Rules

Approved in the organisation assembly 23 November 2009.

Name and domicile

1§
The name of the organisation is Käännösalan asiantuntijat KAJ ry (Translation Industry Professionals). The Swedish name of the organisation is Översättningsbranschens experter KAJ rf. The domicile of the organisation is Helsinki.

Purpose

2§
The purpose of the organisation is to function as a national liaison for its members, to oversee the pay-related and other kinds of professional and societal interests of its members, to raise the level of translation skills and to increase the appreciation of translators as well as to promote international cooperation between translators.

For this purpose the organisation shall

• prepare collective labour agreements binding to its members
• arrange meetings and other events
• make presentations and initiatives
• give statements
• engage in communication and publication activities
• arrange complementary training for its members
• keep contact with other domestic and foreign translator organisations

3§
For supporting its operation, the organisation is entitled to accept grants and donations as well as to arrange lotteries and entertainment events with the appropriate permission. The organisation may establish funds.

Members

4§
The following may join the organisation as permanent members

• translators, interpreters or other kinds of experts in the field of languages, translation or multilingual communication
• teachers or researchers of translation and interpretation
• students in the field.

A private person or a society having legal capacity and supporting the purposes of the organisation can join the organisation as a supportive member. The supportive member has the right to speak at assemblies, but no right to vote.

The acceptance of membership is decided by the organisation board based on a written application.

5§
The membership fees to be collected from the organisation members are decided by the fall assembly of the organisation. The board may excuse a member
from paying the membership fees for a defined period of time due to unemployment, post-graduate studies or other such reason.

6§
Based on the presentation of the board, in an assembly an honorary membership can be offered to a person who has particularly distinctly worked to promote the organisation or its purposes. An honorary member will not make any payments to the organisation.

7§
A member may terminate his/her membership with the organisation by notifying the board or the chair of the board in writing, or by notifying about this verbally to the minutes of the organisation assembly. The board may dismiss a member who works contrary to the purposes of the organisation or who does not pay his/her membership fees.

Organisational actions

8 §
Any industrial action is decided by the organisation board.

Organs

9 §
The organs of the organisation are the assembly of the organisation as well as the board.

Assemblies of the organisation

10 §
An invitation to the organisation assemblies shall be delivered in writing to all organisation members at a minimum of 14 days prior to the date of assembly. The organisation shall assemble as necessary, when the board calls for a meeting, or when at least one tenth (1/10) of the voting members ask for an assembly from the board, in writing, to handle a specific issue. The organisation assembly is quorate when it has been legally called together.

11 §
In the organisation assemblies, the permanent members who have paid their membership fees and the honorary members have the right to vote. The vote is open unless a closed vote is asked for. The decisive factor in the vote is simple majority, unless these rules are otherwise defined. When the vote is a tie, the vote of the chairperson shall be decisive; in elections the decision will then be made by drawing a lot.

12 §
In the autumn assembly of the organisation, held before the end of November, the following matters shall be handled:

1. Confirm the operational plan and financial estimate for the next calendar year.
2. Confirm the size of membership fees.
3.  Elect the chairperson of the board for a one year term.
4. Elect the permanent members of the board for those in turn to step down for the next two years as well as backup members.
5. Elect two auditors to audit the accounts of the following year and their backup persons.
6. Handle the other affairs mentioned in the invitation to the assembly.

In the spring assembly of the organisation, to be held before
the end of March, the following matters shall be handled:

1. Consider the report and financial statements for the previous year provided by the board as well as the statement from the auditors.
2. Confirm the financial statement and decide on granting exemption from liability to the board and other people accountable.
3. Handle the other affairs mentioned in the invitation to the assembly.

13 §
The manager of organisation affairs and the legal representative of the organisation shall be the board collectively, elected from voting members. The board includes a chairperson, 6-8 permanent members and 2 backup members. The chairperson and backup members are elected for one year term and the permanent members for two years at a time so that half of the permanent members are finishing their term every year. The aim of electing the board members is to have all sectors of the assembly (state, municipality, private etc.) represented. The board shall elect from amongst themselves a backup chairperson and other necessary persons.

In addition, the board can hire employees for the organisation. These hired employees have the right to speak at the board meetings, but no right to vote. The backup member has the right to be present and speak at the board meetings, but s/he has the right to vote only when s/he is filling in for a permanent member.

The board is quorate when the chairperson or backup chairperson and at least half of the permanent members are available. The decisions are made by a simple majority vote. When the vote is a tie, the vote of the chairperson shall be decisive. The board shall assemble on the invitation of the chairperson or, if s/he is not available, on the invitation of the backup chairperson, or when four (4) permanent members of the board so request for a certain topic.

Signing for the organisation

14 §
Signing for the organisation can be done by the chairperson and backup chairperson together or one of them together with another member of the board. The board can assign an employee of the organisation to sign for the organisation.

Organisation accounting and operating period

15 §
The accounting and operating period of the organisation is a calendar year. The accounts and documents pertaining to the management of finances must be delivered before the end of February, but at a minimum of 3 weeks before the spring assembly, to the auditors who shall give a statement of their audit, directed at the Spring Assembly, to the board of the organisation at a minimum fourteen (14) days before the Spring Assembly.

Changing the rules

16 §
Changes or additions to these rules can be made if they are supported by a minimum of three fourths (3/4) of all votes cast in two consecutive assemblies held at a minimum of 21 days apart.

17 §
Should the organisation be dissolved, any funds remaining shall be turned over to purposes advancing the professional skills of translators.

18 §
Otherwise the valid organisation law shall be followed.