In order to do your job well as a Local Officer, it is important for you to have access to a number of resources. Some of these resources will already be in your Local’s files. Other information you will need to obtain as specific needs arise.
Although the following list is lengthy, its purpose is to give you an idea of the material that is available for you to do an effective job as a local officer.
When compiling a list of individuals, it is always useful to record information on work and home addresses, e‑mail addresses and phone numbers at home and at work.
A List of Members:
- usually this is the computer print‑out, several Locals also have indexed cards or excel files.
A list of Stewards
- include their occupational groups, the sections and divisions they work in and worksite they represent.
A List of Local Executives
The Local By‑laws
- a question about the Local organization and policy is best answered with facts in front of you.
Minutes of Local Executive Committee Meetings
- where the decisions of the executive are recorded.
Minutes of the Stewards/Grievance Committee Meetings
- will also provide insight into the Steward’s strategies and group actions against management, as well as brief resumes of types of grievances in process and results.
Minutes of Regular and Annual General Membership meetings
- where again you will find the decisions taken by the members and the Local’s mandate on issues of concern to the members. You will also find reports of officers and election results.
Local Committees
- their terms of reference, minutes, publications, correspondence, budget.
Grievance Files (Confidential)
- will provide you with some insight into management’s interpretation of the contract and how to improve contract language.
Minutes of the Local Labour‑Management Committee Meetings
- will provide you with an overview of the worksite problems and management’s response.
Contract Clause Book
- to be used by the Local’s Bargaining Committee. There should be one contract clause book per group.
Collective Agreements
- it is a good idea to keep updated collective agree ments of all the groups represented in your Local.
Proposal for Collective Bargaining Forms
- blank forms to be used by Bargaining Committee. You can obtain these forms from your Component or the PSAC Regional Office. See samples in the Stewards’ Handbook.
Collective Agreements from other Unions
- this helps the Bargaining Committee to do its research and justify contract demands.
PSAC Regulation 15
- this Regulation explains in detail the procedure and time‑limits of the process of collective bargaining See Constitution and Bylaws.
Management Directives and Policies
- these are issued by management
Labour Legislation
- relevant to your bargaining unit.
PSAC Political Action Program
- which outlines the objectives, structures and methods for political action.
PSAC Legislative Strategy
- which includes the Alliance’s strategy with regards to the legislation under which we are covered.
A List of Component Executives
Component By‑laws
- For Locals which come under the jurisdiction of Components. Several Components have enshrined the Local By‑laws in Component By‑laws. This is where you will find, for instance, how many delegates your Local is entitled to send to the Convention.
Component Regulations
- not all Components have Regulations. This is where Locals can be informed of the procedure to be followed to be a member of a Component Bargaining Committee for instance.
Component Executive Meetings
- a record of your Component’s position on issues facing the members ‑ this is also where you can find out what happened to the motion you gave the Regional Vice‑President.
Component Newsletter
- and other Component literature and publications.
Component Resolutions of Records
- those are resolutions of substance passed at Conventions which give a general orientation and/or instructions to the Component National Executive.
Component Convention minutes
- records the decisions passed by the Convention in session.
Component Committees
- in which the Local is involved, their terms of reference, minutes, publications, correspondence e.g. Collective Bargaining.
A List of National Board of Directors’ Members.
- A list of the Regional Council Executive Members.
Alliance Constitution
- which governs the Alliance.
Alliance Regulations
- usually contain procedures to be followed in the implementation of policies, e.g. Regulation 15 on collective bargaining
Alliance Policies and Resolutions of Record
- establishes the main orientation of your union on several issues of concern to the membership; and Resolutions of substance that give a general orientation and/or instructions to the Alliance Executive. See PSAC Policies and Resolutions Booklet.
Alliance Convention Minutes
- records the decisions passed by the Convention in session.
National Board of Directors’ Minutes
- which include the reports of all members of the Alliance Executive Committee and the activities of the Branches under their jurisdiction.
Regional Council Minutes
- which include reports, activities and decisions of Council meetings.
Alliance Publications
- such as the Union Update, the Alliance Magazine, the Pay Equity Bulletin, the Collective Bargaining Update.
Alliance Committees
- in which the Local is involved, their terms of reference, minutes, publications, correspondence e.g. Collective Bargaining, Political Action Committees, Regional Women’s Committees, Equity Committees.
A List of Resource People
- At the Alliance and the Component levels and at the PSAC Regional Offices.
A List of Area Council Executives
A List of Political Action Committee Members
A List of Regional Women 5 Committee Members
Resources are also available from other unions and from the community. Universities, colleges, city libraries, radio stations, cable television stations, your provincial and federal constituency office can all be useful resources in your work as a Local Officer. Most communities also put out a catalogue of all the services it offers its population. For a minimal sum, the Local can have ready access to a number of important and free services.