The purpose of this local shall be to promote and protect the social, physical and economic welfare of its members, to bargain collectively and in good faith with the employers of its members in the best interest of its membership. To this end no member shall wrong another, nor see another wronged if it is in his or her power to prevent it.

Jurisdiction shall be as outlined in Section 3 of the National Constitution of the Public and Private Workers of Canada.

Section 1 – Initiation Fees

a) Prior to certification being granted, initiation fees shall be waived.

b) The initiation fee for Local 5 shall be ten dollars ($10.00) and shall be paid with the first month’s dues.

c) Initiation fees for members in good standing from any PPWC Local shall be waived provided a withdrawal or transfer form is submitted.

d) All initiation fees shall be deposited to the emergency fund.

Section 2 – Dues

a) The monthly dues for a member of Local 5 shall be two (2) hours times the members assigned classification rate, with a minimum amount of $25.00 (twenty-five dollars) per month.

b) Membership dues in an uncertified unit shall be equivalent to the national per capita tax.

c) Dues become payable on the first day of each month, and the local union may, but is not obliged to, inform members of pending delinquency. This section will be waived for those members who have been subjected to work stoppage of more than fifteen (15) calendar days in that month.

d) Casual workers who work less than forty (40) hours a month shall pay reduced dues of one (1) hour pay per month.

e) Casual workers who work less than twenty five (25) hours a month shall pay reduced dues of one half (1/2) hour pay per month.

f) If due to a bona fide sickness, a member of Local 5 works less than forty (40) hours in any calendar month, he or she shall not apply dues for that month.

g) It is the responsibility of the plant Chairperson to supply and countersign rebate forms where necessary.

Section 3 – Assessments

a) Any member who does not pay his or her dues, fines or assessments, is at midnight of the sixtieth (60th) day, following the day such dues, fines or assessments become due or payable, automatically suspended from membership. While under suspension, a member forfeits all rights, benefits and privileges of any and all kind provided by the national constitution or local by-laws. The forgoing does not apply to members of a unit prior to certification. A suspended member shall be reinstated upon payment of all monies owing plus a reinstatement fee of $10.00 (ten dollars). The provisions of Article XI do not apply to suspension under this section.

b) The local union shall have the right to levy on its members for special purposes, such assessments as may be determined by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members at a membership meeting, provided notice of assessment has been posted at least 7 (seven) days prior to the vote.

The officers of this Local shall be:

Section 2 – Duties of Officers

a) The President

• Shall be responsible for all activities of the local
• Chair all meetings of the local
• See that all officers of the local perform their duties to the satisfaction of the membership
• Rule on all questions of order, subject to appeal by the membership
• Be a signing officer of the local

b) The Vice-President

• Shall chair all meetings of the local Executive Board
• Assume the duties of the President in his/her absence
• Perform any duties of assistance to the President
• Be a signing officer of the local

c) The Recording Secretary

• Shall keep minutes of all local meetings

d) The Corresponding Secretary

• Shall conduct the correspondence of the local
• Present correspondence at local meetings
• Maintain a file of local correspondence

e) The Financial Secretary

• Shall be responsible for the day to day financial activities of the local
• Keep an accurate record of all monies received and spent
• Give a monthly financial report to the general membership meeting
• Prepare the local’s financial records for annual audit
• Be a signing officer of the local

f) The Treasurer

• Shall be responsible for reporting the overall financial health of the local
• Make recommendations, of a long term nature, regarding the local’s finances
• Interface with the trustees regarding the local’s financial status
• Be a signing officer of the local

g) The Trustees

• Shall be responsible for conducting all elections in the local
• Ensure that the Financial Secretary and/or Treasurer are bonded in an amount sufficient to protect the funds of the local
• Ensure that the local’s financial records are audited annually by an independent auditor approved by the local

h) The Wardens

• Shall ensure that all members at meetings are entitled to remain
• Ensure that all members present sign the attendance book
• Assist in maintaining order at all meetings
• Perform any other duties which may be requested by the Chair

