POLICIES & PROCEDURES LOCAL 998 MANITOBA HYDRO Last Amended by Executive April 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE SECTION A: BALLOT COUNTING POLICY.... 3 SECTION B: PERSONAL TELEPHONES.... 3 SECTION C: CHANGES.... 4 SECTION D: DONATIONS & CHARITIES. 4 SECTION E: REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES.. 4 7 SECTION F: RETIRED MEMBERS.. 7 SECTION G: STEWARD POLICY.. 7-8 2 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
A BALLOT COUNTING POLICY A.1 All voting done by mail-in or hand-in ballots shall be counted as described in Article A.2 except for election of Executive Officers, which shall be counted as described in Article A.3. A.2 All ballots received on or before the ballot deadline date shall be considered for counting. A.2.1 All ballots received shall be examined for incorrect markings. All ballots marked incorrectly shall be considered spoiled and shall be discarded. A.2.2 All valid ballots shall then be counted. Any question shall be considered carried by a simple majority of valid ballots counted except constitutional changes, which are governed by Article 4. A.3 All ballots received on or before the ballot deadline date shall be considered for counting. A.3.1 All ballots received shall be examined for incorrect markings. All ballots marked incorrectly shall be considered spoiled and shall be discarded. A.3.2 Each voter shall select a number of candidates equal to the number of offices to be filled from a group of candidates in order for ballot to be counted. Marking of ballots shall be done in accordance with the guidelines of a plurality vote. A.3.3 All valid ballots shall then be counted. Where a single office is being filled, the candidate with the largest percentage of votes shall be considered elected to the office where more than one office is being filled, the candidates with the largest vote totals shall be considered elected to those offices. In the event of a tie vote where only one candidate can be elected, there shall be another vote for only the tied candidates. B PERSONAL TELEPHONES B.1 Certain members, at the discretion of the Executive, will be required to carry cellular telephones as part of their duties, such as the President, the Chief Steward, or their delegates. Cost of the plan will be paid by the local in accordance with corporate comparable plans. Personal usage outside the corporation plan will be paid by the member. B.2 An Executive member may choose to use and list a personal telephone for Union and Executive business. The phone and plan are the ownership and responsibility of the Executive member. B.3 The Local will contribute $100.00 towards the cost of a cellular phone, car charger, etc. This amount will be available at the beginning of each new contract (minimum 2 years). B.4 The Local will reimburse Executives for the use of a listed phone at a flat rate of $25.00 per month. The member will be responsible for attaching the cost and invoice as part of their monthly expense account. 3 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
B.5 Any member in good standing may submit receipts for valid telephone call expenses, such as air-time minutes, roaming, and long distance. Justification and detailed billing may be required to validate the expense. An Executive member may submit expenses above and beyond (B) above. C CHANGES C.1 Changes to this document require a motion at a monthly Executive meeting with a simple majority. C.2 Monetary changes to salaries or allowances with an accumulative annual cost in excess of $1,000.00 are subject to the procedures outlined in Article 4 of the Constitution. C.3 Monetary changes are subject to the limit outlined in Article 12 of the Constitution. C.4 Non-monetary changes require Executive approval only. D DONATIONS & CHARITIES D.1 The Secretary Treasurer will include in the annual budget, $1.00 per member (as per the last pay period in December). D.2 Each request for a donation must be approved by the Executive. D.3 Each donation shall not exceed $250.00. Only one donation per charity/cause per year. D.4 Any donation exceeding $250.00 or in excess of the remaining budgeted dollars must receive prior approval from the membership. E REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES E.1 SALARIES, HONORARIUMS & EXPENSES F.1.1 Presidents Salary Shall be topped up at 20% above base pay, plus applicable benefits. E.1.2 Executive Salaries - 2017 1st Vice-President $178.42/month 2nd Vice-President $178.42/month Secretary-Treasurer $191.42/month Recording Secretary $178.42/month Chief Steward $178.42/month Executive Member $ 76.80/month Monthly salaries will be adjusted annually to reflect negotiated general wage increases. 4 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
E.1.3 Honorariums Trustees $100.00/audit/trustee Chairperson of Standing Committees $300.00/year Chairperson of Nominating Committee $150.00/year Stewards $15.00/meeting Contingent on physical attendance at monthly Stewards Meetings. E.1.4 Expenses President $250.00/month Covers parking, start-up, meals and other miscellaneous expenses while in the City of Winnipeg, no receipt required. E.2 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS & MONTH END ADJUSTMENTS E.2.1 The Secretary-Treasurer shall be booked-off work for up to one (1) day per month, or reimbursed one day s regular pay for time in lieu of a book-off. E.2.2 Trustee Reports & Canada Revenue Agency: The Secretary-Treasurer shall be booked off for up to three (3) days per year or reimbursed up to three (3) days regular pay for time in lieu of a book-off. Canada Revenue Agency requirements include all T4 s, T4A s, and Not-For Profit Forms. E.2.3 Executive Members, Stewards, and Committee Members traveling to and from their respective meetings outside of working hours, and outside of their home geographical location, shall be reimbursed $0.35 cents per kilometer to compensate for traveling time. E.3 OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES E.3.1 Executive Members attending approved union business shall upon receipt of a completed expense account, with verifiable receipts when available, receive a meal allowance to a maximum of the provisions indicated in the prevailing CUPE Local 998 Collective Agreement. E.3.2 A Member traveling for approved union business shall be reimbursed at Manitoba Hydro prevailing corporate rates. Consolidating traveling arrangements through carpooling will be practiced when possible and members will be expected to use the most economical method of transportation. Additional expenses incurred or necessitated will be paid if receipted and approved (i.e.: hotel room due to inclement weather or other extenuating circumstances). 5 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
