I hesitate to contribute to this conversation at all, but in the light of section 6.1 of the Chapter Agreement between Wikimedia UK and the WMF, this standard email signature is probably quite sensible. It reads:
"The Chapter shall seek to ensure in all dealings that it does not appear to speak for or act for the Foundation except insofar as may be agreed upon with the Foundation. " https://wikimedia.org.uk/w/images/b/bd/Wiki_UK_Limited_chapter_agreement.pdf On Thu, Jan 24, 2019 at 1:38 PM Dan Garry (Deskana) <djgw...@gmail.com> wrote: > I don't think wordsmithing a boilerplate email footer to solve a > hypothetical problem is really a worthwhile use of staff and trustee time. > > Dan > > On Wed, 23 Jan 2019 at 11:35, Fæ <fae...@gmail.com> wrote: > >> On Tue, 22 Jan 2019 at 15:26, Michael Maggs <mich...@maggs.name> wrote: >> > >> > The disclaimer has been carefully worded and is correct: WMUK is >> legally independent from the Foundation. The two entities co-operate of >> course, and have contractual understandings, but they are nevertheless >> independent. Indeed, it is an essential requirement of our English and >> Scottish charitable status that we are and that we remain independent. >> > >> > Michael >> >> Thanks Michael, that is what a trustee would explain to the Charity >> Commission, and it's how we pitched our world view when we applied for >> charity status, many years ago. However we are discussing an email >> footer, that the public and unpaid volunteers are supposed to make >> plain English sense of, not a narrowly scoped legal position statement >> for charity lawyers to scrutinize. >> >> The murky realpolitik, is that the UK Chapter signed a Chapters >> Agreement with the Wikimedia Foundation. It is legally binding, and a >> firm requirement if the UK Chapter wishes to use any Wikimedia >> branding in any of its publications, such as the Wikipedia logo. Among >> other implications, the UK Chapter is not allowed to do any >> fundraising using the Wikimedia websites. The past few years have >> demonstrated very clearly that the WMF will never again allow any >> Chapter to do any fundraising this way, regardless of how well they do >> in any year, or ever improve in the future.[1] >> >> WMF management can choose to remove WMUK's Chapter status, and >> consequently deny any future central funding at any time for any >> reason (regardless of existing FDC decisions), including the WMF >> suddenly deciding it does not like the idea of having Affiliates any >> more, or vaguely deciding that something about the UK Chapter does not >> sufficiently align with the WMF's organizational goals. >> >> In the mind of any casual reader of WMUK's email footer, the claim >> that the UK Chapter is "independent", when the Foundation has full >> control of these core aspects of the operation of the Chapter is not a >> plain English use of the word "independent". Good UK Charity practice >> is to use common sense plain English and avoid misleading its members >> with legal jargon. As there is no actual real benefit to this email >> footer, the Chapter can drop these without any risk to its operations. >> Anyway, you are probably are all too keenly away that boilerplate >> disclaimers in public emails from charities offer no protection in the >> case of a legal action, so these extra sentences have no value apart >> from a faux sense of comfort to the writer. Including them in every >> email is irrelevant to addressing, say, the ECommerce Regulations, >> which do not apply to these types of public discussion.[2] >> >> Links >> 1. Probably because WMF senior management really like having full >> control of the money in their own U.S. bank account. Despite the tax >> and exchange costs of taking a UK donation, holding the cash in the >> USA, then paying it back to an affiliate in the UK via an FDC funding >> decision. The end to end avoidable costs and administrative burden of >> doing fundraising this roundabout way have not been published by the >> WMF in recent years, as they have avoided publishing almost any >> appropriately detailed statements of expenses. >> 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_Commerce_Regulations_2002 >> >> Thanks, >> Fae >> >> > On 22 Jan 2019, at 15:16, Lucy Crompton-Reid < >> lucy.crompton-r...@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote: >> > >> > Hi Fae and all >> > >> > Yes indeed, happy to publish the draft on meta. >> > >> > I see what you mean about the disclaimer...pretty sure it's just what I >> inherited but will certainly review. >> > >> > Thanks and best >> > Lucy >> > >> > On Tue, 22 Jan 2019 at 13:32, Fæ <fae...