BYLAWS OF
CANADIAN MEDIA GUILD
CBC TORONTO LOCATION UNIT
CMG-CWA
October 2019
ARTICLE # 1 NAME
1.1 The name of this organization shall be Canadian Media Guild, CBC Toronto Unit, [herein after referred to as the “Location Unit”], and shall be a location unit of the Canadian Media Guild [herein after referred to as “CMG”]. CMG is local 30213 of the Communication Workers of America – Canada [herein after referred to as “CWA”].
ARTICLE # 2 OBJECTIVES
2.1 The objective of the Location Unit shall be to advance the economic, social, and professional standing of its members, of all workers, and society through greater unity and strength and the practice of free and democratic trade unionism.
2.2 To protect and advance the rights of all members without regard to race, creed, colour, national origin, marital status, age, sexual orientation, lifestyle, physical disability or health.
2.3 To promote mutual understanding and co-operative relationships between our employers and our members in all matters of common interest.
2.4 To promote the national and international importance of our industry and the significant contribution made by our members and their work.
ARTICLE # 3 MEMBERSHIP
3.1 All persons employed at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation who are within the jurisdiction of the union as defined by the Canadian Industrial Relations Board shall be eligible for membership in the Location Unit subject to completing membership requirements as stipulated by CMG.
3.2 All persons that have fulfilled the requirements as per article 3.1 and who have remitted dues for shifts to CMG at least thirteen times in any one-year period, and others that may be named specifically by the local executive.
3.3 Persons that have retired from employment may retain membership if they have met the requirements of the CMG national by-laws. Note: If a person employed by the CBC retires and is a properly accredited member of the union at retirement date, then such membership will continue. Retired members shall have the right to attend and speak at CMG sessions, will not have the right to vote, make or second motions, hold office, or be delegates to convention.
ARTICLE # 4 STRUCTURE
4.1 The ultimate authority and responsibility of the Location Unit shall be the membership as expressed by majority vote at any membership meeting.
4.2 Membership meetings shall be called by the President of the Location Unit, by the Location Unit executive, or by petition of twenty percent of the membership of the Location Unit.
4.3 The administration and structure of the Location Unit shall be as follows: A) The Membership of the Location Unit, B) The Executive of Location Unit, C) The Officers of the Location Unit, D) The President of the Location Unit,
4.4 The Location Unit Executive shall establish committees within the location to assist and advise the Location Unit in the accomplishment of the objectives of the Location Unit.
4.5 Such committees shall include, but shall not be limited to the following:
- A) Joint Labour/Management Committee
- B) Health and Safety Committee
- C) Grievance Committee
- D) Temp Committee
- E) Joint Employment Committee
4.6 The Location Unit Executive shall be responsible for the appointment of representatives on committees. The Location Unit Executive shall appoint the chairperson for each committee. The appointed Chairperson shall be responsible for the spending and activities of the committee and shall report to the executive on the actions of the committee at regular executive committee meetings. Nothing in these by-laws shall preclude the appointment of executive members for any committee.
ARTICLE # 5 OFFICERS
5.1 The officers of the Location Unit will be:
- A) President
- B) Vice-President
- C) Recording- Secretary
- D) Treasurer
- E) 4 Directors, one of whom will be elected from the SRC group
- F) 3 Chief Stewards, elected
5.2 The Executive Officers of the Location Unit are the President, the Vice-President, the Recording-Secretary, and the Treasurer.
5.3 The Officers of the Location unit shall be collectively called the “LEC”.
ARTICLE # 6 DUTIES OF OFFICERS
6.1 The President shall be the spokesperson, and shall attend Executive meetings of the Location Unit Executive, and shall enforce the CWA Constitution, the TNG Constitution, the CMG by-laws, and the by-laws of this location unit, and chair all Membership and Executive Meetings and preserve order, and decide all points of order (subject to appeal to the membership), and in case of a tie vote in any matter, including elections, have the right to cast a vote to break the tie, and ensure that all officers perform their assigned duties, and recommend to the location unit executive chairpersons for committees, and sign cheques and insure that the location unit funds are used only as authorized or directed by membership vote, and shall participate in all CMG Presidents Council Meetings.
