IoR members face constitutional vote

UK: The Institute of Refrigeration is proposing changes to its constitution which would take away members’ current rights to vote on matters relating to the removal of a board trustee. 

In an email sent to to members on October 8, the IoR states that it had originally been considering putting the constitutional changes to members at this year’s AGM on November 5, but had now decided to hold a wider consultation on the proposed changes.

“The changes ensure amongst other things, that the clauses relating to how trustee membership is dealt with align with the Engineering Council Codes of Practice and IoR Disciplinary Policies,” the statement says.

The changes, which appears to be a reaction to the recent dispute with, and eventual resignation of, IoR president Graeme Fox, seek to remove disciplinary voting powers from the membership and place those powers solely with the board of trustees.

Graeme Fox, who became president in 2022, announced his resignation last month, citing “undemocratic” procedures, “double standards” and “disrespect” from certain trustees.

While the Institute failed to respond to a request for comment from the Cooling Post at that time, nine days later the IoR posted a statement on its website from its solicitors, Boddy Matthews, claiming that Graeme Fox had not been willing to “act collectively or transcend his own personal differences”. 

“This gave rise to significant difficulties with the then president’s communications becoming increasingly angry and impassioned and regrettably, unprofessional and discourteous,” the statement said.

It maintains that the board of trustees decided that Graeme Fox’s position as president and chair of the board of trustees and his in-person attendance at board meetings had become untenable. 

However, it said that the board had decided that he should remain both as a trustee and president and continue to be involved in IoR board business.

In reality, they could do little else. Under the current constitution, a board trustee can be removed from office if it is proposed by a two-thirds majority at special general meeting of members called for that purpose. 

The proposed changes now seek to transfer the power of removal from the members to a two-thirds majority of the board trustees.

For over 100 years, the position of president and the board of the Institute were the subject of nominations by the board, until a change to the Institute’s constitution in 2009 allowed the IoR’s membership to propose and vote for its own candidates.

The new proposed changes would enable the board of trustees to remove a democratically-elected president, or board member, without consultation with the membership. At the same time, the changes remove the powers of the membership to itself seek the removal of a board trustee.

Related stories:

Graeme Fox resigns as IoR president – 21 September 2024
UK: Graeme Fox has announced his resignation as president of the Institute of Refrigeration, citing “undemocratic” procedures, “double standards” and “disrespect” from certain trustees and CEO, Miriam Rodway. Read more…