UNIFOR

Local 2000-A

By-Laws Manual

as amended at the First Triennial Convention

held in Toronto, Ontario

from May30th to June 1st, 2014

Preamble

The following By-Laws find their roots deep in the Constitution of UNIFOR. They apply only to officers and members of Local 2000-A of UNIFOR, as the By-Laws complementing the National Constitution. The By-Laws are meant to harmonize the unique attributes of our Local with the principles stated in the National Constitution.

Name

  1. This organization, hereinafter referred to as the Local, shall be known under one of the following names:

a)UNIFOR, Local 2000-A in English;

b)UNIFOR, Section Locale 2000-A in French;

c)UNIFOR, Local 2000-A in bilingual form.

Headquarters Location

  1. The UNIFOR, Local 2000-A Headquarters must be located either in the Toronto or Montreal Metropolitan area.

The By-Laws

  1. The Union shall operate within the Confines and Rules of the UNIFOR, Local 2000-A By-Laws.

Organizational Structure

  1. The structure of the Union shall consist of the following, all hereinafter described:

a)The Convention.

b)The Local Union Executive Board (L.U.E.B.) consisting of;

i)The Local President; (L.P.)

ii)The 3 Regional Vice Presidents;

iii)The Local Recording Secretary;

iv)The Local Financial Secretary;

c)The Regions.

d)The Negotiating Committee consisting of:

i)The Local President

ii)The 3 Regional Vice Presidents

iii)Members at Large

e)Three (3) – Assistant Vice President’s(voice but not vote)

f)Three (3) – Trustee’s – trustees will audit receipts after the CPA Audits the book, to give recommendations (voice but no vote)

g)Chartered Accountant – to audit the books once a year – in accordance to the UNIFOR Constitution.

  1. All the members of the Local Union Executive Board shall vote on policies set forth by the Local Union Executive Board.
  2. In the case of a vacancy in an officer’s position due to an accident or illness, the interim will only have effect until such officer can resume duty.
  3. In order to provide for the vacancy at the Local President’s position, the Vice-President who has been elected as the alternate to the Local President will fill the position for the unexpired term.
  4. All executive officer’s position, excluding the Local President, within the local, if it is declared vacant for the rest of a term exceeding six months, will be filled by an election following applicable rules.
  5. The Local Union Executive Board willelect an alternate tothe Local President at its first meeting.
  6. The members of the standing committees are appointed by the Local Union Executive Board as soon as possible, at least one female when/where ever possible and at least one member of the Local Union Executive Board is a member of each of those standing committees.

Duties of the Local Union Executive Board (L.U.E.B.)

  1. The L.U.E.B. shall enforce strict adherence to the UNIFOR Constitution and policies, as well as the UNIFOR Local 2000-ABylaws and Policies, as established by the Local 2000-A Triennial Conventions.
  2. The L.U.E.B. shall advise the member(s) concerned of the reason(s) for the decision regarding any grievance settlement.
  3. The L.U.E.B. must vote on all procedural matters brought before it within a two weeks period, while all matters requiring Regional consultation will be voted on within a four week period. Any matter before the L.U.E.B. shall be decided by the number of votes received at the deadline.
  4. The L.U.E.B. shall not knowingly establish, institute or initiate any policy or procedure which is in contravention of any law.
  5. Should such an action be undertaken inadvertently, such action shall cease and desist immediately until a review with the proper authorities is completed.
  6. If such action has been identified by a member, details of the review, action taken and correspondence exchanged shall be furnished to such member no later than 30 days after the completion of such review.
  7. Except as otherwise provided for in these By-Laws, the L.U.E.B. shall have jurisdiction over all the affairs of this Local between Conventions and its decisions shall stand until varied or reversed by a Committee of the Convention Delegates decision or a subsequent Convention, providing the decision does not oppose guidelines, policies or any such direction as established at a regular or special Convention: in which case, should a dispute arise, such would be presented to the Committee of Convention Delegates who will by simple majority make a final decision on any such matter.
  8. The L.U.E.B. will meet in person, as a whole, minimum of once within a 12 month period to conduct business. The date and time of said meeting will be forwarded by the Local President and agreed upon by the L.U.E.B. based on availability. Subsequent meetings will be held within 12 months..
  9. Additional L.U.E.B. meetings may occur on an as needed basis either in person or via conference call as determined by the Local President or a majority of the L.U.E.B.
  10. A quorum of an L.U.E.B. meeting shall consist of a majority of all its members. A Regional Vice-President unable to attend a session of the L.U.E.B. shall be required to name an alternate from within his Region, for that session.

Convention and Special Convention

  1. The Local shall meet in a Convention every three (3) years during the monthof September at a Local Union Executive Board selected location in Canada, starting in the year 2016.
  2. A special Convention can be called for in only 2 cases:

a)If 50% of the membership has signed a petition to that effect. The petition’s text shall have a part where the only matters to be dealt with are listed.

b)If the Local Union Executive Board unanimously agrees there is an urgent situation and that a Convention is the best way to deal with it. The Local Union Executive Board will address the membership through a special communiqué with a part where the matters to be dealt with are listed, calling for a Special Convention.

