ARTICLE 9 – MEMBERSHIP, INITIATION FEES AND DUES

Every member shall pay all applicable initiation fees, dues, assessments and fines as provided for in the National Union Constitution and these by-laws.

Section 1: Initiation Fees – New Members

Initiation fees for new members shall be Fifteen Dollars ($15.00).

Section 2: Membership Dues

The monthly dues for members shall be based on the following two (2) criteria:

1. Payment of Per Capita to the National Union shall be in accordance with the Constitution of the National Union.
2. Payment of Local Union dues shall be calculated at a rate of .8115% of a worker’s regular wages.
3. Any request for strike assistance, approved by the Membership at a general Membership meeting, shall be in the form of a dues increase.
4. An additional dues increase of $20.00 per pay period, for 100 payments, will be collected and administered for a wage assessment fund. This fund would only be used in the event of contractual job action.  Refer to the following guidelines as adopted by the Membership.

Guidelines for Wage Assessment Fund

The intent of this document is to provide policy and framework for the administration of the fund identified in the above by-law.  This document may only be modified or amended by the Membership with notice of motion at a regular or special meeting.

Purpose:

1. The purpose of the by-law is to establish a fund that can be used by the Membership to assist in either the payment of assessments or to supplement strike pay in the case of collective bargaining.
2. The term “contractual job action” may include collective bargaining with our employer or the employer(s) of other UNIFOR locals that are regarded as bargaining allies.
3. Any disbursement of the fund must be approved by the Membership in the form of a notice of motion at a regular or special meeting.

Policy:

1. The local will collect dues for the fund from current and future members for one hundred payments (100).
2. At the time of disbursement of the fund, those members who for any reason (absence, term of employment, etc.) were not able to contribute fully ($2000.00 will be given a reasonable opportunity to do so. If it is impractical to do that, then the member may be required to either accept a prorated lesser amount in strike supplement or to pay a prorated amount in strike assessment, whichever the case may be.
3. Any members who retire or resign from the local, or leave the local due to sickness or injury, will receive the entire amount of their contribution.
4. Those persons identified as summer student employees will be exempt from Article 9 MEMBERSHIP, INITIATION FEES AND DUES, Section 2: Membership Dues, paragraph 4.

Investment:

All moneys collected will be deposited into the Van City Credit Union.

Responsibilities:

1. The Secretary Treasurer will monitor all members’ deposits and will report quarterly on the status of the fund.
2. The Local Executive will have the responsibility and duty to answer all questions and inform the Membership of the status of the fund.

Section 3: Initiation of New Members

All new members shall be required to present themselves for initiation and acceptance at a

General Membership meeting within one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days of their first dues deduction.  There shall be no excuses accepted barring illness, holidays or continuous afternoon shift.  Failure to attend will result in a fine of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00). Failure to attend a meeting within two hundred and forty (240) days will require payment of a new initiation fee plus the initial fine of One Hundred Dollars ($100. 00). Further failure could result in suspension and will be dealt with under Article 18: Constitutional Matters Section C: Charges of the National Union Constitution.

All new members shall subscribe to the Oath of Membership before being seated as full members. At the close of the initiation Ceremonies the Trustee shall give each new member a copy of the Constitution and Local by-laws which he or she is expected to keep and read.

Section 4: Suspension of Membership Rights

Any member who shall refuse or neglect to remit his or her dues, fines or assessments for a period of sixty (60) days from their last remittance will be dealt with under Article 18: Constitutional Matters Section: C Charges of the National Constitution.

Section 5: Dues Increase

Any motion, which requires an increase in Union dues, shall be considered by the Executive and voted on at a General Membership meeting.

Notice of the vote shall be placed on Union Bulletin Boards fourteen (14) days preceding the regular General Membership meeting at which the issue shall be dealt with.