CEUDA - Branch Rules

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1.

vote on any matter at meetings of the Branch; 

2.

hold office in the Branch; 

3.

be elected or appointed a delegate representing the Branch. 

a.

The Branch President; 

b.

The two Vice-Presidents; 

c.

The Secretary; 

d.

The Treasurer; and

e.

Executive Stewards as required. 

All Officers are elected for a term of three years (9.3), with the exception noted in the following Sub-Section. (New - April 2005)

The electoral process is complete after the vote is counted, at which time elected candidates shall take the oath of office, as per Section 25.

Shall be a member in good standing; (New - April 2005)

The National Office shall advertise the arrival of Branch elections by posting on the CEUDA National Office website and publishing in the CEUDA Magazine, where possible:

(a)

Accounted for;

(b)

Held by the NEC Chair;

(c)

Sealed in a box. (9.2.6.k)

Reports

On the first date results of the elections are published and/or posted, an appeal may be presented to the election of the Branch President or to the election of any other Branch Officer. Said appeal is to be presented:

a.

The Branch Executive may provide for locals where a Chief Steward is responsible for a group of members geographically isolated from the Branch Headquarters. 

b.

Branch Executive may establish a Division when the jurisdiction of a Chief Steward extends over a geographic area of a radius greater than fifty (50) miles from the work site of the Chief Steward. 

c.

A Division should be established for the major Departmental organizations within the Branch, such as Excise Division, Commercial Operations, Airport Operations, Traffic Operations, etc. 

d.

During election to the office of Executive Stewards (Rule 9, Section 1, paragraph 6) the Steward Body must take into account the Divisions stipulated in c) and shall make all efforts to allow gender representation of women and men of the Branch on the Executive, while considering the wishes expressed by the Body. 

e.

Where a Division is not represented on the Branch Executive as a result of Branch elections, the Branch should provide an Executive Steward for that Division. 

a.

A member of the Branch Executive who is absent without due cause from three (3) consecutive meetings of said Executive, is considered to have abandoned his/her office and is to be relieved of his/her post and replaced by election from the remaining members of the Branch Executive by the Branch Executive and approved by the
Stewards Meeting. 

b.

A Steward who misses three (3) consecutive official Stewards Meetings, without adequate reason, shall be automatically suspended as a Steward. 

1.

Notwithstanding Section 5, trusteeship may be imposed by the National Executive, whenever it is deemed to be in the best interest of the membership of a Branch or the Union in general. 

2.

The National Vice-President responsible for the Branch will be appointed by the National Executive as Trustee. 

3.

The trusteeship will be administered by a committee of Branch members, known as Deputy Trustees, appointed and supervised by the Trustee. 

4.

The Trustee and Deputy Trustees of the Branch shall be vested with all the powers and authorities and be responsible for all duties provided for under Branch Rules.

5.

All documentation pertaining to the trusteeship shall be provided to members of the Board of Directors as expediently as possible.

1.

administer the finances of the Branch and plan and direct its affairs, subject to legal and constitutional requirements and direction from and/or approval of the Stewards Meeting; 

2.

report monthly to the Stewards Meeting, regarding the administrative, financial and other activities of the Branch; 

3.

organize the Branch in accordance with Rule 10; 

4.

assume responsibility for and supervise the application of any collective agreement in force applying to the members of the District Branch; 

5.

plan and organize the administrative and clerical work of the Branch and provide the necessary personnel and facilities for the work; and be responsible for the competence of the staff; 

6.

summon special general meetings when necessary; and 

7.

be responsible for Grievances, Grievance Procedure, Appeals, Appeal Procedure, Collective Bargaining Data, Education, Classifications, Recommendations on Constitution, By-Laws and Branch Rules amendments for the members of the Branch, and relating with the appropriate authorities or agencies functioning in each of these areas of responsibility.

The Branch President shall:

1.

preside over all general meetings of the Branch Executive, Stewards Meeting and Membership; 

2.

have the general powers and duties of supervision usually vested in the office of a Chief Executive and without limiting the generality of the foregoing between meetings of the Branch Executive, he/she shall have the full power to act with respect to all matters which come within the jurisdiction of the Branch Executive provided  however, that any action shall be submitted to the next meeting of the Branch Executive for review; 

3.

report monthly to the Branch Executive, all matters within his/her knowledge which concern the interests of the Branch; 

4.

direct and coordinate the work of all Executive Officers; 

5.

interpret the Branch Rules for the administration and management of the Branch; 

6.

ensure that the Branch carries out all directives and policies established by the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise, in accordance with the authorities provided by the By-Laws; 

7.

call a meeting of the Branch Executive at least once every six (6) months or upon written request of the majority of the Branch Executive;

8.

represent the Branch in all official actions; 

9.

designate Branch Officers to have signing authority for the issuance of cheques jointly with the Treasurer; 

10.

sign all Minutes of meetings and all Financial Reports; 

11.

be responsible for the proper conduct of all Branch affairs and ensure that all members of the Branch Executive and Stewards meetings discharge their duties and their responsibilities. On termination of his/her term of office, surrender or transmit all of the properties, records, funds and documents for which he/she is responsible to the succeeding Executive Officer, within thirty (30) days after the election and Oath of Office of that Executive; 

12.

review and authorize all expenditures for the Branch, except for expenditures made by the Branch President himself/herself, which expenditures must be authorized by the Branch Executive before they are made or, where that is not practicable, approved at the next meeting of the Branch Executive;

13.

prepare a report for the annual Stewards Meeting, accounting for his/her term of office; and 

14.

with the advice and consent of the Branch Executive, appoint a Chair for all Branch committees and specify the duties of such committees.