  1. The Local Recording Secretary shall call the Special Convention at a location selected by the Local President no later than sixty (60) days after the Local Union Executive Board has received the petition regarding it.
  2. Resolutions and policies adopted by majority of delegates at a Special Convention shall carry the same weight and be equally authoritative as those adopted at a regular Triennial Convention.
  3. In all cases, the duties of a Special Convention shall be strictly limited to the matters it was called for.
  4. The Convention shall be comprised of:

a)The Local President;

b)The 3 Regional Vice-Presidents;

c)The Local Recording Secretary;

d)The Local Financial Secretary;

e)The three Trustees;

f)The elected delegates from each of the five Delegation Territory.

  1. The five Delegation territories are:

a)Atlantic,

b)Quebec,

c)Ontario,

d)Western,

e)Pacific.

  1. There shall be a minimum of one delegate elected for each Delegation Territory, 2 in 50 and round up after 25

MEMBERS / DELGATES
1 – 25 / 1
26-50 / 2
51 - 75 / 3
76 - 100 / 4
101 - 125 / 5
  1. The assistant Regional Vice Presidents will attend conventions as a recognized delegate and are not to be included in the Delegate Territory count.
  2. Each delegate must be a member in good standing in order to be seated at the Convention.
  3. The determination of membership count in each Region will be those members who are on the Local Membership list (including members’ not in good standing) as of the last day in February in the convention year.
  4. Each Region shall accept nominations for and elect, in the Convention year, delegates and alternates in the following manner:
  5. Notice will be given in the November minutes that nominations will be open until the end of January.
  6. During such election, the Election and Tellers Committee duties will include the distribution of a secret ballot to all members in good standing containing the names of all members duly nominated, receiving the returned ballots, and the counting of the ballots no later than the end of March. The Election and Tellers Committee shall be responsible to ensure that at least thirty days have elapsed between the distribution of the ballots and their counting.
  7. In order to stand for election as a delegate or alternate, a member must be in good standing himself, and must have been nominated by at least one (1) member in good standing.
  8. The person(s) receiving the greatest vote in his Delegation Territory will be declared the delegate(s) of that Delegation Territory and an equal number of alternates will be chosen in succession based on the number of votes received. In the event that a delegate is unable to attend, the alternate with the greatest number of votes shall attend in his place.
  9. A delegate shall have one vote in the Convention.
  10. A recorded vote of the Convention may be held upon the request of twenty percent (20%) of the delegates.
  11. Each Region shall certify to the Local Recording Secretary, no later than April 15th in a Convention year or ten (10) days prior to the opening date of a Special Convention on credential forms provided by the Local, the names and addresses of Delegates and alternates.
  12. The Convention shall exclusively have the power to:

a) Pass upon the credentials and seating of all people present, whether a Delegate or not.

b)Establish the policies to be followed by the Local

c)Interpret and amend these By-Laws.

d)Hear duly processed appeals from members.

e)Do all things necessary for the proper disposition of any matter which may come before it for consideration.

  1. Members may attend the Convention at their own expense but shall not be seated with the delegates or the Local Union Executive Board.
  2. Resolutions submitted to the Local Recording Secretary by Regions or members ninety (90) days prior to the Convention shall be distributed to the Local President and all Delegates by the Local Recording secretary forty (40) days prior to the Convention.
  3. Resolutions are to be submitted in a format recommended by the National Office, one at a time, on separate sheets.
  4. A resolution not submitted within the time limits prescribed above may be submitted as a ‘’Floor Resolution’’ to the Convention.
  5. The introduction of such Floor Resolution shall state the reason for late submission and a summary. It will require a 2/3 acceptance for debate at a later time.
  6. Floor resolutions will be debated, time permitting. A simple majority will be required for it to be carried.
  7. The Local President with the approval of the Local Union Executive Board shall appoint members of all Committees necessary for conducting the business of the Convention. The Committee members will be chosen from those attending the Convention, either as Delegates or as officers of the Local Union Executive Board. The Committees must meet prior tothe Convention when/where ever possible in order to select a chair for their respective committees and be prepared forthe Convention.

The Committee of the Convention Delegates

  1. The committee of the Convention Delegates shall have a term of office that lasts from one Convention until the next and shall be formed of all members, who are still in good standing, who attended the last Convention.
  2. The Subject Matters shall be all questions of interpretation of the existing Bylaws and no questions will be put to such committee within the three (3) months prior to the next convention as it is expected that the upcoming Convention will deal with these items.
  3. When a dispute arises from interpretation of the Bylaws, either side to the dispute may appeal to this Committee for ruling by submitting their objection and request for appeal to the Local Union Executive Board. The Local Union Executive Board must submit such appeal to the Committee of Convention Delegates.
  4. Each party to the dispute will be allowed one (1) 8’’x11’’ page to explain and justify their point of view. These letters must be submitted to the Election and Tellers Committee within fourteen (14) days of the party being advised. These pages, one for each side to the dispute, will accompany the ballot sent to each member of the Committee of Convention Delegates. The balloting will be conducted by the Election and Tellers Committee and the results forwarded to the Local Recording Secretary for further distribution to the Local Union Executive Board.
  5. It is here declared that the dispute procedure is a right of the membership and the Local Union Executive Board can not interfere with this process.
  6. Ruling by the Committee of Convention Delegates will stand until over-ruled by a subsequent Convention. Until such time as the Committee rules, the interpretation of the Local Union Executive Board shall prevail.