i) Union Counsellor

• The local Union Counsellor shall be a full-time employee of Local 5, elected annually under the terms laid out for election of local officers
• The Union Counsellor shall be responsible to the local Executive Board and shall act upon instructions issued by local officers
• The Union Counsellor shall be bondable and is to discharge his/her duties in accordance with the terms of reference as set down by the local Executive Board, to be signed by him/herself and approved by the membership
• The Union Counsellor shall maintain a log book on a daily basis

j) The National Executive Board Member

• Shall attend all meetings of the National Executive Board
• Shall communicate all local concerns to the National Executive Board
• Report to the local the proceedings of the National Executive Board meetings

k) The Industrial Health & Safety Chair

• Shall be the local’s spokesperson in all matters concerning health and safety and environmental issues
• Attend conferences and conventions as requested by the local Executive Board

l) Confederation of Canadian Unions Representative

• Shall attend in town meetings of the CCU Executive Board
• Shall attend out of town meetings with the approval of the local Executive Board
• Shall communicate all Local concerns to the CCU Executive Board
• Shall report to the local the proceedings of the CCU Executive Board meeting

a) The officers of this local shall be elected annually and the term of office shall be April 1st to March 31st of the following year. However, the term of office for trustees shall be three (3) years, with one (1) elected each year.

b) In the event of a change of Financial Secretary and/or Union Counsellor, the incumbent will be expected to serve in an advisory capacity for a period of up to thirty (30) days, if deemed necessary by the local Executive Board.

c) Any officer intending to resign shall notify the local in writing at the earliest possible date. Following the resignation and/or vacancy, for any reason of a local officer, elections will be called within sixty (60) days. Any officer may be nominated to fill such a vacancy and yet it is not necessary that he/she resign his/her office. Should he/she be elected, his/her previous office becomes vacant automatically.

d) Any table officer who absents him/herself from 4 (four) consecutive meetings (executive or general membership) without reasonable excuse may be suspended or his/her office declared vacant. Such decision shall require a majority vote at a general membership meeting after Notice of Motion has been posted 7 (seven) days prior to the meeting.

e) No member of Local 5 promoted to a staff position outside a bargaining unit shall hold office in this local while in that position.

f) Any officer who resigns, is recalled, or for any reason ceases to hold office, shall immediately upon termination of his/her position or office, turn over to the local union all property of the local union in his/her possession.

Section 4 – Election of Officers

a) Nominations of candidates for local office shall be opened at the regular membership meeting in January or in the event of no quorum, as soon thereafter as a quorum is obtained, and shall close at the next regular membership meeting.

b) With the exception of newly organized units, a nominee for local office or convention delegate must have been a member in good standing with the national union for a period of at least one (1) year and a member in good standing in Local 5 for a period of at least one (1) year immediately prior to his/her acceptance of nomination.

c) Elections of the nominated candidates for local office shall be held in all units where this local is the certified bargaining agent.

d) Convention delegates are to be nominated and elected at a general membership meeting by secret ballot 3 (three) months prior to convention. Pending nominations of elections shall be posted in all units for at least seven (7) days.

e) Conference delegates are to be nominated and elected at a general membership meeting by secret ballot. When possible, notice of nominations shall be posted in all units for at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting.

f) Candidates nominated for union office shall have their names, previous union experience and place of employment posted on the bulletin boards of all units within the local’s jurisdiction, such notice to be posted for at least two (2) weeks prior to the start of balloting.

g) The three (3) trustees shall conduct all Local 5 elections and referendum votes. In the event any or all trustees are running in an election and are therefore not available, the Executive Board shall designate Returning Officers accordingly. No member running for office shall be eligible to act as a Returning Officer, however.

h) Voting lists shall be prepared by the trustees and office staff. The trustees shall determine the number of ballots required and have them printed. Counterfoil ballots are to be used. Candidates nominated for union office shall make available their names and a short biography which includes previous union experience and place of employment.