Members shall be reimbursed for receipted legitimate ground travel expenses related to their attendance at the Union function. This will normally apply only to taxi or airport bus fare from the airport or bus terminal to the hotel where members are staying and return. No transportation allowance will be paid for functions within the attendee s home geographical location. E.3.3 The per diem rates payable for conventions, conferences, and schools will be as follows: Start up rate and parking (with expense account complete with receipt) will be reimbursed for attendance at half-day sessions or at evening sessions in the same geographical area as the attendee; Start up, parking and lunch (with expense account complete with receipt) will be reimbursed per full day session in the same geographical area as the attendee; Fifty ($50.00) dollars per full day for in the province but outside the attendees home geographical area plus the cost of single hotel accommodation. This is payable for the number of days of the function, plus one day for travel, but only if an additional travel day is necessary and authorized. One personal call per day will be allowed; Eighty-five ($85.00) dollars per day for out-of-province functions plus the cost of single hotel accommodation. This is payable for the number of days of the function plus one day for travel, but only if an additional travel day is necessary and authorized. Delegates to out-of-province functions will be required to structure their travel arrangement to take advantage of reduced fare unionized economy air transportation. Where this requires extra accommodation of one or two nights, such extra accommodation and per diem are authorized provided that an overall saving to the Local occurs. One personal phone call per day will be allowed. E.4 CHILD, SPECIAL NEEDS & ELDER CARE EXPENSES E.4.1 General Membership and Executive Meetings Any member attending evening General Membership Meetings, Executive Meetings or Special Membership Meetings will be reimbursed to a maximum of ten ($10.00) dollars per meeting attended for children aged 12 years and under. These child care expenses will be paid upon receipt of the official CUPE Local 998 Child/Special Needs and Elder Care form developed for this purpose and must have been paid to a person who was hired as a child care giver from outside the home. 6 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
E.4.2 Schools, Conventions, Union Functions Any member elected or appointed to attend a Union function (e.g. schools, conventions, conferences, excluding Labour College) on a day where they would not normally had paid child care expenses will be reimbursed for receipted expenses to the following maximums: $9.00 per half day per child $16.00 per full day per child For 24 hour (overnight) care for children aged sixteen (16) years and younger, $40.00 per day per child. Expenses of special needs persons, including Elder Care, will be considered on an individual basis, accompanied by receipts. F RETIRED MEMBERS Members reaching retirement age or becoming incapacitated, whether in receipt of a pension or not, and providing they are in good standing and free from delinquency in the union, and providing that they have been a signed member for at least one (1) year, shall be provided a retirement gift of $50.00 to $200.00 prorated on 30 years of CUPE seniority on behalf of the members of the Local. G STEWARD POLICY G.1 ELIGIBILITY To be eligible to be a steward in Local 998 a person must: Be a member in good standing; Be elected by the members he/she represents, or appointed by the Chief Steward; and Complete the Introduction to Stewarding workshop at the next available opportunity and within a year. G.2 TRAINING COURSES Education will be provided to enhance a Steward s knowledge and capabilities. Steward meeting attendance is required for eligibility to be sponsored by the Local to attend any subsequent Steward training courses. G.3 ORIENTATION The Local will develop a Steward Orientation Package for new Stewards. This package will include reference material that Stewards will be required to adhere to, such as (CUPE Constitution, CUPE 998 Constitution, CUPE 998 By-Laws & Procedures, CUPE Equality Statement, Manitoba Hydro & CUPE 998 Collective Agreement, and CUPE Code of Conduct). The list of Stewards will be updated regularly and posted to the Local s website. 7 Last Amended by Executive April 2017
G.4 STANDARD OF CONDUCT CUPE 998 s expectation is that mutual respect, understanding and co-operation will be the basis of all our interactions. All Stewards must act in a manner that fosters and promotes the good of the Union and the labour movement. Stewards must conduct themselves in a respectful manner, adhere to the Union s Equality Statement and support the Union in carrying out its obligations and objectives. As representatives of our local Union, Stewards must never undermine the authority or activities of the Executive or the local Union. Stewards must make every effort to attend meetings regularly and provide a bona fide reason in writing for not attending. Stewards are required to represent members when called on and available. They must keep the Chief Steward informed of these activities and all relevant information at their earliest opportunity to ensure transfer of knowledge and continuity of representation. G.5 REMOVAL Failure to meet eligibility requirements or the Standard of Conduct described above may result in the Steward being removed from duty. Fair warning will be given to the Steward prior to removal. The Chief Steward will provide the Steward with verbal feedback and direction in an effort to resolve identified issues. If the issue(s) cannot be resolved: The Steward will be given in writing the reasons for removal by the Chief Steward. If the identified issue(s) cannot be resolved, the Stewards will meet within 30 days of the above notification to determine whether a recommendation be made to remove the Steward. Quorum for this purpose is simple majority of eligible Stewards. The Stewards may vote to reinstate the Steward in question. The Steward in question will be given the opportunity to appeal to the Executive at the next regular or special executive meeting and with at least two weeks advance notice. The Executive will hear the appeal and render their decision by simple majority vote. The Executive s decision will be final and binding. MK/kl/COPE342 8 Last Amended by Executive April 2017