Petitions

  1. If a petition is circulated among members of a Region, on any subject, except Recall, it will only be disposed of at the Region’s meeting following the signing period, if at least 25% of that Region’s membership has signed it within a 60 days period. For a petition to circulate among the membership of a Region, a formal copy must be provided to the Region’s Vice-President and the Local President prior to the beginning of the signing period.

Expenses

  1. The Local will pay transportation and hotel on a credit card emitted to the name of the Local. The Local President, the Western Region Vice President, the Central Region Vice President, the Eastern Region Vice Presidentand the Local Financial Secretarywill each be provided with such a card. No credit card will be provided to the Local Recording Secretary.
  2. Accepted expenses for any member that has been granted release from work by the Local Union Executive Board for Local activities shall be:

a)The salary he was entitled to if he had worked for the employer during such period of time.

b)If he has to use public transport with prior approval, all traveling expenses up to airfare economy class fee.

c)If prior approval was granted for the rent of a vehicle,and all related expenses.

d)The LUEB will set and modify mileage and per diem amounts as conditions dictate provided they are not in excess of rates established by the National Executive Board.

e)If prior approval was granted, all other expenses that have been allowed up to the stated maximum.

  1. Any expense account presented must have all receipts included, in order for the applicant to be reimbursed. It is of the applicant’s own responsibility to make sure he has all the related documentation. It is of the LFS responsibility, with the advice of the LUEB, to accept or refuse any expense item to requesting members, either prior, during or after the fact.
  2. Every effort shall be made to submit expense reports within 30 days of the expense being claimed
  3. Expenditures made on a Union issued credit card will have every effort made to have the expense report submittedwithin 30 days from the day the credit card invoice is received
  4. Expenses submitted outside of 90 days shall be reviewed by the Secretary Treasurer and the submitting individual. Payment may be withheld if a valid explanation cannot be established.
  5. Any disciplinary action regarding the late submission of expenses will be discussed and reviewed by the Local Union Executive Board.
  6. Offer of services to the Local must be accompanied by a properly filled receipt and details.
  7. No mileage will be paid for on a rental vehicles, expenses are covered by submitting receipts for the approved rental and gas.

Salaries, Allowances and Honorariums

  1. There shall be no salary paid to any of the Local’s officers for as long as the membership of a Section within the Local is undergoing a legal strike, according to the prorata of the membership this Section represents to the total Local membership, except, following the same prorata, in order to match the National Union strike fund subsidies and under the same rules and conditions.
  2. Breakdown of Salaries are as follows

1)Local President is paid at a CT2 step 12 + the RTA, this will then be the base to calculate the 20% top up per month. This is to be paid bi- weekly

2)Vice President’s are paid $500 per month

3)Local Financial Secretary is paid $500 per month

4)Local Recording Secretary is paid $300 per month

5)Assistant Vice President’s are paid $150 per month

  1. A $200 Honorarium will be paid to the Trustees per financial review (Audit’s to be done once a year by the Chartered Accountant (CPA) – trustees will audit/review receipts after the fact to give recommendations – To be paid within 30 days after the submission of the trustee report)
  2. A miscellaneous expense, of up to $200/month, will be available to be expensed monthly by only the (3) Vice President’s, Local Financial Secretary and Local Recording Secretary (amount up to but not surpassing $200 to be decided by each at their own discretion – no receipts needed). This is to replace payments for office space/utilities, phones and internet. These expenditures will no longer be submitted as expenses by those mentions above. Nor will these be billed directly to any Union credit card.
  3. Rent will be paid only to the Local President at a rate of up to $250/month, to be decided at his discretion
  4. The allowances are to be reviewed and adjusted yearly, at the Local Union Executive Board budget meeting.
  5. In the event of injury or illness to a Local Union Executive Board member, the Executive Board stipends, rent monies and office expenses shall only be paid for a period of one pay period from the date that an EB member is on Short Term Disability/unable to perform their duties
  6. The convention is mandated to consider any increase in executive salaries or stipends at each convention.
  7. Any member of Local 2000-A shall be eligible for an honorarium for service rendered. The Local Union Executive Board shall determine if, and to whom, such honorarium shall be paid.
  8. Any Executive member who is required to replace another Executive member for vacation, sick leave, etc. will be considered for an honorarium by the LUEB.
  9. Vacation earned in any calendar year will be taken during the following year. Extension may be granted if approved by the Local Union Executive Board.

Regions