i) The Standing Committee in each unit will be responsible for the balloting. In the event that any Standing Committee members are running for office, the trustee(s) shall designate alternates. The trustee(s) shall lock the ballot box in the presence of a member who is not running for office. Each plant chairperson will be notified by the trustees as to when and where to pick up the ballots, ballot box and voting list. The trustee shall lock the ballot box in the presence of a member not running in the election.

j) There shall be four (4) consecutive days of voting in each unit to be determined by the local Executive Board. The unit (plant) chairperson (or his/her designate) shall issue a ballot to each member on the voting list after the member has signed the ballot counterfoil and the voting list. In the event that a member in good standing has been omitted from the voting list, the unit chairperson is authorized to issue a ballot upon receiving the required signatures from the individual concerned.

k) Those members responsible for balloting shall seal the ballot box at the close of balloting and place their signatures on the seal. It will be their duty to transport the sealed ballot box together with the voting list and all unused ballots, or see that they are transported to the trustees not later than 4:30 p.m. on the day following the last day of balloting.

l) On the day following the last day of balloting the trustees shall check the unit voting lists and ballots for discrepancies. The ballots will then be tabulated on a local basis. All unit (plant) chairpersons will receive a written notification of the results of the election or referendum, on a local basis, for posting on bulletin boards.

m) Any unit which fails to comply with the forgoing rules shall not have any ballots counted.

n) All ballots and voting lists shall be held by the trustees for a period of at least thirty (30) days after an election or referendum. A motion to destroy the ballots and voting lists shall be in order at the first general membership meeting held following the expiry of the thirty (30) day period, providing no written request for a recount has been received by the trustees.

o) The offices of Recording Secretary and Corresponding Secretary may be amalgamated at the Local’s discretion.

p) The offices of Financial Secretary and Treasurer may be amalgamated at the Local’s discretion.

Section 1 – Initiation Fees

a) Each certified unit shall maintain a Standing Committee in the following manner:

• 75 members and under – Unit Chairperson and Secretary
• 76 to 150 – Unit Chairperson, Secretary, and one (1) member at large
• Over 150 members – Unit Chairperson, Secretary, and two (2) members at large
• Each unit may elect alternate members

b) Annual election of unit committees shall be held in all units where this local is the certified bargaining agent. Such elections are to take place not later than April and will be conducted in the following manner:

• Unit Chairpersons shall appoint two (2) scrutineers who will not be running in the election
• The scrutineers will post a list for nominations for two (2) weeks prior to the election. Such list shall be made available by the local.
• Voting by secret ballot will take place on four (4) consecutive days following the conclusion of nominations.
• Any member in good standing is eligible to accept one nomination to the Unit Committee and be entitled to a secret vote.
• The scrutineers shall count the ballots at the conclusion of voting and advise the unit and local of the results.

c) The term of office for unit committees shall be one (1) year. The existing committee shall nevertheless finish any pending negotiations and/or arbitration cases.

d) It shall be the responsibility of the unit committee to:

• Represent its members in matters such as contract negotiations, grievances and arbitrations
• Represent its members at the local Executive Board meetings where they shall be expected to attend and vote
• Post all official correspondence from the local or national executive.

Each unit shall maintain a shop steward structure. Stewards will be elected annually at the same time as unit committees under the procedure outlined in Article VI.

All contracts and contract changes shall be referred to the members concerned and approved by a secret ballot vote before signing.

a) A minimum of $20.00 (twenty dollars) per member shall be kept in the local emergency fund.

b) Monies paid out of the emergency fund shall be paid only to or on behalf of PPWC members idled by strike or lockout when the local union has sanctioned such payment.

c) A Notice of Motion shall be posted for 7 (seven) days in all units before a vote on any withdrawal of more than $1,000.00 (one thousand dollars) from the emergency fund.

Local union by-laws may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) majority vote at any meeting providing that Notice of Motion giving details of the amendment has been posted at least seven (7) days prior to the vote.