promote the economic, cultural, social and moral interests of its members. 2 - Contribute to the establishment of a more egalitarian and democratic society. 3 - Work specifically to achieve the right to grow old in safety and with dignity. 4 - Contribute to the promotion and exercise of women s rights. Solitude is the worst ill of retirement. Fostering new social networks and the continuation of an active, creative lifestyle for its members are also among the Association s permanent objectives. To achieve these aims, the A.R.E.Q. promotes a well-planned retirement. It is committed to have members maintain an adequate quality of life by providing them with basic services. The A.R.E.Q. is of the opinion that retirement is a normal, enriching stage of life in which a more independent but still useful life becomes possible. Fostering good physical and mental health, starting projects to make retirement active and socially useful, and appreciating the talents of each individual are enduring features of the A.R.E.Q. s policy. Consequently, the Association develops projects specifically aimed at countering or mitigating unwanted solitude, lack of affection, feelings of uselessness, loss of autonomy, failure to appreciate one s talents, scant human contact, and failing physical and mental health. Finally, the A.R.E.Q. set up structures and a newsletter called Quoi de neuf?, thanks to which all members can be reached. 3. STRUCTURES (see diagram, pp 17-18) The A.R.E.Q. s structures were designed to easily reach members anywhere in Québec and to communicate with them democratically when important decisions must be made. The Association s territory covers the entire province of Québec. That is why the A.R.E.Q. set up political structures and bodies best able to respond to members needs. 6
CONGRESS: This is the supreme body of the Association. Every three years, it brings together 500 to 700delegates, including the members of the Provincial Council. It decides on general policy and guidelines, elects the members of the Executive Council, sets the annual dues, and adopts the Statutes and By-laws. The Congress is the foremost decision-making body. (Statutes, section 4.00) PROVINCIAL COUNCIL: This is the highest authority between Congresses. It is made up of the Board of Administration members and the sectoral presidents. It meets twice a year to discuss subjects determined by the Board of Administration. The Council has decision-making powers regarding the plan of action and the budget. (Statutes, section 5.00) BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION: It is composed of the five members of the Executive Council and the ten advisors elected to the presidency of each region. It carries out Congress decisions and sees that they are implemented. (Statutes, section 6.00) EXECUTIVE COUNCIL: It is made up of the five people elected by the Congress. It administers the Association s assets, has a secretariat, sees to the smooth running of the various services and carries out Board of Administration decisions. (Statutes, section 7.00) REGION: This is the first subdivision of the Association; its territory is determined by a Board of Administration resolution. It is composed of the members in all the sectors belonging to it. The A.R.E.Q. has ten regions that divide the province as follows (Statutes, section 14.00): REGIONS 01 Bas Saint-Laurent Gaspésie Les Îles Côte-Nord 02 Saguenay Lac Saint-Jean 03 Québec Chaudière-Appalaches 04 Coeur et Centre du Québec 05 Estrie 06 Île de Montréal 07 Outaouais 08 Abitibi-Témiscamingue 09 Montérégie 10 Laurentie REGIONAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY: It is made up of all the members of a region. It meets once a year. The general assembly elects the members of the Regional Executive Committee, votes on regional planning and gives its opinion on the Association s principal directions. (Statutes, section 14.00) REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE: It is composed of the five people elected by the Regional General Assembly. It administers the region s assets and 7
