Unifor Local 830M Bylaws

ARTICLE 1. NAME

This organization shall be known as Unifor Local 830M (Herein referred to as the Local Union).

ARTICLE 2. TRADE UNION STATUS

  1. The objectives of the Local Union include:

a) The regulation of labour relations and collective bargaining between employers and employees;

b) To improve the working conditions, wages, and benefits of all members and to help create a healthy and safe work environment;

c) To ensure that all members are treated equally, fairly, and with respect in a safe work environment.

ARTICLE 3. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS

The Constitution of this Local Union shall be the Constitution of the National Union, Unifor, and these By-Laws shall be in all respects subordinate to said Constitution and all applications and interpretations thereof.

ARTICLE 4. MEMBERSHIP

1.  Eligibility

a) The Local Union shall be composed of workers eligible for membership in Unifor, over whom the Local Union has jurisdiction.

b) Each member in good standing of the Local Union has the right to nominate and vote, express opinions on all subjects before the Local Union, to attend all membership meetings and express views, arguments and opinions on all matters and business, including candidates for office, properly before the meeting; to participate in the activities of the Local Union in a responsible manner consistent with good conscience in order to present and discuss factually and honestly the issues upon which the  membership must base its decisions. These rights shall at all times be subject to the rules of procedure governing meetings and other uniform rules and regulations contained in the Constitution, By-Laws and other official rules of the Local Union.
 
A member in exercising the foregoing rights and privileges shall not take any irresponsible action which would tend to jeopardize or destroy, or be detrimental to, either the Local or National Union as organizations, or their free democratic heritage, or which would interfere with the performance by this Local Union or the National Union of its legal or contractual  obligations  as  a  collective bargaining agent, or interfere with the legal or contractual obligations of this Local Union as an affiliate of the National Union.

Violation, or abuse of these rights and privileges of membership, or engaging in conduct prohibited by this section, may be grounds for the commencement of a charge against a member pursuant to Article 18 of the National Union Constitution.

c) The membership shall strive to obtain the objectives set forth in the Constitution and additional objectives as established as the policy of the National Union; to maintain free relations with other organizations; to do all in its power to strengthen and promote the labour movement; to co-operate with National Board Members, the National Representatives and help promote organizational activities.

2.    Documentation

a) The Local Secretary shall be responsible for the handling of applications for membership in the Local.
b) Applications for the membership will be provided by the Secretary to the Executive Board at each meeting for acceptance.
c) When accepted into the Local, the Chief Steward shall ensure that the new member is supplied with the Unifor Constitution, Local 830M bylaws, the applicable collective agreement, and a Unifor membership card.

3.    Unemployed Members (Non-Active Members)

a) An unemployed member shall be defined as a temporary or casual employee who has not worked for the employer within the previous twenty-eight days.

b) An Unemployed member shall be allowed to attend Local Union meetings but shall not be eligible to participate in any vote connected with elections, the Collective Agreement, ratification or strike.

ARTICLE 5. ADMINISTRATION

  1. The membership is the highest authority of this Local Union and shall be empowered to take or direct any action not inconsistent with the Constitution or By-Laws.
  2. The Executive Board shall be the highest authority of the Local Union between membership meetings and shall be empowered to act on behalf of the membership to the extent urgent business requires prompt and decisive action, subject to subsequent membership approval, but the Executive Board may not take action affecting the vital interests of the Local Union without prior membership approval.
  3. The President shall exercise general administrative authority and shall be empowered to act on behalf of, and take action permitted, to the Executive Board subject to subsequent approval of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE 6. LOCAL EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS

  1. The Local Executive Board shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Chief Steward.
  2. The Local Executive Board shall be the governing authority for the Local in accordance with the National Constitution and By-Laws of Unifor and in accordance with the Local Union By-laws.
  3. Members of the Local Executive Board shall serve for a term of two years. There shall be no limits to the number of terms a member of the Local Executive Board can serve.
  4. Members of the Local Executive Board shall receive an honorarium. This shall be paid on a schedule and in an amount authorized by the membership at a General Meeting.
  5. Members of the Local Executive Board shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in connection with his or her office, with approval of the membership.

ARTICLE 7. DUTIES OF LOCAL EXECUTIVE BOARD OFFICERS

1.    President

a) The Local President shall be the spokesperson for the Local Union.
b) The Local President shall act as chairperson at all Local Executive Board meetings and General meetings.
c) The Local President may appoint such committees as he or she deems necessary to assist in carrying out his or her duties provided that such appointments do not conflict with the Constitution or By-Laws of Unifor.

