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Committees
CUPE
4163 coordinates several committees. Without committees the
union would simply not run. Thus, it is extremely important
that members from a diverse group of departments participate
on committees. Committees are where the 'participation' in
participatory democracy happens!
Lack
of skills or experience need not inhibit anyone from joining
a committee. You will be working with more experienced peers
and with a capable staff who know what it was like when they
first joined. There is also free training available to you
(see here
for details).
Bargaining
Committee / Team
Members of the Bargaining Committee negotiate with UVic's
Human Resources Team when the union needs a new collective
agreement. Members on the bargaining team are paid a stipend
for every hour they sit at the negotiating table.
Many additional (volunteer) hours are spent strategizing about
bargaining. This is a significant time commitment. Members
of each component elect their own component bargainers.
Budget
Committee
Members of the Budget Committee oversee the financial affairs
of the union. The presidents and treasurers of each component
sit on this committee. The treasurer of CUPE 4163 is paid
position. The main responsibility of the Budget Committee
is to prepare the annual budget in advance of the Annual General
Meeting in March.
Communications
Committee
Members of the Communications Committee strategize effective
ways to communicate with 4163 members, others at UVic, and
the larger community. Members on this committee create posters,
newsletters, websites, emails, press releases and more. This
committee is open to all members.
Contract
Committee
Members of the Contract Committee review the existing collective
agreements, identify areas that need attention, and come up
with proposals for bargaining. This committee is important
because they assist us in improving our contracts. The committee
is open to all members. Bargaining team members are usually
chosen from the Contract Committee.
Education
Committee
Members of the Education Committee keep 4163 members up-to-date
on educational opportunities. We try to send as many members
as possible to various workshops, conferences, schools, etc.
This committee also puts together in-house training days for
members. This committee is open to all members.
Grievance
Committee
A grievance occurs when part of the contract is violated,
or when a member's legal rights are violated. Members of the
GC review grievances to determine the best course of action
for our members, and sign off on any resolutions. The committee
is made up of the Presidents of each component and any Chief
Stewards. The GC works closely with the local's staff and
Department Stewards on particular cases.
Health
and Safety
Open to all members, the Health and Safety committee works
to ensure that CUPE members work in a safe environment. They
keep members informed on possible risks, and they investigate
all claims relating to health and safety.
Joint
Executive (JE)
The Joint Executive has the important role of overseeing all
union business between general membership meetings (e.g.,
grievance reports, financial business, political action, etc.).
The Joint Executive is elected each year at the Semi-Annual
General Meeting in October. Each component has a president,
two vice-presidents, a recording secretary, a treasurer and
members at large. Some of the Joint Executive positions receive
a small monthly stipend.
Labour
Management Committee (LMC)
While the Grievance Committee deals with individual grievances,
the Labour Management Committee deals with the administration
of the collective agreement at a policy level, in between
bargaining periods. Members on the Labour Management Committee
are paid a stipend for every hour they sit with
management. Any member can join this committee at any time
of the year. The LMC turns into the Contract Committee when
bargaining starts.
Personnel
Committee
CUPE 4163 employs three staff members to manage the everyday
operations of the union. Members of the Personnel Committee
are the direct supervisors of CUPE 4163 staff. For example,
the personnel committee is responsible for hiring, performance
reviews, discipline, and termination of CUPE 4163 staff. The
Personnel Committee includes at least the president of each
component, and the treasurer. The Joint Executive can appoint
other members if needed.
Political
Action Committee (PAC)
Members of the Political Action Committee work on larger political
campaigns. In recent years this committee has worked on tuition
fee reduction, anti-poverty, anti-globalization campaigns
and the CUPE BC Solidarity Action Plan. With the Joint Executive,
the Political Action Committee decides which campaigns will
receive attention and implements strategies for action on
these issues. This committee is open to all members at any
time of the year.
Stewards'
Council
Each department has the right to a steward. If there isn't
a steward in your department, CUPE 4163 can help you organize
a meeting in your department to elect a steward. The stewards
from each department make up the Stewards' Council. This council
provides a forum in which representatives have a chance to
talk about CUPE work-related problems in their departments
and get ideas about possible solutions from people in other
places. The council is extremely important because it is here
that the union gathers information about what's going on in
the departments. The council meets once monthly. The council
is co-chaired by two stewards who are elected by the members
of the council. Stewards who work on grievances are paid a
stipend for every hour they sit with management.
There are several workshops to train CUPE stewards, which
the local will pay for.
Updated July 9, 2007
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