6.2 The Vice-President shall attend Executive meetings of the Location Unit Executive, and shall, if the President is absent or incapacitated, perform all duties of the President, and shall attend CMG Presidents Council meetings in the absence of the President or if the President has alternate delegate status, and if the office of President falls vacant, be acting president, until a new President is elected. The Vice-President is also responsible for ensuring that educational and mobilization efforts are on-going and supported.
6.3 The Recording Secretary shall attend Executive meetings of the Location Unit Executive, and shall keep full, accurate and impartial account of the proceedings of all regular or special membership and Executive meetings, and will distribute minutes of any meeting within ten working days of the meeting, and report on all correspondence and fulfill other secretarial duties as directed by the Executive, and file a copy of all letters sent out and keep on file all communications, and co-ordinate the preparation and distribution of all circulars and notices to members, and have all records ready on reasonable notice for audit by CMG or Location Trustees, and will keep electronic copies of Toronto Location Units By-Laws, Policies, correspondence, and relevant files, and preside over Membership and Executive Meetings and preserve order in the absence of both the President and the Vice-President, and on termination of office, surrender all documents and other properties of the Location Unit to the duly elected successor. The Recording Secretary will ensure communications between the Location Unit Executive and the membership are on-going and supported.
6.4 The Treasurer shall attend Executive meetings of the Location Unit Executive, and shall receive all revenue, dues, and assessments, and deposit promptly all money with a bank or credit union, and pay all bills and claims when supported by receipts and expense form duly authorized by a Location Executive Officer, except that no expense form shall be required for payment of the regular ongoing expenses or regular needs of the Location Unit, and use a computer based accounting program to record all financial transactions in a manner acceptable to the Executive and in accordance with good accounting practices, and make a written financial summary at Location Unit Executive meetings, and shall provide a Financial Report quarterly or at the request of the president, and make all books available for inspection by the Location Unit Executive, and have all records ready on reasonable notice for audit by CMG Trustees, and send the CBC Branch a budget based on recommendations of a budget committee, and prepare all necessary CMG financial forms, and preside over Membership and Executive Meetings and preserve order in the absence of the President, the Vice- President, and the Recording Secretary, and on termination of office, surrender all books, records and other properties of the Location Unit to the duly elected successor.
6.5 Directors shall attend Executive meetings of the Location Unit Executive, and shall perform all duties as directed by the Location Unit Executive, as well as those defined by the title, and shall distribute to the Location Unit Executive minutes of any committees that the Director is responsible for, and shall report in writing on the activities of such committees at regular Executive meetings. Prior to a location unit election, the Location Unit Executive will determine specific portfolios to be assigned to each director’s post, based on current needs.
6.6 Educational Requirement for Executive All members elected to the Executive, must on a yearly basis, complete a minimum of one union/labour education course, approved by the Location Unit Executive. Costs to be paid for by the Union.
Also, upon being elected each committee member must take part in a Steward/grievance handling course within their term (unless taken previously). The course may also count towards their yearly credit. Nothing prohibits any Executive Member from applying for or attending more than one course per year.
ARTICLE # 7 STEWARDS
7.1 With the approval of the LEC any group of members with common interests or common location may select a Steward from among themselves.
7.2 The primary duty of the Steward is to ensure information on issues affecting the Membership is available to the LEC. The Steward shall also ensure that current information from the Union is available to the Membership.
7.3 Stewards should take part in a Steward/grievance handling course. Costs to be paid for by the Union.
7.4 The primary duties of the Chief Steward are those of a Steward. The Chief Steward will also assist and mentor Stewards, and ensure communication from the union reaches stewards, and that concerns brought forward by stewards are addressed.
ARTICLE # 8 EXPENSES
8.1 Expenses shall be paid for all approved monies spent on behalf of the Location Unit.
8.2 Such expenses must be authorized in advance by the Location Unit Executive or the President if the expense is of an urgent or immediate nature.
8.3 Authorized out of pocket expenses shall be reimbursed by the Treasurer for members of the Location Unit required to participate in union business.
