Fonds - City of Kitchener Staff Association fonds

For over 50 years The City of Kitchener employees were able to become members of the Staff Association. The objectives of the association were charitable, recreational and to pertain to the general benefit of the Association. This association created their own constitution and by-law and were very clear on membership, fees, benefits, selection of officers for the executive and their duties. In the 1970's staff had six options to choose from for membership. The options were Full, Welfare, Associate, Honorary, Retired and Life memberships. All salaried employees of the City of Kitchener and the Kitchener Chamber of Commerce, full time employees of the Kitchener Public Library Board and only members of the Kitchener Fire Department who are member of the Administrative staff or Fire Prevention Bureau. The constitution stated the fees for membership which was $1.00 for the initiation fee, $1.00 every two weeks for full membership, $0.25 every two weeks for Welfare membership and $1.00 a year for Associate and Retired membership. There were benefits pertaining to the Welfare membership. Members who retired or left the City received a gift of $5.00 to $10.00 depending on the length of membership. When a marriage occurred the gift was $5.00 to $35.00 depending on length of membership. When an employee was absent from work due to illness there was a $10.00 maximum for a gift. When a member or immediate family member died, flowers or a donation were made to maximum of 25.00. The immediate family members were defined as father, mother, husband, wife and children. One of the clubs within the Staff Association was the Suit Club. Members were able to pay a predetermined amount of money on a biweekly basis that was deducted from their pay. They picked a store that was set up and were able to purchase items from this store up to the amount of the yearly total. If they spent more than the yearly total, interest was not charged, but they had to pay the outstanding balance. It was not until the late 1970's that stores for women were added to the list. The Suit Club was disbanded in 2001. In the 1980's changes in fees were small increases and the membership eligibility was changed to include all permanent, part-time, salaried and contract employees. Kitchener Chamber of Commerce and the Public Library Board were longer included. The Fire Department membership remained the same. The types of memberships changed and Welfare and Life memberships were dropped. Added were members taking a leave of absence such as maternity leaves could continue to be member as long as the dues are paid to cover the absence. The employees receiving benefits also had the amount of the gift raised. Added to the benefits was a gift available for a birth of child. Changes were put in place for the death of a family member of an employee, the immediate family members were defined as father, mother, stepparents, husband, wife children and stepchildren. In the mid 1990's the fees for memberships were raised to $2.50 for initiation, full membership $2.50 every two weeks, annual fee for associate membership was $2.50. The benefits amounts for gifts were increased to the minimum of $20.00 to maximum of $70.00 for a retirement or employee leaving the City. Marriage amounts for the minimum were $20.00 to maximum of $50.00. For illness the minimum was $25.00 to maximum of $50.00. For Death the maximum was $25.00, added was when a members in-law past away a donation to the maximum of $10.00 was made. The Staff Association held events for the members such as annual picnics, golf tournaments, Children's and Adults' Christmas parties. They also sponsored events such as going to Wonderland, Sportsworld, Bingemans, African Lion Safari, Ontario Place, Blue Jay games, and the theatre in Toronto. In 2002 the Kitchener City Hall Staff Association was disbanded. It was disbanded for a number of reasons such as many members were resigning due to retirements and divisions moving to the Region, increase in dues and many departments had begun having their own functions.

1: Financial Records – 1950 – 2002. 120cm

    This series consists of the financial records of the City of Kitchener Staff
    Association.
    An index is available in Appendix A

2. Photo album and Pictures – 15cm

    This series consists of 2 photo albums and 2 set of loose pictures.
    An index is available in Appendix B

3. Minutes and correspondence – 15cm

   This series consist of minutes, correspondence and stamps of the Staff Association.

An index is available in Appendix C.

Appendix A
Series 1: Financial Records

Title Date Volume/Item Box
Ledger Books 1950-1959 1-1 4691
Ledger Books 1959-1970 1-2 4691
Ledger Books 1971-1979 1-3 4691
Ledger Books 1979-1988 1-4 4691
Financial Records 1975 1-5 4691
Financial Records 1976 1-6 4691
Financial Records 1977 1-7 4691
Financial Records 1978 1-8 4691
Financial Records 1979 2-1 4696
Financial Records 1980 2-2 4696
Financial Records 1981 2-3 4696
Financial Records 1982 2-4 4696
Financial Records 1983 2-5 4696
Financial Records 1984 2-6 4696
Financial Records 1985 3-1 4697
Financial Records 1986 3-2 4697
Financial Records 1987 3-3 4697
Financial Records 1988 3-4 4697
Financial Records 1989 3-5 4697
Financial Records 1990 3-6 4697
Financial Records 1991 3-7 4697
Financial Records 1992 4-1 11811
Financial Records 1993 4-2 11811
Financial Records 1994 4-3 11811
Financial Records 1995 4-4 11811
Financial Records 1996 4-5 11811
Financial Records 1997 5-1 11813
Financial Records 1998 5-2 11813
Financial Records 1999 5-3 11813
Financial Records 2000 5-4 11813
Financial Records 2001 5-5 11813
Financial Records 2002 5-6 11813

Appendix B
Series 2: Photo Album and Pictures

Title Date Volume/Item Box
Photographs 1950-1995 6-1 11780
Photographs 1972 8-1 10948

Appendix C
Series 3: Minutes and Correspondence

Title Date Volume/Item Box
Minutes 1978-2001 7-1 11814
Stamps n.d. 7-2 11814
Correspondence 1995-2001 7-3 11814