CUPE 15 President delivers motions to increase financial transparency at the VAG

This week CUPE 15 President Paul Faoro hand delivered two motions to the Chairperson of the Vancouver Art Gallery to be dealt with at the VAG’s upcoming Annual General Meeting. Over the last several years CUPE 15, along with its members employed by the VAG, have become increasingly concerned about the financial affairs of the gallery. The last two years the VAG has recorded an operating deficit which has lead to cuts in hours of work for all members and to layoffs, including six within the last two months. This is at the same time that the Director and Board of the gallery are on a spending spree in an attempt to secure the Larwill Park site for a new gallery. The spending includes running full page ads in national newspapers, hiring a public relations firm, launching a new website, producing videos, and conducting community meetings.

“Our members at the VAG have reached an end to their patience with senior management after watching what appears to be buckets of money going out the door while having money taken out of their pockets” said Paul Faoro, CUPE 15 President. Faoro said “along with laying off our members and cutting programs VAG management have scaled back maintenance on the existing heritage building which could be seen as way to highlight the need for a new building”.

In light of the VAG’s spending spree and with no financial disclosure to date, the following motions have been put forward for debate at the Annual General Meeting for the Vancouver Art Gallery Association which will be held on September 29, 2010. The meeting is open to all members of the VAG.

Notices of Motion – Vancouver Art Gallery - Annual General Meeting September 29, 2010

1. Financial Transparency
MOVER: Paul Faoro
SECONDER: Sally Bankiner

WHEREAS since the late 1980s, B.C.’s Financial Information Act has required public sector agencies to disclose the total remuneration of employees earning more than $75,000 a year including salary, bonuses, and overtime; and
WHEREAS the B.C.’s Financial Information Act also requires public sector agencies to disclose payments to suppliers of goods and services during the fiscal year; and
WHEREAS in 2008, disclosure of executive compensation across British Columbia’s public sector was expanded to increase transparency and accountability by requiring disclosures to include an explanation of the employer's compensation philosophy, the objectives of the compensation program and what it is designed to reward, and how the performance payments for the top five executives relate to the organization’s performance targets; and
WHEREAS the Vancouver Art Gallery received $4,287,115 in grants from public bodies for the year ending June 30, 2009; and
WHEREAS the Vancouver Art Gallery spent $1,064,264 for Administration and Finance and $774,942 for Board and Management Services for the year ending June 30, 2009; and
WHEREAS the Vancouver Art Gallery does not disclose, release or publish any information on employee remuneration or payments to suppliers of goods and services.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Vancouver Art Gallery proactively disclose annually on the organizations website the total remuneration of each employee earning more than $75,000 a year including salary, bonuses, and overtime based on the similar provisions contained in the Financial Information Act of British Columbia; and

FURTHER THAT the Vancouver Art Gallery proactively disclose annually on the organization’s website all payments to suppliers of goods and services based on the similar provisions contained in the Financial Information Act of British Columbia.

2. New Building Advocacy Expenses
MOVER: Paul Faoro
SECONDER: Sally Bankiner
WHEREAS the Board of the Vancouver Art Gallery has unanimously agreed and unilaterally determined that the Larwill Park site on Georgia Street is the preferred location for a new building for the Vancouver Art Gallery; and
WHEREAS the Vancouver Art Gallery has embarked on an aggressive lobbying campaign to secure this site including running full page ads in national newspapers, launching a new website, holding a series of public meetings, producing videos, and reportedly hiring a public relations firm; and
WHEREAS the Director of the Vancouver Art Gallery reportedly commissioned architect Michael Maltzan from Los Angeles at an undisclosed cost several years ago for professional services; and
WHEREAS the Vancouver Art Gallery recorded an operating shortfall for the last two years and staff have been laid off and had hours cut; and
WHERAS the collection at the Vancouver Art Gallery is owned by the City of Vancouver and its citizens.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Vancouver Art Gallery proactively disclose annually on the organizations website commencing January 1, 2010 all expenses and costs for all advocacy related to secure the Larwill Park site for a new Vancouver Art Gallery.