Table of Contents


Union- TWU Local 33 Charter/Bylaws

British Columbia, Canada

Local 33 Charter


Union Combined Charter Signed by President, Bob Donnely and Secretary Treasurer- Don Bremner

Local 33 Bylaws- as of June 16, 1997

1. These Bylaws shall be known as the Bylaws of Local 33 of the Telecommunications Workers Union and shall at all times be supplemental to the Constitution of the TWU. In the event these Bylaws contravene and/or modify the Constitution and/or policy of the TWU, the provisions of the latter shall prevail.

2. Resignation from membership in this Local shall be made in writing to the Secretary-Treasurer of the TWU, with a copy to the Local Secretary-Treasurer.

3. There shall be a minimum of four (4) Regular Meetings of this Local in each calendar year. One of these meetings shall be held in September and shall be designated as the Annual Meeting. All other meetings shall be held on dates to be decided by the Executive Committee.

4. The Executive Committee of this Local may call a Special General Meeting on giving five (5) day's notice in writing of such meeting. Ten percent (10%) of the membership of the Local shall form a quorum at a Special General Meeting or at a Regular General Meeting.

5. Meetings of the Executive Committee of this Local may be called at such times as, in the opinion of the President, may be deemed necessary, or by petition to the President by any members of the Executive Committee.

6. The Officers of this Local shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary-Treasurer, three (3) Executive members and Convention Delegate(s), four (4) of whom shall form a quorum. Elections shall be held for the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, Three (3) Executive members and Convention Delegate(s). The President shall act as Alternate Convention Delegate. The Vice-President shall act as the second Alternate Convention Delegate. The Counsellor(s) of this local shall be those people elected as Convention Delegates.

7. The President shall preside at all General Meetings, and in his/her absence the Vice-President shall preside; in the absence of these officers, the Executive Committee, from one of their own members, shall elect a Chairman. The Vice-President may chair alternate Executive Meetings.

8. The Officers of this Local, as set out in Bylaw No. 6, shall be elected by secret ballot for a two (2) year term. The President's and Vice-President's term should expire on alternate years.

9. At least one (1) month prior to the Annual Meeting, the Executive shall appoint a Nominating Committee to nominate a slate of Officers. Nominations may also be made from the floor by any member of good standing. All nominees must satisfy the following requirements: (a) Must have been a member of the Union for a period of six (6) months. (b) Must have been present at the previous two General Meetings or have a valid excuse for any absence. © Must not, during the previous tree (3) year period, have been removed from office under the terms of these Bylaws or for any other cause. (d) Must be present when nominated, or if this is not possible, must indicate in writing his/her willingness to stand for office.

10. Any Officer of this Local who is absent for two (2) consecutive meetings including Executive or General Meetings, unless working or through sickness, the office held by him/her may be declared vacant and he/she shall be notified and his/her office shall be filled by election at the next General Meeting for the balance of the unexpired term.

11. Special Committees may be appointed by the President for any purpose consistent with the welfare of the union. Committees may also be elected by vote of the membership present at a General Meeting. Sickness and Membership Committees shall be standing committees.

12. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for the preparation and safe custody of the minutes of the proceedings of this Local of the TWU and the Executive Committee and shall have custody of the books and records of this Local. The same may be inspected by any member or members of this Local at all reasonable times.

13. The Secretary-Treasurer shall keep the Local working fund as a chequing account and the Local Social Fund as a savings account, and shall receive all monies due to this Local and shall deposit same in a chartered Bank, or preferably a Credit Union, to be approved by the Local Executive Committee. Such monnies shall be withdrawn from the Local working fund only on cheques signed by two (2) of the following officers; Secretary-Treasurer, President, Vice-President, or Convention Delegate; and from the Local Social Fund by withdrawl slips signed by two(2) of the same officers as outlined above for the Local fund.

14. The accounts of this Local shall be audited by an Auditing Committee comprised of two (2) Local Members, nominated and approved at the June General Meeting. The Audit must be completed, and a report resented, at the Sseptember Annual Meeting. The fiscal year shall end August 31st each year. A Financial Statement shall be issued by the Secretary-Treasurer whenever same is requested at a General or Executive Meeting.

15. At all meetings the Chairman will delegate a member(s) in good standing to act as Sergeant(s) at Arms. One of his/her functions will be to attend to the door.

16. Entry to any meeting will be by membership card only. New members who have not yet received their membership cards will be checked out on a list of new members to be supplied to the Sergeant of Arms by the Secretary-Treasurer.

17. The Executive Committee has the power to act for and on behalf of the membership of this Local between General Meetings and shall be empowered to approve the payment of current expenses and bills incurred by this Local between meetings.

18. All members of the Local Executive Committee shall be paid an allowance, concurrent with the latest TWU Financial Policy, as set by Convention, upon attending Executive Committee Meetings.

19. No member of the Executive Committee of this Local shall apply for any non-bargaining unit job or act as or relieve in any non-bargaining unit job during his/her term of office.

20. The president shall have sole authority to interpret these bylaws subject to appeal from the floor of a meeting.

21. These Bylaws shall not be amended, altered, deleted from or added to except by the authority of a resolution passed at a Special or General Meeting of this Local, or by referendum vote.



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