2.    Vice- President

a) The Vice-President shall act in place and instead of the Local President in the event of the latter’s inability or refusal to act.
b) In the event of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President and a special election shall be called to fill the Vice-President vacancy.

3.    Secretary

a) The Local Secretary shall conduct the correspondence pertaining to the business of the Local and shall keep the official records of the Local.

b) The Secretary shall give notice of all General, Special and Executive Board Meetings.

c) The Secretary shall record minutes at all General, Special and Executive Board Meetings.

4.     Treasurer

The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of, and be responsible for, all funds and securities of the Local, receive and give receipts for all monies due and payable to the Local and deposit such monies in the name of the Local with such banks or other financial institutions authorized as depositories by the Local Executive Board.

5.    Chief Steward

The Chief Steward shall assist the President and Vice-President in the administration of the collective agreement.

ARTICLE 8. ELECTIONS

  1.  Election for the Local Executive Board shall be held at the Annual General Meeting. The date of the Annual General Meeting shall be deemed to be the election date.
  2. Special Elections may be called by the Local Executive Board at any time.
  3. Elections for President and Chief Steward shall be held in even numbered years.
  4. Elections for Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer shall be held in odd numbered years. 
  5. Votes for Local Executive Board members shall be conducted by secret ballot. 
  6. In elections for Local Executive Board offices, the candidate receiving the largest number of votes cast for each office shall be deemed elected. 
  7. The successful candidate for the Local Executive Board shall take office at the end of the month in which the Annual General Meeting or Special Election is held or immediately upon election if the office is currently vacant.
  8. Nominations

a.    Nominations for Local Executive Board Officers shall be by nominating petitions signed by one Local member in good standing. Official Nominating Petition forms shall be drawn up by the Local Secretary and made available to the Local membership no later than fourteen days prior to the election. 
b.    Nominating petitions shall be filed with the Local Secretary no later than forty eight hours prior to the election and shall bear the signature of the candidate indicating acceptance of the nomination.

9. Election Committee

a. Elections shall be conducted by a three member Election Committee. Two of Committee members, in good standing, shall be elected by the General Membership. Members of the Election Committee cannot be candidates for any office that is open for election.

b. The Election Committee shall give notice of elections, issue, distribute and count ballots, dispose of ballots after counting and notify the elected members.

10.  Eligibility

a. Only members in good standing shall vote or hold office in this Local. Members are not in good standing if they are in arrears in dues or assessments or if they are under suspension.

b. No member shall simultaneously be a candidate for, or hold more than one of the following offices: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer or Chief Steward.

11.  Balloting

a. Except for the ballots of members who are permanently stationed outside of the Metro Vancouver Area, all ballots shall be cast and counted at a General Meeting on the election date.

b. Members who are permanently outside the Metro Vancouver area, who cannot attend the General Meeting at which the election is being held, may vote by mail or another secure and confidential voting system.

c. Each member who receives a mail ballot shall mark their votes and return the folded ballot to the Election Committee chair in a sealed envelope.

d. Mail or other secure and confidential ballots shall not be opened and counted until all other eligible ballots are cast at the General Meeting.

e. Members who are unable to attend an entire General Meeting due to work schedules may be allowed to vote in advance at the General Meeting. Such early ballots shall be placed in the ballot box and will not be counted until the rest of the eligible ballots are cast.

f. The results of the balloting shall be announced at the General Meeting and shall be posted or distributed to all members within two days of the election date.

g. Election Ballots will be retained and kept sealed by the Election Committee for one year after the election date after which such ballots will be destroyed and disposed if no challenges to the election have been made.

12.  Challenges

a. Any member in good standing may inspect the Election Ballots within the thirty day time frame following the election.

b. Any member may challenge the legality of any election by making a complaint within seven days of the closing of the polls or the next Membership Meeting, whichever is later. A request made prior to the Membership Meeting must be submitted to the Local Union. Executive Board shall act upon any such complaint and shall make a full investigation and report.

c. If a complaint or complaints have been made to the Local Executive Board the Election Committee shall hold the ballots until all complaints have been resolved. The Ballots will be destroyed and disposed of upon resolution of all complaints.

