Public Service Alliance of Canada BC

The Local is the centre of all union activities at the workplace. It provides the democratic framework of the union. It is the organization that enables members to make decisions, to formulate policies and provide guidance to the elected and full‑time officers of the union. As an elected officer of your Local, you will be carrying out these services and implementing the decisions agreed upon by the members of the Local. The Union needs men and women such as you, willing to invest time and energy to organize, administer, service and provide union leadership at the workplace.

The Local carries out two important functions at the worksite. They are a political (decision making) function and a service (decision‑implementing) function. These two essential functions are necessary to create a strong and effective union presence at the worksite. As a Local Officer you will provide representation at the workplace, as well as leadership within the Local and at all levels of the organization. You will also provide leadership in the community and in the labour movement as a whole as you seek to respond to the ever-changing needs of your membership. As a Local Officer, it is within your power to make your union effective and credible amongst the membership, within the Union, in the labour movement and in your community as a whole.

The Local Officer’s Job

The Local Officer’s most important job is to ensure that the integrity of the union is safe‑guarded. This means you ensure that each union member.

• is afforded the right to receive representation before the employer;
• is provided with the opportunity to sign a union card, and once they have signed -
• has an opportunity for input in the affairs of their Union, at all levels;
• has an opportunity for input into the collective bargaining process and all other union vehicles which affect the interests of members
• has the opportunity for voice, vote and to stand for office within the Local;
• receives information about the affairs of their Union.

As a Local Officer you also have to ensure that all policies of the Component and the Alliance are followed and that these are explained and understood by the membership.

In carrying out your duties as a Local Officer you come in contact with people. At the worksite, you are in contact with members, supervisors and management. In the Local you will work with the other Local Officers, the Stewards, the Alliance and Component Officers and union staff. Knowing how to communicate and how to listen effectively are indispensable abilities when dealing with people. Knowledge about the collective agreement, management and union policies, labour laws, as well as being diplomatic and tactful can only help in all your dealings with members.

Getting Involved

As a unionist you want to be involved in the decision‑making process of your union and to be involved in the decisions that affect your work Life. All your efforts contribute to make these goals a reality.

To be effectively involved you need to properly organize and administer your Local. You need to be properly organized so members know where they can go for help. As a Local Officer you must not lose sight of the fact that unions are here to represent the interests of workers. As you know, dealing with the everyday operation of a Local makes it difficult at times to keep this goal in mind.

A Local will be involved in a number of activities. As a Local Officer, a large number of opportunities and areas of interest are open to you and through you opened to the members. The following list, while not exhaustive, is representative of some of the activities in a Local.

It is not going to be possible for you, as a Local Officer, to become involved in all of the activities described, nor is it expected that you should. Opportunities for involvement, where possible, should be available to the members. In this way, the workload can be shared, a great deal more can be accomplished and local leadership developed.

Local Union Activities

A large amount of your time as a Local Officer is going to be spent in local union activities. A Local engages in activities to organize and administer itself which include:

Administration

Committee Work

• Local Bargaining Committee;
• Labour Management Consultation Committees;
• Other Committees such as, Membership, Education, Political Action, Grievance, Health and Safety, Employment Equity, Human Rights and Women’s Committees.

Activities

• Signing new members;
• Recruiting Stewards, Committee members, Executives…
• Newsletters;
• Other services provided by the Local, ie., union counselling.

As a Local Officer, you will find it beneficial to know the members in your Local, their occupational group’s problems, their present working conditions, the problems created. You will also find it useful to know the supervisors and management and be aware of their attitudes towards unionism.

Local’s Participation In Alliance Activities

This is the highest level at which the Local can have input in the decision‑making process of the Union. Your involvement and your input are necessary to make this union the kind of union you need. The following are some suggested activities in which the Local can get involved:

• Briefs, papers, research, motions to be presented through National President of Component or the REVP responsible for the affairs of Directly Chartered Locals;
• Observers to the National Board of Directors;
• Delegates, observers and resolutions to Alliance Convention (via proper channels);
• Participation in Regional Councils;
• Active participation in Alliance campaigns through the regional Political Action Committee, the Component, the Area Council, the Regional Women’s Committee, the Human Rights Committee and other specific regional Equity groups:
• Support Alliance picket lines;
• Support national calls for solidarity.

Local’s Participation In Component Activities

This section pertains to Locals within Component jurisdiction. Already this is one step removed from the immediate and pressing tasks of organizing and administering the Local. These activities also become of the utmost importance if the Local is to take its rightful place in the. decision‑making process within the Union. Some of the Local activities here will consist of:

• Meetings with the Regional Vice‑President;
• Delegates and observers to Component Bargaining Committees; Delegates and observers to Component Conventions;
• Resolutions to Component Conventions;
• Representatives on Component Committees; Delegates to Regional and National Women’s Conferences.

Locals Participation In Area councils

Area Councils’ activities provide a forum where all Alliance Locals, including Directly Chartered Locals, from the same region can meet, exchange views and work together on important issues. For the Local, it is also a window opened into the community and the rest of the labour movement. Some of the Local activities here are going to be:

• Delegates and observers to Area Council meetings;
• Financial support;
• Promotion and coordination of Alliance campaigns;
• Political action campaigns;
• Educational seminars;
• Community affairs;
• Social and recreational affairs;
• Promotion of Federations of Labour and District Labour Councils;
• Delegates and observers to Alliance Conventions;
• Resolutions to Alliance Conventions;
• Studies, briefs, motions to the National Board of Directors;
• Meetings and correspondence with the Alliance Regional Executive Vice President.

Local’s Participation in District/Municipal Labour Councils, Provincial Federations of Labour and the Canadian Labour Congress.

These organizations provide a forum for organized labour to have their voice heard in the community and at all levels of government, and to facilitate coalitions in direct action around the interests of workers and issues of social justice.

• Delegates and observers to general member­ship meetings;
• Resolutions and motions;
• Delegates and observers at Conventions;
• Financial support
• Committee work;
• Campaigns;
• Rallies;
• Strike support.

Local’s Participation In Other Union Activities

As an active Local Officer you will become aware of the total labour movement around you and how you can participate and help our common cause. Some examples are:

• Rallies and days of Protest;
• Strikes ‑ financial and solidarity support.

Local’s Participation In Community Activities

Most involved members are also actively involved in their communities in voluntary organizations or recreational ones. The Local can become involved and manifest the union’s interest and concern for community affairs by.

• Helping social justice groups;
• Sitting as representatives of labour on school boards, women’s groups, Amnesty International, Co‑ops etc.
• Participating in municipal/provincial and federal elections.
• Local members supporting fundraising activities for charitable, voluntary organizations