prepares the regional plan and the cohesion plan to be submitted to the Regional Council. (Statutes, section 15.00) REGIONAL COUNCIL: It is made up of the regional president and all the sectoral presidents of the region. It plans, coordinates and supports the implementation of the A.R.E.Q. plan of action in the region and within the sectors. It establishes policies for the distribution of sums received from the Association and makes known to the Board of Administration both members and sectors needs and expectations with respect to the A.R.E.Q. (Statutes, section 16.00). REGIONAL SESSION: It is made up of the regional president and all members of the sectoral steering committees of a region. It is convened at least once every two years and enables members to receive political and technical training in connection with the Association s main directions. (Statutes, section 20.00) SECTOR: This is the Association s basic structure. It is composed of all the members living in a given territory determined by the Board of Administration. At the present time, the Association s 93 sectors are distributed as follows (Statutes, section 21.00): Region 01 Bas St-Laurent Gaspésie Les Îles Côte-Nord (11 sectors) A) Matane - B) Des Monts - C) Baie-des-Chaleurs - D) Rocher-Percé- E) Valléede-la-Matapédia - F) Rimouski (La Neigette) - G) Îles-de-la-Madeleine - H) Mitis - J) Côte-Nord - Sept-Îles - K) Côte Nord - Baie-Comeau - L) Des Falaises. Region 02 Saguenay Lac St-Jean (5 sectors) A) Chicoutimi-Valin - B) Le Fjord - C) De La Jonquière - D) Lac Saint-Jean - E) Louis-Hémon. Region 03 Québec Chaudière-Appalaches (12 sectors) A) Cap Diamant - B) Grand-Portage - C) Pascal-Taché - D) Des Deux-Rives - E) Charlesbourg - F) Chauveau - G) Louis-Fréchette - H) Charlevoix - J) Beauce- Etchemins - K) Portneuf - L) Amiante - M) Beauport - Côte-de-Beaupré. Region 04 Cœur et Centre du Québec (8 sectors) A) Trois-Rivières- B) Mauricie (Shawinigan) - C) Nicolet - D) Bois-Francs -E) Drummondville - F) La Tuque - G) Cap-de-la-Madeleine - H) Louiseville. Region 05 Estrie (8 sectors) A) Sherbrooke Ouest et Nord - B) Lac Mégantic - C) Asbesterie - D) Sherbrooke Est - Fleurimont - E) Coaticook - F) Magog - G) Morilac- J) East-Angus. 8
Region 06 Île de Montréal (16 sectors) A) Ahuntsic-Est - B) De la Montagne - C) Sainte-Croix - D) Jean-Talon - E) Montréal-Nord - F) Parc Lafontaine - G) Mercier-Est - H) Ouest de l Île - J) Pointe-aux-Trembles - K) Parc-Maisonneuve - L) Lachine - M) Angrignon - N) Ahuntsic-Ouest - P) Rosemont - R) Saint-Léonard - S) Anjou. Region 07 Outaouais (7 sectors) A) Haute-Gatineau - B) Pontiac - C) La Lièvre - D) Petite-Nation - E) Hull- Aylmer - G) Des Draveurs - H) Ottawa. Region 08 Abitibi-Témiscamingue (6 sectors) A) La Vérendrye - B) Rouyn-Noranda - C) Témiscamingue - D) La Sarre - E) Harricana - F) Senneterre. Region 09 Montérégie (11 sectors) A) Bas-Richelieu - B) Châteauguay-Moissons - C) Lajemmerais - D) Des Prairies - Brossard - E) Vieux-Longueuil - F) La Pommeraie - G) Haut-Richelieu - H) Richelieu-Yamaska - J) Le Suroît - K) L Hexagone - L) Les Trois Lacs. Region 10 Laurentie (9 sectors) A) Lanaudière - B) Chomedey Laval - C) Rivière-du-Nord - D) Deux- Rivières - E) Laurentides - F) Seigneurie-des-Mille-Îles - G) Hautes-Rivières - H) Des Affluents - J) De Laval. SECTORAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY: It is composed of all the members of a sector. It convenes at least once a year to elect the steering committee members and to take the measures it considers appropriate to carry out the Association s plan of action within its area. (Statutes, section 21.00) SECTORAL STEERING COMMITTEE: It is made up of the five people elected at the Sectoral General Assembly. It administers the sector s assets and prepares the annual plan of action to be submitted to the general assembly. (Statutes, section 22.00) 9
4. SERVICES Being a provincial organization, the A.R.E.Q. must deliver its services to all of its members. The services are of different kinds and are provided at the provincial, regional or sectoral level. Here is a brief list: - The Association represents retirement plan beneficiaries before CARRA and sees to solving individual problems (CSQ and A.R.E.Q. resources). - It represents group insurance plan beneficiaries before the SSQ, negotiates contracts and settles individual problems (CSQ and A.R.E.Q. resources) - It provides general information to members (puts out Quoi de neuf?, consultation on different subjects). - Processing of data concerning members (lists, labels and other requests). - It coordinates making representations before other organizations and government bodies (defending members economic, social and ethical interests). - It trains members elected at the provincial, regional or sectoral level. - It provides personalized service mainly regarding retirement and insurance plans. - It coordinates and holds retirement planning sessions for future retirees. - All the resource persons offer assistance to the regions and sectors in as many fields of expertise as possible. - It assists members through the provincial secretariat on matters of dues, collection of dues, information and any specific requests. - Other services. 5. COMMITTEES The A.R.E.Q. set up committees whose purpose is to work on specific aspects of the plan of action with the overall goal of meeting members needs. 10