ARTICLE 9. STRIKE AND RATIFICATION VOTES

  1. In accordance with the Unifor Constitution strike votes and ratification votes shall be by secret ballot. Approval shall be by a majority of those voting.
  2. All members in good standing are eligible to vote on strike or ratification votes provided they have worked in the past twenty-eight days.
  3. Members who are permanently outside the Metro Vancouver area, who cannot attend the General Meeting at which a strike or ratification vote is being held, may vote by mail or another secure and confidential voting system.
  4. The results of a strike vote or a ratification vote shall be announced at the General Meeting. Such vote results shall be expressed as having either passed or failed. The actual numbers and percentages of such votes shall not be made public.

ARTICLE 10. MEMBERSHIP AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS

1.    General Membership Meetings

a) General Membership Meetings shall be held at least four times each year, at least once every three months, in accordance with the Unifor Constitution.

b) At all General Meetings a quorum shall consist of fifteen percent of all members in good standing of the Local.

c) Any member who attends a meeting under the influence of alcohol or drugs and/or creates a disturbance, or becomes unruly shall lose voice the right to vote at the meeting. Where necessary to maintain order, the member may be evicted from the meeting by order of the Chairperson subject to the challenge of the membership. Flagrant or persistent violation of this section by any member shall be conduct unbecoming a union member.

d) The Local Executive Board shall appoint a person to oversee that all people attending a General Meeting are members in good standing and are eligible to vote on matters placed before the members at the meeting.

2.    Local Executive Board Meetings

a. The Local Executive Board shall meet or conference at least once a month at a time and place set by the Local President. Time and place of the meeting or conference shall be posted in advance. Meetings or conferences in July and August may be suspended by decision of the Executive Board.

b. At all Local Executive Board Meetings a quorum shall consist of three Executive Board Members.

c. All Local Executive Board Members are required to attend at least two of three Executive Board meetings unless excused for cause by the Local Executive Board.
 
d. Failure of any elected official to comply with the attendance rules shall result in removal from their respective office or position and they shall not be permitted to run for any elective office for the balance of the term of office from which they were removed, except as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention.

e. All members in good standing shall have a voice, but not vote, at Local Executive Board Meetings.

f. Each Local Executive Board Member and each Committee shall report on their activities since the previous Executive Board Meeting.

3.    Rules of Order for Meetings

All questions of a parliamentary nature shall be decided by Bourinot’s Rules of Order at all General Membership, Executive Board and Committee Meetings.

ARTICLE 11. STANDING COMMITTEES

1. The Local may establish Standing Committees in accordance with the Unifor Constitution (Article 15).

2. Such Committees may include, but are not restricted to, the following:

a)     Constitution and By-laws

b)     Education

c)     Environment

d)     Recreation

e)     Community Services

f)      Human Rights

g)     Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Workers (LBGT)

h)     Aboriginal and Racialized Workers

i)      Union in Politics

j)      Women’s

k)     Young Workers

l)      Health and Safety

3. The Local may consolidate Committees or establish additional Committees.

4. The Local Union Standing Committees may be elected or appointed by the Local Executive Board.

ARTICLE 12. NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

The Negotiating Committee shall consist of the National Representative, the Local President and two members in good standing elected by the General Membership.

ARTICLE 13. FINANCES

  1. Union Dues and Local Dues Rebates shall be in accordance with the Unifor Constitution.
  2. Nothing herein shall be constructed as preventing the Local Executive Board from levying and collecting special assessments in accordance with the Unifor Constitution. No special assessment shall be levied until such assessments are ratified by a majority vote by secret ballot of the members in good standing of the Local at a General Membership Meeting.
  3. Members shall be reimbursed any expenses incurred while performing Local Union duties.
  4. Members shall be provided or reimbursed expense money for travel and lodging when away from home to perform Local Union duties.
  5. Members shall be reimbursed for meals with proper receipts or paid a per diem, in accordance with the policy established by the National Executive Board, when away from home to perform Local Union duties.
  6. Members shall be paid lost time while performing Local Union duties when they otherwise would have been compensated by the employer. This compensation shall never exceed the amount the member would have received from the employer for the same period of time.
  7. The fiscal year of this Local Union shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31. Financial reporting shall adhere to the Unifor Constitution.

ARTICLE 14. AFFILIATIONS

In order to strengthen the Local Union and fulfill the objectives set out herein, the Local may affiliate with regional and/or local councils and organizations in accordance with the Unifor Constitution (Article 19) and the direction of the Canadian Council and/or the Regional Council.

ARTICLE 15. AMENDMENTS

These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members in good standing at a General Meeting provided that any proposed amendment is posted at least ten day prior to such General Meeting.

These Bylaws and any amendments adopted will be submitted to the National Union for approval and shall only become effective after such approval is granted.

APPROVED_________________________

National President

DATE:______________________________