Have your say on the merger proposals
The Profession has launched an online discussion board to enable members, regardless of where they live or work, to take part in a discussion on the proposed merger between the Faculty and the Institute.
The discussion board is your forum to discuss the proposals and share your views with other members. Comments on the discussion board are moderated, not censored or vetted, by the Profession’s staff. This is common practice with any discussion board that has a wide audience (in this case 18 500). Discussion boards with closed or limited audiences may decide not to moderate postings. The Profession, for example, has chosen not to moderate contributions in earlier trials of wikis and discussion boards where there has been a limited number of contributors.
You can make a contribution by visiting kan.actuaries.org.uk/Wiki20Pages/Home.aspx and logging on to share your views and comments. The contributions that you make on this discussion board will help plan and implement a merger if there is a substantial majority in support of a merger in the ballot, or help Councils consider alternative courses of action if there is not.
On 22 April, members were informed that the Faculty and Institute Councils would be considering the implications of the Faculty Special General Meeting on plans for merger.
This was discussed fully at a meeting on 19 May and both Councils concluded that the needs of the members of the two bodies were different. It has therefore been decided to cancel the joint in-principle vote that was planned to take place in June. However, two separate but concurrent exercises to gauge the opinion of the members of the two bodies will take place.
In addition, both Councils believe that they should create more opportunities for members to hear about the merger proposal, the alternative of closer co-operative working, and any other viable options. Institute Council has already indicated to Faculty Council which of the member-proposed alternatives it regards as being unacceptable from its members’ perspective.
Additional workplace consultation meetings will be added to the planned consultation meetings at the Profession’s joint conventions and regional events. Most of these meetings will take place during June.
Both Councils are currently developing the detail of the separate mechanisms to replace the joint in-principle vote. The Faculty will hold a consultation survey of its members to help its Council refine the options in the light of the SGM resolutions. The Institute will hold an indicative vote of its members to clarify whether or not they want to merge with the Faculty. Institute Council believes that holding an indicative vote of its members is in accordance with the wishes of the vast majority of members present at the consultation meetings held to date.
More details will follow in separate communications to Faculty and Institute members in June.
>> You can read more about the proposed merger arrangements at www.actuaries.org.uk/merger/proposal.pdf
>> You can read some questions and answers about the proposed merger at www.actuaries.org.uk/merger/faqs.pdf
>> You can find more information about the proposals and details of the merger discussion meetings at www.actuaries.org.uk/members/merger_discussion
A group of members has set up a separate online discussion forum.
>> You can find this forum at www.actuariesonthemerger.com
Share your views
