The Laws of Fræðagarður
Article 1 Association Name and Purpose
The name of the Association is Fræðagarður, abbreviated FRG. Its home and forum is in Reykjavík. The member area covers the whole country. The Association is an independent trade union. The Association is a member of the union of university-educated workers or other union organizations. Decisions on such membership must be made at the Association's annual general meeting.
Article 2. Role
The role of the Association is:
· To act as an agreement agent for members with respect to their employers
· To protect the rights of members in the labour market
· To inform members about their rights and obligations
· To work on members' safety in the workplace along with the appropriate institutions
· To promote cooperation with national and foreign trade unions and organizations that handle and discuss issues related to their work.
Article 3 General Membership
Those who have completed a BA or BS degree or equivalent from a recognized university can become full members. Membership is independent of workplace, employer or form of employment.
Only those members who pay fees to the association and have received confirmation of this have full membership. Employees of Fræðagarður, employees of partners and funds that Fræðagarður is a member of can become full members, regardless of university education.
Article 4 University Student Membership
Students who have completed at least 60 credits (ECTS) of university education can apply for student membership.
Student membership gives right to participate in Fræðagarður’s social activities, including educational and conference activities, as well as freedom of speech and the right to make proposals at association meetings.
If university students pay a membership fee from their salary during the study period, they will receive full membership of the association and its related funds.
Student membership can never last longer than a total of four years.
Article 5 Membership Application
Applications for membership must be formal and confirmation of completion of studies from a recognized university must accompany the application. The Association's board of directors deliberates membership applications at formal board meetings. A response to a membership application must be received by the applicant within two months.
Article 6 Resignation of General Partners
When the Association stops receiving payments of fees, the member becomes inactive and no longer a member of Fræðagarður. If payments stop being received after suspension of work has been announced by the relevant member's employer or during suspension of work, the member is considered an active member.
Article 7 Annual General Meetings
The annual general meeting of Fræðagarður has the highest authority in all matters of the Association. The annual general meeting shall be held in February each year. The board may decide to organize an on-site meeting, an electronic meeting, or a combination of the two. The invitation to the annual general meeting must be sent electronically to members with at least two weeks’ notice. Meeting announcements must be published on Fræðagarður's website and/or sent to members' e-mail addresses.
An annual general meeting is legal if it is legally convened.
The annual general meeting may be advanced if it is deemed necessary and is legal if convened with legal notice.
Proposals and/or resolutions that the members wish to take into consideration at the annual general meeting must be submitted to the Association's board no later than seven days before the convened annual general meeting. Such proposals must be specified in the documents of the annual general meeting.
At an annual general meeting, the following matters must be considered:
1. Meeting order
2. Election of chairman and secretary
3. Board's report
4. The Association's annual accounts submitted
5. Discussion on the report of the board and the processing of accounts
6. Amendments
7. Budget and decisions on membership fees
8. Electronic board election. Results presented:
a. Election of chairman every four years
b. Election of vice-chairman every other year
c. Election of two to three main members for two years
d. Election of two deputies for one year
9. Other matters.
The board is authorized to add program items on specific issues of interest and/or addresses by guests. It must be explored at the beginning of the annual general meeting whether all the members of the annual general meeting are full members of Fræðagarður.
Article 8 Board of Fræðagarður
The Association's board shall be composed of seven full members, legally elected in an electronic election held before the annual general meeting.
The board is authorized to hold an electronic election, whether it is an election to the board or a vote on collective agreements.
The chairman and vice-chairman are elected separately, but not in the same year. In other respects, the board works jointly. Board members shall be elected for a two-year term, while the chairman shall be elected for a four-year term. In addition to them, two deputies shall be elected for one year. Efforts should be made to ensure that no more than three board members leave in a given year.
No board member shall serve on the board for more than eight years at a time. However, the chairman's previous duties on the board of Fræðagarður must be excluded.
The Association's board is responsible for the Association's operation, office membership and financial administration. The board makes decisions regarding the operation of the Association's office and hires employees. The board is responsible for the operation of the office.
