CUPE Local 79 is a democratic organization. It’s governed through the elected bodies of the Executive Board, the Executive Committee, the Auditor Trustees and the Unit Officers. According to the Union’s bylaws, Local 79 members have the right to elect their officers every three years.

The following gives an explanation of how this year’s Local 79 election will run. If you have any questions, concerns or complaints regarding any matter concerning the election, please call Mary Villa, Chief Returning Officer for Local 79, at 416-977-1629 ext. 550.

On this page

– Election timeline
– How to submit a nomination
– How to properly fill out your ballot
– Positions up for election and their responsibilities

Election Timeline

• October 25 — Nominations for all elected official positions are due on this day. Write-in nominations must be received at the union office no later than 4:30 pm. Local 79 will hold a General Membership meeting at 6:30 pm, Steelworkers’ Hall, 25 Cecil St., at which time the doors will be sealed (tiled) and the election committee will take nominations from the floor. The Recording Secretary will provide the Election Chair with the write-in nominations.

• • October 28 — The Local 79 Election Committee will mail out ballots to Local 79 members’ home address. The ballot will list the elected positions and the nominees running for these positions. Please allow one week for delivery from October 28. If you have not received your ballot in that time, call Mary Villa, Local 79 Chief Returning Officer at 416-977-1629 ext. 550.

• • November 21 — Ballots must be received by 4:30 pm at the very latest, which means you should mail your ballot well in advance.

• • • November 22 — Results of the Local 79 election will be read at the General Membership Meeting at 6:30 pm (Steelworkers’ Hall, 25 Cecil St). Doors will be tiled (sealed) at the beginning of the meeting, 6:30 sharp.

How to submit a nomination

If you plan to submit a nomination for an election position, first look at the requirements:

• • • You must be a current Local 79 member. You need to have been a member of CUPE (any local) for at least 12 previous consecutive months.
    • You must have attended at least five general meetings in the preceding 12 months (or provided written notice to the union office, within 3 days of that particular General Membership Meeting for which you were absent, that you were unable to attend).
    • You must have two Local 79 members support your nomination: A ‘mover’, who is the person nominating you, and a ‘seconder’, who is the person supporting that nomination. Each person must print their name and contact information clearly, and sign your nomination letter.

An example nomination text could read:

I, (name of mover), nominate (name of person running for office), for the position of (name of position) in the 2011 CUPE Local 79 election.

(Printed name of nominee)
(Address of nominee)
(Signature of nominee)

(Printed name of mover)
(Address of mover)
(Signature of mover)

(Printed name of seconder)
(Address of seconder)
(Signature of seconder)

Your written nomination needs to be submitted to the union office in person or by fax (416-977-9546) by 4:30 pm on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at the latest, or you can be nominated at the General Membership Meeting on October 25, 2011, at 6:30 sharp. *You must be in attendance if you are being nominated at the meeting.

How to properly fill out your ballot

• • • Make sure that you receive the ballot for the Bargaining Unit you are a member of. The seven Bargaining Units are: City Full-time, Homes for the Aged Part-Time, Recreation Workers Part-time, Unit B (Part-time), Bridgepoint Hospital Professional Units, Bridgepoint Hospital Service Units and Toronto Community Housing Corporation. Call Mary Villa at 416-977-1629, ext. 550 if you have received an incorrect Bargaining Unit ballot (you will have to return your incorrect ballot in order to receive a new one).
  • •  Mark your ballot with an “X” or “√” in the box beside the person you want to vote for. The number of people to be elected in each position is indicated on the ballot under the title of that position. You can vote for any number of people up to that “number to be elected.” If you go over the maximum number to be elected for that particular office the vote will not count, as it is considered an over-vote.
  • • Do not write on or initial your ballot. Any writing on the ballot will be considered an ‘identifying mark’, resulting in the spoiling of your ballot. If you make a mistake and need a new ballot, you can contact Mary Villa at 416-977-1629, ext. 550 to arrange an exchange of your ballot for a new one.
  • • Ballots will only be accepted if mailed through the Canada Post mail system. Completed ballots returned through inter-office mail, or delivered in person, will not be accepted at the Union Office. *Do not use the City’s internal mail system*
  • • Completed ballots MUST BE RECEIVED at the Postal Station no later than Monday, November 21, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

Positions up for election & their responsibilities

What follows is a listing of every position up for election, accompanied with a brief description of its primary responsibilities. The positions of President, First Vice-President, Vice-President-Chief Steward, and Recording Secretary, all sit on the bargaining committee. For a full description of the responsibilities of these positions, see Section 3 of the CUPE Local 79’s bylaws.