8.4 Such out of pocket expenses shall be reimbursed on submission of receipts and a properly completed claim form and recommended by an Executive Officer.
8.5 Members participating in Location Unit business will be compensated for travel (at economy, tourist, or coach rates, or CMG mileage rate plus reasonable parking), single room accommodation (basic rates), per diem (at the CMG rate) and any loss of base salary.
8.6 Members pre-authorized to use their personal vehicle for Location Unit activities shall receive a sum equal to the CMG mileage rate plus reasonable parking.
8.7 The LEC will determine set quarterly honoraria to be paid to Executive Officers, Chief Stewards, and Directors. This will not preclude compensation for unexpected expenses. Any member of the LEC who is absent from meetings and duties for more than three months in a row for any reason must forfeit this honorarium until they return and can perform normal duties.
ARTICLE # 9 MEETINGS
9.1 The Membership and the LEC shall meet in accordance with the CMG National bylaws.
9.2 The Stewards and the LEC shall meet a minimum of two times a year.
9.3.1 The LEC shall meet a minimum of nine times a year, including during labour disputes. A quorum for an LEC Meeting will consist of a majority of voting members of the LEC.
ARTICLE # 10 ELECTIONS
10.1 Elections for Location Unit Executive positions shall be held, as provided for in the CMG By-laws.
10.2 The Location Executive shall determine the form of the Nomination form and the election ballot, and shall ensure that sufficient quantities of both shall be made available to the Elections Committee Chairperson.
10.3 The Election Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for issuing nomination forms.
10.4 The Elections Committee Chairperson shall be responsible for the distribution, collection, and counting of all ballots.
10.5 At the conclusion of all elections the Elections Committee Chairperson shall immediately inform the President of the Location Unit of the results. These results shall then be made known to the membership of the Location Unit, and the National office of the CMG.
10.6 In the event of a vacancy occurring on the Location Unit Executive a by-election will be called to fill such vacancy. Such byelection shall follow the prescribed method of election as noted above. No byelection shall be necessary within six months prior to next regular election. Such vacancies can be filled by appointment by a majority vote of the LEC.
ARTICLE # 11 RULES OF ORDER
11.1 All meetings of the Location Unit shall be conducted in accordance with the basic principles of Canadian Parliamentary Procedures.
11.2 In the event of any conflict issues will be dealt with as prescribed in “Robert’s Rules of Order”.
ARTICLE # 12 AMENDMENT
12.1 These bylaws shall not be amended except by a vote of two thirds of the membership voting on any such amendments, following twenty-one business days notice of motion to amend being published.
ARTICLE # 13 VACANCY/ REMOVAL FROM THE LOCATION EXECUTIVE UNIT
13.1 The following circumstances shall lead to a position being declared vacant by the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council, with a two third majority vote of the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council.
- a) Resignation,
- b) The member is deemed to be unable to perform his/her duties or is unable to satisfy
the requirements of his/her office due to transfer or changes in employment status,
- c) Dereliction of duties.
13.2 The following circumstances and/or actions shall constitute dereliction of duties and
may be grounds for removal from the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council:
- a) Absence without valid reasons for three consecutive meetings of the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council;
- b) Violation of the criminal code which would bring the CBC Toronto Location or the
CBC Toronto Location Executive into disrepute and/or undermine its credibility or the
integrity of the person holding office;
- c) An inability to perform the assigned duties and responsibilities of the position in
a manner acceptable to the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council.
- d) Violation of the Oath of Office.
13.3 The following procedures will be used to follow up on reasonable grounds of dereliction
of duties:
- a) Where allegations of dereliction have arisen, the President of the CBC Toronto Location shall, by a motion of the LEC, convene a Review Committee of five persons to examine the circumstances.
- b) Within thirty days of convening, the Review Committee will present its
findings and recommendations to the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council.
- c) If the Review Committee determines a blatant dereliction of duties has occurred,
it shall recommend, as a first step, that the member be asked to resign. As a second step, the member could be removed from Office by a two third majority vote of the CBC Toronto Location Executive Council.
13.4 A member removed from office following the application of article 13.3 can appeal this removal to the Branch Executive Committee of the Canadian Media Guild.