The Association's board shall hold a board meeting at least monthly, except in the month of July. The chairman calls meetings with an agenda with the necessary notice and leads the meetings of the board. The minutes of the board meeting must be recorded at the meeting and approved at the end of the meeting.
The chairman or vice-chairman in the absence of the chairman shall call a board meeting if two or more board members so request.
The board shall endeavour to communicate information about the Association's projects to members so that they can regularly monitor the progress and status of matters that concern their interests.
The Association's board is responsible for the Association's collective agreements.
Article 9 Electoral Commission
The board appoints an electoral commission and its chairman no later than December 31 each year. The Electoral Commission shall be composed of three members and one deputy who are not members of the Association's board or candidates for a seat on the Association's board.
The Electoral Commission accepts candidates for board or committee seats before the annual general meeting. Before the annual general meeting is convened, candidacy must be advertised and all candidates must appear in the annual general meeting notice. No other candidates are expected at the annual general meeting than those mentioned in the annual general meeting notice, unless there are not enough candidates to fill confidential positions.
The Electoral Commission shall oversee the preparation and conduct of elections, decide on eligibility and right to vote, oversee the counting of votes and decide on the validity of questionable votes. If the result of the election is that two or more candidates are tied, a drawing of lots shall be done.
Voting shall be electronic and shall be open for electronic voting at least seven days before the annual general meeting. The election results must be presented at the annual general meeting. If the election of the chairman and vice-chairman takes place before other elections for the annual general meeting, the results must be announced when the votes have been counted.
Article 10 Representative Body
Within Fræðagarður is a representative body made up of the board and representatives of formal professional groups under the aegis of the Association. Representatives of professional groups advise the Association's board on strategic matters and meets at least twice a year.
Article 11 General Association Meetings
The board calls general association meetings when the occasion arises. Such meetings can be held outside the capital area in cooperation with members in those parts of the country or with remote meeting equipment.
General association meetings shall be held as often as necessary. They should be announced in a reliable manner.
The authorization to call a strike must be submitted to the vote of all the members concerned, and the majority of the votes cast determines the outcome of that vote in order for the decision to be considered valid.
Article 12 Representatives
Representatives must work on behalf of the Association, cf. law on collective agreements of public employees no. 94/1986 and Act on Trade Unions and Labor Disputes no. 80/1938. They appoint a board of representatives, which is the board and/or the Association's negotiation committee to assist in the formulation of negotiation policies and supervise the implementation of collective agreements.
Article 13 Voting and Rules of Procedure
Members who are full members have the right to vote at annual general meetings and general association meetings and the right to sit on the board. A list of full members must be available at least three months before the annual general meeting.
The majority of votes cast determines the outcome of elections and handling of general matters. The general rules for rules of procedure apply to FRG meetings.
Article 14 Finances
The Association's board is responsible for the Association's finances and all operations. All decisions on irregular expenses and financial obligations for the Association must be taken for formal processing at board meetings.
The financial year of the annual accounts shall be based on the calendar year, and the board shall have the Association's accounts audited.
Audited annual accounts must be presented at the annual general meeting signed by the auditor, the board and the managing director.
Annual accounts must be submitted for inspection at the last board meeting before the annual general meeting and explained by the treasurer. They must be submitted at the annual general meeting signed by the auditors, the board and the managing director.
Article 15 Membership fees
The membership fees of general members and students must be determined at the annual general meeting.
If the payer of the membership fee has not formally applied for membership in the Association within two years of the first payment being received by the Association, the Association's board may refuse to accept further payment from the payer. The payer of membership fees is not entitled to a refund of membership fees already received in such circumstances.
Article 16 Amendments
This law can only be amended at an annual general meeting with 2/3 of the votes cast. The board's proposals for amendments must be announced in a meeting notice at least two weeks in advance.
Article 17 Winding Up of the Association
The Association will only be wound up if the winding up is approved in the same way as applies to amendments. The meeting for the winding up of the Association decides on the disposal of the Association's assets.
Law approved at the annual general meeting on February 28, 2022.