Duties of Officers

Section 8. Duties of Officers

All Officers must give all properties, assets, funds and all records of the Local Union to their successors at the end of their term of office.

All signing Officers of Local 1615 shall be bonded through the master bond held by CUPE National. Any Officer who cannot qualify for the bond shall be disqualified from having signing authority.

8.1   The President shall:

  1. enforce the CUPE Constitution and these By-Laws;
  2. preside at all membership meetings and preserve order;
  3. decide all questions of order and procedure (subject always to appeal of the membership);
  4. have a vote on all matters (except appeals against their rulings) and in case of a tie vote in any matters, have the right to cast the deciding vote;
  5. enforce Board or membership decisions;
  6. ensure that all officers perform their assigned duties;
  7. fill committee vacancies where elections are not provided for;
  8. introduce new members;
  9. ensure that the Local’s funds are used only as authorized or directed by the Constitution, By-Laws, or vote of the membership;
  10. (or their delegate) attend at least one regular or special membership meeting at Grenfell Campus annually;
  11. have first preference as a delegate to all Conventions, conferences, and week-long schools;
  12. liaise with the Third Vice-President (Corner Brook, Grenfell Campus) on a regular basis.
  13. be an ex-officio member to all Local Committees.
  14. Keep a daily diary of activities
  15. Report on activities at every general monthly and executive meeting.
  16. act as chief shop steward and chair of the grievance committee (Article B.3.1).

8.2   The First Vice-President shall:

  1. If the President is absent for 10 working days or more the First Vice President shall be assigned, pending Departmental approval, as President with all accompanying compensation, perform all duties of the President. For any leave less than 10 days the President‘s duties will be
    performed without compensation.
  2. if the office of President becomes vacant, become President of the Local;
  3. be chairperson at Executive Board meetings;
  4. act as the third signing authority on all bank accounts, term deposits and other investment certificates held by the Local;
  5. render assistance to any member of the Board as directed by the Board (Article B.3.2).

8.3   The Second Vice-President shall:

  1. if the President and First Vice-President are absent or incapacitated, perform all duties of the President and/or First Vice-President;
  2. if the office of First Vice-President falls vacant, become First Vice-President. If the offices of President and First Vice-President fall vacant at the same time, become acting President until a new President is elected;
  3. be chairperson at Executive Board meetings if the First Vice-President is absent;
  4. assist the Secretary-Treasurer and the Membership Officer in recording attendance at membership meetings;
  5. render assistance to any member of the Board as directed by the Board.

8.4   The Third Vice-President (Corner Brook, Grenfell Campus) shall:

  1. be responsible for the overall affairs of the area and liaise with the other members of the Executive Board (St. John’s);
  2. be Chairperson of the Grenfell Campus Administrative Committee;
  3. be responsible for all monies disbursed to the Grenfell Campus Administrative Committee.

8.5   The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

  1. receive all revenues, initiation fees, dues and assessments, keep a record of each member’s payments, and deposit promptly all money with a bank or credit union;
  2. prepare all CUPE per capita tax forms and remit payment;
  3. record all transactions in a manner acceptable to the Board and in accordance with good accounting practices;
  4. be properly bonded with a faithful performance of duty bond. Bonding amounts shall conform to the minimum guidelines as established by the National Secretary-Treasurer. Bonding shall be arranged through the master bond held by the National Office;
  5. regularly make a full financial report to meetings of the Board, as well as a written financial report to each regular membership meeting, detailing all income and expenditures for the period;
  6. pay no money unless supported by voucher duly signed by the President or the First Vice-President, except that no voucher shall be required for payment of per capita fees to any organization to which the Local is affiliated;
  7. shall make a written year-end financial report to the regular monthly membership meeting held in the month of September each year. Such report shall include a summary of all income received and expenses paid in the year ending March 31. The report shall also include a summary of all accounts, term deposits and other investment certificates held by Local 1615;
  8. make all books available for inspection by the auditors and/or Trustees on reasonable notice, and have the books audited annually;
  9. provide the Trustees with the information as outlined in Section 8.9 of these by-laws so that they may complete their annual audit;
  10. be empowered, with the approval of the Executive Board, to employ necessary clerical assistance to be paid for out of the Local’s funds;
  11. in consultation with the Membership Officer, maintain an up to date membership list which shall include an attendance record of members attending meetings of the Local.
  12. apply in writing to the Director of Human Resources for all “Time Off For Union Business” under Article 18 of the Collective Agreement between the Local and Memorial University of Newfoundland. It shall be the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to keep the Board and the membership informed of the time left owing to the Local under Article 18 in a given year. In years where the Local uses more union leave than that afforded to it by Article 18, the Secretary-Treasurer shall inform the Board and membership as soon as possible. A list shall also be maintained detailing the members who have been approved for “Time Off For Union Business” and the reasons for such. A copy of this list shall be provided to the Trustees, upon request so that they may complete their audit;
  13. Sign all cheques and ensure that the Local’s funds are used only as authorized or directed by the CUPE Constitution. Local Union bylaws or vote of the membership. In consultation with the Executive Board, designate a signing officer during prolonged absences.
  14. Be responsible for maintaining, organizing, safeguarding and keeping on file all supporting documents, authorizations, invoices and/or expense claims for every disbursement made, receipts for all money sent to CUPE National, as well as records supporting documents for all income
    received by the Local Union.
  15. Make all books available for inspection by the Trustees and/or auditors on reasonable notice. Ensure that the books are audited at least once each calendar year and within a reasonable time, respond in writing to any recommendations and concerns raised by the Trustees (Article B.3.4-3.8).