The Branch Vice-Presidents shall: 

1.

attend all meetings of the Branch; 

2.

carry out the responsibilities delegated to them by the Branch President; and 

3.

have grievance signing authority and the right to represent grievors at all appropriate levels.

The Branch Secretary shall:

1.

be responsible to the Branch Executive for all correspondence and all official documents on record in and for the Branch; 

2.

attend, take notes and prepare Minutes of all Branch Executive meetings, Stewards meetings and General Membership meetings; 

3.

sign Minutes jointly with the Branch President; 

4.

maintain all official records of Branch Minutes of meetings; 

5.

provide notices to all appropriate persons of time, date and place of the Branch Executive, Stewards and General Membership meetings and an agenda, outlining the proposed business for the meeting; 

6.

provide a filing system, such that all records and correspondence are kept with adequate security and are accessible to all authorized Branch Officers; 

7.

on completion of his/her term of office, surrender and transmit all of the properties, records, funds and documents for which he/she is responsible to the succeeding Executive Officer, within thirty (30) days after the election and Oath of Office of that Branch Executive; and

8.

provide a copy of the official Minutes of each Branch Executive meeting to each member of the Branch Executive and to the National President, within thirty (30) days of the date that the Minutes are approved and provide a copy of the official Minutes of any Stewards meetings to each member of the Stewards meeting and to the National President, within thirty (30) days of the date that the Minutes are approved. 

The Branch Treasurer shall:

1.

attend all Branch Executive meetings, Stewards meetings and General Membership meetings; 

2.

receive and account for all funds and financial obligations due to the Branch, or raised in the name of the Branch;

3.

pay all accounts due and payable by the Branch, obtaining and recording all such transactions based on expense accounts and/or statements; 

4.

obtain a receipt for all expenditures; 

5.

present for review and authorization to the Branch President all expenditures for the report of the transaction; 

6.

maintain the financial records of the Branch in acceptable business manner current and available, and provide access to the financial records of the Branch at all meetings of the Branch Executive and Stewards meetings; 

7.

establish the appropriate accounts and deposit all funds belonging to the Branch in the appropriate accounts for safekeeping; 

8.

invest such surplus funds of the Branch in accordance with the instructions of the Branch Executive; 

9.

be required to give a written semi-annual report to the Branch Executive on the financial position of the budget; 

10.

ensure that a budget is prepared no later than sixty (60) days into the new calendar year; 

11.

be one of the signing authorities for all cheques issued by the Branch; and 

12.

at the termination of his/her term of office, surrender and transmit all of the properties, records, funds and documents for which he/she is responsible to the succeeding Executive Officer within thirty (30) days after the election and Oath of Office of that Branch Executive. 

The Executive Steward shall:

1.

attend all meetings of the Branch Executive; 

1.

have the right to voice and vote at all Branch Executive meetings; 

3.

represent the members and Stewards within his/her jurisdiction at meetings of Branch Executive and inform the Branch Executive of all activities within his/her jurisdiction; 

4.

inform Stewards and members within his/her jurisdiction of Branch Executive activities; and 

5.

carry out such other duties as may be assigned to him/her by the Branch President.

The Chief Steward shall:

1.

be responsible for the Stewards and Employee Representatives in his/her assigned area of jurisdiction; 

2.

represent the members in the first step of the Grievance and Union/Management Procedure; 

3.

advise and recommend regarding the rights and privileges in connection with the Public Service Terms and Conditions of Employment and the collective agreements in force in his/her area of jurisdiction; 

4.

provide adequate systems of records of grievances and appeals for his/her area of jurisdiction; 

5.

participate in the transmission of grievance records and appeal records through the Branch and the National structure;

6.

represent the members in his/her area of jurisdiction in all aspects of their interest and welfare at Stewards meetings; 

7.

be responsible for authorizing grievances under the collective agreements when and where such authority is delegated, in writing, from the Branch Executive and the National President of the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise; 

8.

participate in consultation and Union/Management Meetings at the first or local level; and

9.

hold meetings in accordance with Rule 14, Section 7, at least once monthly and preceding any local Union/Management or Stewards meeting.

Duties:

1.

advise the membership committee of any change in personnel within the work unit(s); 

2.

obtain signed membership cards for enrolment of employees in the Customs Excise Union Douanes Accise, Public Service Alliance of Canada; 

3.

coordinate the activities of Employee Representatives where such persons have been selected; 

4.

ensure that all informational bulletins and other forms of Union communications are circulated to the members; 

5.

advise and explain the members' rights and roles within the meaning of the PSAC Constitution, CEUDA By-Laws and Branch Rules;