Posted on by anju parmar

February General Membership Meeting

Thursday February 22nd at 7pm

Italian Cultural Centre

3075 Slocan Street, Vancouver BC

AGENDA FOR THE February GMM:

  1. Land Acknowledgment
  2. Reading of Truth and Reconciliation: Calls to Action
  3. Reading of new members
  4. Reading of the previous meeting’s minutes
  5. Business arising out of the minutes
  6. Financials
  7. New Business
  8. Nominations and elections:
    1. Balloting committee (1)
    2. Regional delegates Alternates (10)
  9. Executive Committee Motions
  10. Unfinished business
  11. Correspondence
  12. Executive and Committee Reports
  13. Good and Welfare
  14. Adjournment 

***ASL Interpreters have been confirmed for this meeting***

In Solidarity 

Anju Parmar, President

Motion 1

 Motion presented by the member 

Whereas the Vancouver local dues assessment has not been raised since 1980,

And whereas member mobilization and education has suffered from spending cuts,

And whereas member organization, education and mobilization is the heart of a strong union,

And whereas the union is facing a protracted period of struggles on multiple fronts,

And whereas dues increase should be linked to wage increases,

Therefore, be it resolved that Article 4.1C of the Vancouver local bylaws be amended to read:

“The monthly local dues assessment shall be $10 in 2024, with increases indexed to the annual wage increase in the Urban Operations Collective Agreement in each year thereafter.”

Motion 2

Motion Presented by LEC

Whereas members expect our elections to be fair and impartial,

Therefore, be it resolved that Article 9 of the Vancouver Local Bylaws be amended as follows:

9.0    ANNUAL ELECTIONS

          A       Elections for full-time officers, part-time officers, table officers, executive stewards and shop stewards shall be held by secret ballot as outlined in Article 9 of these bylaws.

B       Nominations must include a current mailing address and phone number of the candidate nominated.

C       Candidates, upon the close of nominations, shall receive a registered letter outlining what is and is not permitted during campaigning, when campaigning must cease, when the voting will start and end, and when the ballots will be counted.

D       The balloting committee shall meet prior to the close of nominations to determine an election schedule and procedures.

E       Members of the balloting committee are not permitted to nominate a member for any position unless they resign from the balloting committee beforehand. 

F       All members of the balloting committee must remain neutral and impartial. No member of the committee is permitted to endorse, support, campaign on behalf of, or distribute any campaign material for any candidate in any way.

G      9.0 F does not prohibit a member of the balloting committee from casting a vote in an election or distributing copies of The Postal Worker election edition approved by the Local Executive Committee.

H      Candidates, or any person supporting a candidate shall not produce or circulate any material, in person or electronically, that is libellous, defamatory, slanderous, knowingly false or misleading, or is in violation National Policy D-5 of the CUPW constitution.

I        Should the balloting committee become aware of any material that violates Article 9.0 H, the chair of the balloting committee is empowered to demand the immediate removal of such material.

J       Should a candidate refuse to comply with an order to remove material issued in accordance with Article 9.0 I, the executive committee may disqualify a candidate by 2/3 vote of the committee. Any member of the executive committee who is a candidate in the contested position for which the material in question has been distributed must recuse themselves from such a vote.

K      Candidates, or any person supporting a candidate shall not solicit funds for the purpose of campaigning, producing election materials or any other election related expenses, including any post election gratuities. This article shall also apply to by-elections

Motion 3

Motion presented by the member

Whereas Members have been known to sign into General Membership Meetings, but are not participating or listening in discussions, but only to get a meeting credit.

Therefore, be it resolved that the following language be added to 10.6 of the Vancouver Local Bylaws;

Be it resolved that the Chair of the General Membership Meeting call on Members to check in at any given time by visually confirming attendance, or vocally if joining by telephone;

Be it further resolved that the Chair will call for a check in before a vote to visually confirm attendance, or vocally if joining by telephone;

Be it further resolved that if a Member does not check in, the Tyler/Sargent-at-Arms will remove the Member(s) to the waiting room.