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >> >> >> Hi Lucy, >> >> >> >> For as long as the Chapter has created strategic plans, these have >> >> been published and developed on-wiki, with all the normal benefits of >> >> being open for consultation. >> >> >> >> In the light of issues with the local chapter wiki, and the fact that >> >> funding related reports are already published on the (WMF operated) >> >> meta wiki, could the draft be published on meta this time? Doing this >> >> will make it much easier for non-London and even non-UK resident >> >> Wikimedians to provide early feedback. For example, all those active >> >> volunteers that help other WMF Associations with reviewing strategies >> >> and budgets. >> >> >> >> P.S. Could you revisit the disclaimer on the UK Chapter email footer? >> >> This states "The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia >> >> Foundation (who operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). Wikimedia >> >> UK is an independent non-profit charity with no legal control over >> >> Wikipedia nor responsibility for its contents", which most readers >> >> would presume means that WMUK is independent of the Wikimedia >> >> Foundation, though the Chapters Agreement means that it legally, and >> >> literally, is not. >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> Fae >> >> >> >> On Mon, 21 Jan 2019 at 12:50, Lucy Crompton-Reid >> >> <lucy.crompton-r...@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote: >> >> > >> >> > Dear all >> >> > >> >> > This is just a reminder about the meeting on Wednesday 30th January >> from 4pm - 7pm to discuss and develop Wikimedia UK's new strategic plan, >> for the period February 2019 - January 2022. This is a key opportunity for >> volunteers and other stakeholders to input into the development of the >> charity's future direction, and so we'd love to see as many of you there as >> possible. We can cover travel costs, subject to prior approval, as we don't >> want cost to be a barrier to anyone's attendance. >> >> > >> >> > Please do email ka...@wikimedia.org.uk if you are planning to >> attend next week, and let her know if you need Wikimedia UK to cover your >> travel costs. We need to know who's coming so that we can ensure we have a >> suitably sized space (and pizza), and also so that we can let attendees >> know of any changes to the schedule or venue. I will be sharing an agenda >> for the meeting and the draft strategic framework later in the week. >> >> > >> >> > Thanks and best >> >> > Lucy >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > -- >> >> > Lucy Crompton-Reid >> >> > Chief Executive >> >> > Wikimedia UK >> >> > +44 (0) 203 372 0762 >> >> > >> >> > Wikimedia UK is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open >> knowledge movement, and a registered charity. We rely on donations from >> individuals to support our work to make knowledge open for all. Have you >> considered supporting Wikimedia? https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk >> >> > >> >> > Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, >> Registered No. 6741827 >> >> > Registered Charity No.1144513 >> >> > Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, >> London SE1 0NZ >> >> > >> >> > The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who >> operate Wikipedia, amongst other projects). Wikimedia UK is an independent >> non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility >> for its contents. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> fae...@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Wikimedia UK mailing list >> >> wikimediau...@wikimedia.org >> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> >> WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk >> > >> > >> > >> > -- >> > Lucy Crompton-Reid >> > Chief Executive >> > Wikimedia UK >> > +44 (0) 203 372 0762 >> > >> > Wikimedia UK is the national chapter for the global Wikimedia open >> knowledge movement, and a registered charity. We rely on donations from >> individuals to support our work to make knowledge open for all. Have you >> considered supporting Wikimedia? https://donate.wikimedia.org.uk >> > >> > Company Limited by Guarantee registered in England and Wales, >> Registered No. 6741827 >> > Registered Charity No.1144513 >> > Registered Office Ground Floor, Europoint, 5 - 11 Lavington Street, >> London SE1 0NZ >> > >> > The Wikimedia projects are run by the Wikimedia Foundation (who operate >> Wikipedia, amongst other projects). Wikimedia UK is an independent >> non-profit charity with no legal control over Wikipedia nor responsibility >> for its contents. >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Wikimedia UK mailing list >> > wikimediau...@wikimedia.org >> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> > WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > Wikimedia UK mailing list >> > wikimediau...@wikimedia.org >> > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> > WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk >> >> >> >> -- >> fae...@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae >> Personal and confidential, please do not circulate or re-quote. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimedia UK mailing list >> wikimediau...@wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l >> WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimedia UK mailing list > wikimediau...@wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l > WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediau...@wikimedia.org https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: https://wikimedia.org.uk
