Canadian metal finishers' association votes to merge with US group April 18, 2008|
Members of the Canadian Association for Surface Finishers (CASF) voted in January to approve a proposal to affiliate with the US-based National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF). The new affiliation means that CASF will operate like a branch of NASF while maintaining its own website and its own board to organize events in Canada, says CASF executive director Brigitte Roth. Under the new structure, CASF members will automatically be members of NASF and enjoy the same membership benefits and discounts as NASF members. Eighty per cent of all CASF membership dues will now go to NASF with CASF now relying on the US organization for administrative support and lobbying efforts.
There was concern among some voting members that there was not enough benefit returning to the Canadian organization in exchange for 80 per cent of dues, says Roth. Specifically, some members were concerned that government lobbying efforts by NASF would not take into account the unique concerns of the Canadian industry. These issues were raised by the CASF board in a teleconference in late January with its NASF counterparts, who gave assurances that the interests of the Canadian industry would be taken into consideration in all future advocacy efforts, says Roth.
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