Rules

Section 1. Name of the Association

The name of the Association is Suomen tietokirjailijat ry (in Swedish Finlands facklitterära författare rf). The official languages of the Association are Finnish and Swedish; the language of registration and minutes-taking is Finnish. It is domiciled in Helsinki. The unofficial English translation of the Association’s name, the Association of Finnish Non-fiction Writers, is also used.

Section 2. Purpose of the Association

The Association is non-profit and its purpose is:

1. to promote non-fiction as part of Finnish society and culture,

2. to supervise the copyright-related and shared professional interests of non-fiction writers,

3. to support non-fiction writers mentally and physically, 

4. to promote the professional expertise and ethics of its members and to strengthen their professional identity,

and   

5. to act as a bond between non-fiction writers.

In order to achieve its purpose, the Association provides information and communicates, carries out or commissions surveys and publishes works concerning non-fiction writing. The Association trains and advises its members in matters concerning copyrights and non-fiction writing, and cooperates with publishers, authorities, domestic and foreign organisations in the creative field and other actors. The Association defends the position of knowledge and expertise in Finnish society and in its culture of discussion. The Association negotiates with actors in the sector and provides expert opinions. The Association influences legislation and the development of practices in the sector. The Association awards grants and prizes and organises seminars, non-fiction events and regional activity.

The purpose of the Association is not to accumulate surplus, make profit or create any other direct financial benefit for its members or interested parties. The Association may receive subsidies, testaments and donations, and own fixed and movable property. Having received the appropriate permits, it may organise lotteries and fund-raising in order to support its operations.

Section 3. Members of the Association

A private person who has, either alone or together with others, published works of non-fiction, may be accepted as an ordinary member of the Association. The membership rights gained by old members remain as they are.

Ordinary members of the Association are approved by the Board.

The size of the annual membership fee collected from ordinary members is decided upon at the Association’s autumn meeting. A member who joins the Association in the middle of a financial year must pay the membership fee for the whole year.

A member is entitled to resign from the Association by notifying the Board or Chairperson to that effect in writing, or by announcing it at an Association meeting for recording in the minutes.

The Board may dismiss a member who fails to abide by these rules, who has acted contrary to the purpose of the Association or who has neglected his/her duty of membership.

A dismissed member is entitled to have the dismissal reviewed at the following meeting of the Association, by issuing a request to that effect within one month of the date upon which the Board gave notice to him/her of its decision to dismiss. The matter must be dealt with at a following Association meeting where it is possible to include it in the notice of meeting. The above paragraph does not concern a member who is dismissed for neglecting his/her obligation to pay the membership fee.

On request, the Board may accept as a senior member an ordinary member over 70 years of age who has been an ordinary member of the Association for at least 10 years. The membership fee for a senior member is one-third of the fee for an ordinary member. A senior member is not electable to the Association’s Board or Election Committee; in all other respects his/her membership rights are the same.

The Board may invite as honorary members persons who have significantly contributed to the aims of the Association. Honorary members pay no membership fee.

Section 4. Meetings of the Association

Meetings of the Association are convened by the Board. Members must be sent a notice of meeting no later than two weeks before the meeting, either by sending the notice by mail or e-mail or by announcing it on the Association’s website.

Section 5. Statutory meetings of the Association

The autumn meeting of the Association is held annually before the end of November, and the spring meeting before the end of May on a date specified by the Board.

An extraordinary meeting is held when the Board considers that there are grounds for it, or when at least 100 members with voting rights or one-tenth of those with voting rights request it in writing from the Board for the handling of a specific matter. The Board must convene the meeting without delay, however no later than 30 days from the presentation of the request.

At meetings of the Association, each member in attendance has one vote. Unless otherwise specified in these rules, decisions are made by simple majority. If votes are equal, the Chairperson has the casting vote, but in an election the decision is made by drawing lots.

If a member of the Association wishes to have some matter dealt with at a statutory meeting of the Association, he/she must notify the Board of this in writing no later than 30 days before the meeting.

Section 6. Agenda for the Association’s autumn meeting

The agenda for the Association’s autumn meeting is as follows:

1. The meeting is opened.

2. A Chairperson is elected for the meeting. The Chairperson of the meeting appoints a Secretary.

3. Two inspectors of the minutes and two vote counters are elected for the meeting.

4. The meeting is declared legal and quorate.

5. The rights of attendance and address of non-members are decided upon.

6. The agenda of the meeting is approved.

7. The operating plan is confirmed.

8. The size of membership fees is confirmed.

9. The income and expenditure budgets are decided upon, and the remuneration of the Chairperson and members of the Board are confirmed.

