SCHEDULE II

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCEDURE

Enacted September 26, 2024

The Mississauga Potters' Guild is a Member-run corporation and relies on all Members to participate, as they are best able, in order to provide all Members with a safe, well-furnished communal place to work. Members with various expertise are encouraged to volunteer. It is these efforts that allow Members to thrive and become active in the clay community, the broader community and the studio where we can enjoy ceramics.

Occasionally, there are disagreements between Members, which should ideally be managed between the involved parties. As a general principle, Members should not make anonymous complaints against other Members. A complainant attempting to bypass these procedures by making their complaint directly to a Director shall be re-directed by the Director to first take their complaint directly to the offending Member for an attempted resolution.

However, on occasion where that is not possible, Members should send an email to any Director to outline their complaint. The parties should preferably provide copies of email correspondences between them to provide an explanation to the Director about the nature of the dispute.

The Director contacted will investigate by speaking with both parties and anyone else able to provide evidence towards a better understanding of the situation. The Director will then attempt to resolve the situation, if possible and appropriately based on the evidence, between both parties in a fair and respectful manner, either in person, virtually, through email, or a phone call among the parties. Third party mediation can also be considered.

Should this attempt at resolution not suffice, the Director will bring the issue to the Board for discussion, who can appoint a committee of Directors to investigate further and to determine what actions, if any, should be taken, including mediation, disciplinary action or termination of membership, provided that any such disciplinary action or termination shall proceed only in the manner allowed by the Act, the articles, and the by-laws. However, if a Director is involved in the dispute, they must declare a conflict of interest and remove themselves from any further discussions regarding the dispute.

The Directors, or the committee, if appointed, (collectively, the “discipliners”) may pass a resolution recommending disciplinary action or the termination of membership which shall be decided by the Board.

The Board, or a committee of Directors, as the case may be, must provide at least 30 days' written notice to a Member before taking any disciplinary act or terminating any membership, as proposed in accordance with (a), above. The notice will set out the reasons, with specific examples of breach(es) and the actions taken to resolve the problem, for the proposed disciplinary action or termination of membership.

The Member receiving the notice is entitled to an oral hearing, may make a written submission, and may have third-party representation make a submission on their behalf, and may be accompanied at the oral hearing by a third-party representative, for the purpose of addressing the proposed disciplinary action or termination, provided that any submission is delivered not less than 10 days before the end of the 30-day period, and that prior to the expiry of such 30-day period the Member has been provided an opportunity for an oral hearing. The Board, or committee of Directors, if one is appointed, shall consider the oral and written submission of the Member before making a decision regarding disciplinary action or termination of membership.

If the infraction is of a serious nature that puts the Guild or other members in peril, immediate action will be taken to suspend a Member"s membership rights pending further discipline or termination in accordance with the Act.

Membership dues paid will not be refunded if membership is revoked or suspended.