CUPE 4163 – Proposed Bylaw Amendments for March 2025 AGM
1) Remove references to the CUPE initiation fee Bylaw 2.2 (a) (Members of the Local – Membership status) and Bylaw 6.3 (d) (Duties of the Officers – the Treasurer).
- CUPE National did away with the initiation fee in the fall of 2023.
2) Reduce the membership grace period from 12 months to 2 semesters. Bylaw 2.2(c) (Members of the Local – Membership status)
- Currently, a 4163 member retains their membership rights for 12 months after their last contract.
- Union membership is defined by employment at a particular employer – in this case, UVic.
- People are still eligible to participate in CUPE 4163 elections and other important internal union matters 11 ½ months after having ended their employment relationship with UVic.
- This is unfair to members who are still working at UVic.
- Reducing the grace period to 2 semesters still allows someone continuing to work at UVic to maintain membership without interruption.
3) Reduce the required number of component executive officers at a component meeting from 2 (two) to 1 (one) Bylaw 3.7(a) Membership Meetings (Quorum)
- When the bylaw was drafted, each component had five officers, so getting two officers to attend a meeting wasn’t difficult.
- We now have only two component officers, so it is more feasible to require only one for quorum.
4) Add managing Stewards to component Vice Presidents’ duties. Bylaw 6.4 Duties of the Officers
- This is part of the Local’s work to build a more effective body of stewards.
5) Chief returning officer appointment approved at AGM, not SAGM Bylaw 10.2(a) (Nomination Election and Installation of Officers -Elections)
· Housekeeping. Current practice.
6) Delete term of office from Bylaw 10.3(b)(Nomination Election and Installation of Officers – Installation)
- The term of office is already laid out in 6.1(c) (Duties of the Officers)
7) Change budget presented at SAGM, not AGM Bylaw 11.2 (a) (Finances – Voting of Funds)
- Longstanding practice that was missed in previous bylaw clean ups.
8) Give Trustees a $50 honorarium. Bylaw 11.3 (Finances – Honoraria in Recognition of Outstanding Volunteer Service)
- Trustees perform a vital function for the union: ensuring that our finances are in order. Their service should be recognized.
9) Require the booking of fully refundable hotels for conference, convention, and meeting travel. Bylaw 11.6 (Finances – Per Diems and Travel Expenses)
- When the local sends members to conferences, conventions or meetings, we need to book (and pay for) hotels weeks or months ahead of the event.
- If the member is unable to attend the event due illness or some other unforeseen situation, the union is still on the hook for the reservation. Therefore, it is worth the extra cost for a reservation that is fully refundable.
10) Repeal bargaining team compensation. Bylaw 11.7 (Finances – Bargaining Team Compensation)
- This is already guaranteed by the University and so is unnecessary.