10. A Chairperson of the Board is elected when it is the turn of the incumbent to step down.

11. Other members of the Board are elected in place of those stepping down.

12. One auditor, one inspector of operations, one deputy auditor and one deputy inspector of operations are elected.

13. Other matters mentioned in the notice of meeting are handled.

14. The meeting is closed.

Section 7. Agenda for the Association’s spring meeting

The agenda for the Association’s spring meeting is as follows:

1. Opening of the meeting.

2. A Chairperson is elected for the meeting. The Chairperson of the meeting appoints a Secretary.

3. Two inspectors of the minutes and two vote counters are elected for the meeting.

4. The meeting is declared legal and quorate.

5. The rights of attendance and address of non-members are decided upon.

6. The agenda of the meeting is approved.

7. The annual report prepared by the Board is presented.

8. The financial statements and statements by the auditor and inspector of operations are presented.

9. The financial statements are adopted and a decision is made on granting release from liability for the Board and other accountable people.

10. Members of the Election Committee are elected in place of those stepping down.

11. Other matters mentioned in the notice of meeting are handled.

12. The meeting is closed.

Section 8. Election Committee

The Election Committee that prepares the choice of the Chairperson and members of the Association’s Board comprises six members elected for a two-year term, who must be ordinary members of the Association. A member due to step down may, however, be re-elected so that the maximum length of a continuous period of office is four years.

From amongst its number, the Election Committee elects a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to serve for a term of one year. The Executive Director of the Association serves as Secretary of the Election Committee.

For the autumn meeting, the Election Committee prepares a proposal with a presentation of all the electable candidates and also its own recommendations with reasons.

Section 9. Board of the Association

The Association’s matters are handled by the Board, which comprises a Chairperson elected at the autumn meeting for a term of three years and nine members also elected for a term of three years.

A Chairperson or member due to step down may, however, be re-elected so that the maximum length of a continuous period of office for a Chairperson and member of the Board is nine years. The term of office of a Chairperson does not include his/her years of service as a Board member. The term of office of a member does include any possible years of service as Chairperson.

Of the members of the Board, three must step down annually.

From amongst its number, the Board elects a Deputy Chairperson. The Executive Director of the Association serves as Secretary. The Board elects a Treasurer.

The Board convenes on the invitation of the Chairperson or, if he/she is indisposed, the Deputy Chairperson. The Board must also convene if at least three Board members so request.

The Board is quorate if at least half its members including the Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson are present.

Matters are decided upon by simple majority voting. If votes are equal, the Chairperson has the casting vote, but in an election the decision is made by drawing lots.

The duty of the Board is:

1. to convene and prepare the Association’s meetings and execute their decisions,

2. to supervise the interests of members,

3. to look after the property of the Association and

to decide on what it buys, sells or pledges,

4. to be responsible for the Association’s finances,

5. to approve new members of the Association and to dismiss members who breach their membership responsibilities,

6. to decide on the grounds for awarding grants and prizes,

7. to decide on the establishment of committees and working groups and to select members for them,

8. to hire and dismiss the Executive Director and other clerical staff,

9. to monitor work in the Association’s office,  

and

10. to represent the Association.

Section 10. The Board’s Working Committee and it meetings

The Board’s Working Committee comprises the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Board and one other member of the Board selected from amongst its number. The Executive Director and one or two persons from the Association’s office also attend meetings of the Working Committee. If necessary, the Board may change the composition of the Working Committee in the middle of the year.

A meeting of the Working Committee is always held before a Board meeting. The agenda of a Working Committee meeting is sent to all Board members. No minutes of the meetings are taken.

The Working Committee may make decisions on matters that the Board authorises it to do. When the Working Committee makes a decision, it is entered in the agenda and minutes for the following Board meeting, either for information or for confirmation.

Section 11. Duties of the Board’s Working Committee

The duty of the Board’s Working Committee is:

1. to be responsible for the preparation of matters to be dealt with by the Board,

2. to come up with ideas for the Association’s activities,

3. to support the Executive Director in taking care of matters of the Association,

and

4. to support the work of the office.

Section 12. Signing for the Association

The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson together or either one of them together with the Executive Director may sign for the Association. A person expressly authorised to do so by the Board may also have the right to sign.

Section 13. Operating and financial period of the Association

The operating and financial period of the Association is the calendar year. The Board must give the financial statements and required appendices to the auditor and inspector of operations no later than one month before the spring meeting.

Section 14. Amending the rules and disbanding the Association

The decision to amend the rules and disband the Association must be made at an Association meeting, based on a voting majority of at least three-quarters.

The notice of meeting must state that the meeting will handle an amendment to the rules or the disbanding of the Association.

When the Association is disbanded, its assets must be used to promote the purpose of the Association in a manner specified at the meeting at which the disbanding was decided upon.

Section 15. Entry into force of the rules

These rules shall enter into force as soon as the Association registration authority has approved them. The Board is authorised to make linguistic and formal corrections to the rules that are proposed by the authority.

 

Approved at the spring meeting on 25 March 2017.

The Finnish Patent and Registration Office registered the amendments on 22 May 2017.