Section 15. Ratification
15.1 In order that all members be afforded the opportunity to vote on proposed collective agreements, the following rules shall apply:
- Copies of the proposed collective agreements shall be mailed directly to each member prior to the meeting.
- Voting shall be by secret ballot at a special membership meeting held simultaneously at St. John’s and Corner Brook. All efforts will be made to establish an audio link between the members of St. John’s and Corner Brook.
- Six volunteer scrutineers from the floor at the meeting shall count the ballots.
- Counting shall take place at the meeting.
- A majority vote of the ballots cast at the meeting shall decide.
- Neither the Executive Board nor the Negotiating Committee will release the final count.
Section 16. CUPE Local 1615 Strike Fund
16.1 The purpose of this fund will be to finance strike actions against the employer and pay the members of the Local during the initial stages of a strike or lock-out. From the first day of the strike or lockout CUPE National will pay $300.00 a week.
16.2 The CUPE Local 1615 Strike Fund will be set up as a separate bank account to which the Secretary-Treasurer shall deposit 5% of all monthly membership dues or the amount in excess of 150,000.00 dollars that the Local has within its accounts, other than the Strike Fund account, as of December 31 of each calendar year, whichever is greater. The Secretary-Treasurer, upon consultation with the membership, will conservatively invest a portion (or all) of this fund in term deposits or guaranteed investment certificates with the Newfoundland and Labrador credit union or any other provincially-registered financial institution.
16.3 Rules Governing The CUPE Local 1615 Strike Fund
- Strike action, for the purposes of this By-law, will be understood to include legal and wildcat strikes, as well as employer sponsored lock-outs.
- The monies in this account cannot be used for any reason other than those associated with a strike action taken against the employer.
- Members shall receive a payment of $150.00 on the seventh day after a strike commences and another on the fourteenth day of the strike. If the strike ends between the eighth and thirteenth day then members will receive a payment of $150.00 upon returning to work. In the event a strike does not last 7 days members will still receive the initial payment of $150.00.
- Monies paid to members, in the event of a strike, will be contingent upon the balance of the fund. If the balance of the fund cannot support section 16.3(d) then the benefits will be pro-rated.
- The balance of this fund will be capped to $500,000. Once this cap has been reached no further monies will be deposited to it. All interest accrued will be transferred into the Local’s operating/chequing account.
Section 17. Awards
17.1 Realizing the importance of Post-Secondary education the members of CUPE Local 1615 will award up to ten (10) awards, valued at $1,000.00, each year. The selection of these awards will be on a competitive basis and open to the daughters, sons and spouses of current members and the members themselves of CUPE Local 1615.
17.2 The granting of these awards will be decided by the Award Committee based on the following regulations:
- Eligibility will ultimately be decided by the Award Committee, their decision shall be final;
- the competition will be open to students currently in full time attendance at any University or any programme (of at least two (2) years duration) at any other recognized post-secondary institution;
- in order for candidates to be considered they must have achieved an average of at least 65% in their previous full-time semester. As well, candidates must supply the committee with transcript with their application;
- the awards will be selected at the April general monthly meeting by the members of the Award Committee using a random selection process.
- no person shall receive more than one CUPE Local 1615 award;
- of the ten (10) awards available, six (6) will be reserved for Memorial University students, assuming at least six applicants meet the minimum requirements.