President

The President is the Chief Officer of CUPE Local 79 and is responsible for making sure that all Officers, members and employees are performing their duties. The President also must supervise all affairs of Local 79; be responsible for all negotiations on behalf of CUPE Local 79, direct and assign work that will carry out the decisions of the membership; ensure the maintenance of all agreements to which Local 79 is a party; and sign all official documents. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of President, see Section 3.02 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

First Vice-President

The First Vice-President is responsible for the management of the office, must sit as the Chair of the CUPE Local 79 COPE Negotiating Committee, ensure that all committees provide an annual year-end report, and will ensure that all City Council, Committee and Board meetings are monitored. The First Vice-President must sit as Chair of the Executive Board. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of First Vice-President, see Section 3.03 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Vice-President – Chief Steward

The Vice-President – Chief Steward’s primary duties are to co-ordinate the activities of Shop Stewards, recruit and recommend Steward nominations, conduct the elections of Shop Stewards, and sit as Chair of CUPE Local 79’s Grievance Committee and Chair of the Stewards’ meetings. The Vice-President—Chief Steward is responsible for monitoring the activities and actions of all Stewards and Unit Officers; strengthening Stewards’ awareness and participation in CUPE Local 79; report on a monthly basis to the Executive Committee and Executive Board on all grievances; make arrangements for Stewards’ meetings; and coordinate and monitor the activities related to all grievances. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of Vice-President—Chief Steward, see Section 3.04 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Vice-President Equity

The Vice-President Equity must be a self-identified member of one of the following five designated groups: aboriginal; people of colour, members of a racial minority; people with disabilities; gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgendered people; and women. The duties of the Vice-President Equity are to: coordinate the Unions’s equity goals and perform other Executive Committee duties; strengthen members’ awareness of equity issues and current equity legislation; be the Chair of the Human Rights Committee; help Local 79 achieve its goals of equity; undertake outreach to identify, involve and develop members from all equity seeking groups; and make an annual report to the members on equity issues and strategies to address them and the progress of those strategies. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of Vice-President—Equity, see Section 3.05 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Recording Secretary

The Recording Secretary is responsible for keeping a full and accurate account of all Executive Committee, Executive Board, General Membership and staff meetings; record all alternations in the Rules and By-laws by motion or amendment; maintain the attendance record of the General Membership meetings and the Executive Officers’ attendance at Executive Board meetings; file incoming and outgoing correspondence and answer all correspondence as directed; prepare and sign all orders for payment; keep all books and papers ready at all times; and provide vacation and sick pay balances to the bookkeeper annually. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of Recording Secretary, see Section 3.06 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Membership Secretary

The duties of the Membership Secretary are to: keep a record of all employees eligible for membership and notify them of their obligation to join the Union; file all applications for membership; keep an accurate up-to-date record of members of Local 79; ensure that members are issued a membership card; Chair the Membership Committee; prepare a monthly report to the Executive Committee; and organize and mobilize the membership in support of Local 79 policies and activities. (For full details on the responsibilities of the position of Membership Secretary, see Section 3.07 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Treasurer

The Treasurer is responsible for ensuring that all dues, initiation fees, assessments, fines or monies remitted by the various employers is received; arrange for the deposit of monies received; ensure all transactions are recorded and open for inspection by the Auditor-Trustees; supply monthly and annual budget reports; sign all orders on the treasury ; sit as Chair of the Budget Committee and ensure that the annual budget is prepared in a timely fashion; provide direction to the bookkeeper of Local 79, and to co-ordinate arrangements for conventions, conferences, workshops, and other similar events. (For full details on the responsibilities of the Treasurer, see Section 3.08 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Unit Executive Officers

There is one Unit Executive Officer position up for election in each Unit in Local 79 (seven in total). Unit Executive Officers are responsible, in their respective bargaining units, for coordinating the activities of the Shop Stewards and members and sitting as the Chair of all Shop Stewards and Special Meetings. They must also prepare and lead Step II grievance meetings for their respective units. (For full details on the responsibilities of the Unit Executive Officers, see Section 3.09 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Auditor-Trustees

Auditor-Trustees are responsible for a monthly audit of the books and accounts of the Treasurer and present a report to the Union. Local 79 bylaws require that there be three Auditor-Trustees. The auditor receiving the highest number of votes will be elected as Chief Auditor-Trustee. Auditor-Trustees must exercise general supervision over the properties of the Union. They must take an annual inventory of the properties of the Union, and present it to the general membership at the end of each year. (For full details on the responsibilities of the Auditor-Trustees, see Section 3.10 of the CUPE Local 79 bylaws).

Executive Board (Executives Officers at large)

There are fourteen (14) Executive Officer at large positions up for election.  Executive Officers must meet with the rest of the Board (consisting of the Executive Committee and nine unit officers) once a month at the call of the President. The Executive Board must administer and fulfill all the duties delegated to them by the Union.