8.6  The Recording Secretary shall:

  1. keep full and accurate account of the proceedings of all membership and Board meetings. Each record of proceedings shall include a copy of the full financial report presented by the Secretary-Treasurer;
  2. record all motions, with the mover’s and seconder’s names, in the minutes and maintain a separate file of motions in the Local’s union office;
  3. record all amendments to the By-Laws;
  4. upon reasonable notice from the auditors and/or trustees provide copies of minutes of all membership and Board meetings;
  5. on termination of office, surrender all books, seals and other properties of the Local to their successor;
  6. preside over membership and board meetings in the absence of both the President and Vice-Presidents;
  7. be empowered, with the approval of the Executive Board, to employ necessary stenographic or other assistance to be paid for out of the Local’s funds.
  8. Keep full, accurate, and impartial account of the proceedings of all regular or special membership and Executive Board meetings. These records must also include a copy of the full financial report (Executive Board meetings) and the written financial report (membership meetings) presented by the Secretary-Treasurer. The record will also include Trustees’ reports (Article B.3.3).

8.7   The Membership Officer shall:

  1. guard the inner door at membership meetings and admit no one but members in good standing or officers and officials of CUPE, except on the order of the President and by consent of the members present;
  2. assist the Second Vice-President and Secretary-Treasurer in maintaining the record of membership attendance at meetings;
  3. examine the credentials of all those present at membership meetings, report to the Chairperson, and allow no one without credentials to remain;
  4. perform such other duties as may be assigned by the Board from time to time.

8.8  The Trustees shall:

  1. act as an auditing committee and audit all books and accounts of the Local on an annual basis between the months of May and August each year, to this end the Trustee committee shall be provided with the following;
    • all ledgers used during the period covered by the audit
    • all supporting documents, authorizations, invoices and/or vouchers for every disbursement made during the period
    • all cheque stubs for cheques written during the period
    • all minutes of Board and Membership meetings
    • list of all schools, conferences, conventions and any other “educationals” approved during the period and the members who have attended
    • list of members who have retired during the period and gifts presented
    • list of donations made and flowers sent by the CUPE Cares Committee during the period
    • list of award winners and the names of their parents or spouses (if applicable)
    • list of the members who have been approved for “Time Off For Union Business” and reasons for such
    • list of Local members who serve on CUPE National and CUPE Newfoundland and Labrador committees or executives and the expenses they have received from the Local in compliance with Section 18.4 of these by-laws
  2. inspect or examine once a year any stocks, bonds, securities, office furniture and equipment, titles or deeds to property that may at any time be owned by the Local;
  3. at the completion of an audit, the Trustees shall submit in writing to the President and Secretary-Treasurer any recommendations and/or concerns they feel should be reviewed in order to ensure that the Local’s funds, records and accounts are being maintained by the Secretary Treasurer in an organized, correct and proper manner;
  4. report their findings in writing to the first membership meeting following the completion of each audit. The report shall comment on the condition of all funds, accounts, and property owned by the Local. The report will also include a copy of their recommendations and/or concerns submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer, and the Secretary-Treasurer’s written response;
  5. be responsible to ensure that monies have been paid with proper constitutional, membership or Board authorization;
  6. ensure the Secretary-Treasurer has made written financial reports to each regular membership meeting, detailing all income and expenditures for the period covered by the audit;
  7. Send to the National Secretary-Treasurer, the assigned CUPE National Rep to the Local and the Local’s President and Secretary-Treasurer: (1) a copy of their completed audit report (on the prescribed forms provided by the National Secretary-Treasurer; (2) a copy of their report to the
    Local membership as per the CUPE National guidelines (B.3.12(b)); (3) a copy of their recommendations and/or concerns containing a response from the Local’s Secretary-Treasurer.
  8. Act as an auditing committee on behalf of the members and audit the books and accounts of the Secretary-Treasurer, Recording Secretary and the committees at least once every calendar year (Article B.3.10-3.13).