Among the statutory committees and those appointed by the Board of Administration are the following: - Information Committee - Insurance Committee - Retirement Committee - Committee on the Status of Women - Socio-political Action Committee - Committee on Environmental Education - Finance Committee - Elections Committee - Congress Committee Statutory - Statutes Committee 6. WHO CAN JOIN THE A.R.E.Q.? The A.R.E.Q. can accept as members all retired persons coming from a union affiliated with the CSQ. In the main, members are: - retired people who had jobs in the field of education and are covered by different pension plans: RRE, RRF, RREGOP, RRCE; - the recipients of a disability pension paid by an insurer; - retired people who were members of a union affiliated with the CSQ; - retired people who were employed by the CSQ or one of its affiliates; - the surviving spouses of A.R.E.Q. members. 7. RELATIONS WITH THE CSQ AND OTHER AFFILIATIONS The A.R.E.Q. is a component of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec. It has 49,500 members on May 31, 2007, as compared with only 3000 in 1975. Its representatives participate in the CSQ Congress, its General Council and Inter-sector Council, and different CSQ working committees. The A.R.E.Q. keeps the ties going between the employees of yesterday and the ex-employees of today: CSQ yesterday in the union, CSQ today in the A.R.E.Q. The A.R.E.Q. is affiliated with national organizations that have among their objectives to bring together seniors groups, to strengthen ties between Frenchspeaking older persons, to develop in older people the concern to remain autonomous and to participate actively in society. 11
The Association also belongs to Centraide-Secteur public and is involved in concrete ways. Moreover, it is a member of groupings such as the Alliance des associations de retraités prestataires des régimes complémentaires de retraite du Québec, the Coalition Vieillir sans violence, the Coalition Eau-Secours, the Fédération des femmes du Québec, the Coalition Solidarité-Santé, the Association québécoise de gérontologie and the Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO). 8. FONDATION LAURE-GAUDREAULT The A.R.E.Q. set up a foundation whose aims are to help members in need, to contribute to medical research on older people and to encourage work with youth. A.R.E.Q. members may become members of the foundation and thus make contributions. It is the regions that decide which projects to support in their area. 9. A.R.E.Q. OFFICES The A.R.E.Q. s provincial secretariat is at CSQ headquarters in Québec City. It collaborates and coordinates with the CSQ s different departments to deliver services to A.R.E.Q. members. Specifically, the A.R.E.Q. has access to the social security sector department, which provides expertise on the following matters: pension plan (including representation at CARRA), personal insurance (SSQ Groupe financier), property insurance (RésAut) and employment insurance. When we are concerned about other important topics, we always have the indispensable support of the CSQ s departments. A skilled staff ensure that members receive the services they need: secretarial, information, dues, notices, collection, bookkeeping, insurance, etc. The secretariat also handles computer services and updates membership lists for every sector. The A.R.E.Q. puts out a news magazine called Quoi de neuf?, sent by mail to all members. In addition, all members requests and questions are handled in a considerate, personal manner 12
You can contact the A.R.E.Q. by mail or telephone: Address: A.R.E.Q. 320, rue St-Joseph Est Québec (Québec) G1K 9E7 Telephone: 418 525-0611 1-800-663-2408 Fax: 418 525-0769 10. MEMBERSHIP A unique right reserved for members of unions affiliated with the CSQ is that, on taking retirement, they may continue to have health and life insurance coverage through the group insurance plan for CSQ retirees (ASSUREQ). To benefit from this right, two conditions apply: you must become and remain a member of the A.R.E.Q. and ASSUREQ. All you have to do is to fill out the appropriate forms in the kit provided by SSQ Groupe financier. You will receive all the information connected with membership at the sessions on planning for retirement (lecture on insurance), or you may contact our staff at the provincial office. 11. DUES Dues are set at 0.34% of the pension income paid by CARRA or the disability pension or its equivalent from a complementary retirement fund. There is a $1 registration fee that must be paid with the first annual dues. A space is provided on the A.R.E.Q. membership form to calculate your first annual dues, which CARRA deducts each month. If you receive a pension paid by CARRA, your dues will automatically be deducted at source, since the Association s Statutes stipulate that you must authorize this deduction when you fill out the membership form. 13