Article I - Objectives & Structure

This Local of the Unifor shall be known as Unifor Local 87-M, and this name shall be used in all official business and correspondence of the Local.

The Local has been the union of choice for media workers in southern Ontario for more than half a century and shall strive to remain so while expanding its communications mandate to include broadcasting, to meet the challenges of chain ownership, corporate concentration, convergence of media and the emergence of new technologies.

Purpose and Objectives

  1. Membership is Supreme Authority

    The objectives of this local are to unite all media workers for the following purposes:

    1. To improve the wages, benefits and job security and to secure working conditions conducive to the good health and safety of the membership.

    2. To advance the economic, social, political and cultural interests of the members.

    3. To give assistance and encourage the organizing of the unorganized and to engage in other such activities as may be necessary or proper to strengthen the labour movement and to extend the benefits of collective bargaining throughout all industries.

    4. To secure legislation safeguarding and promoting economic security and the social welfare of all workers.

    5. To preserve and extend civil rights and liberties within a free and democratic society.

    6. To promote a free, open and unfettered media and to defend a wide divergence of views within the media.

  2. This Local shall endeavour to accomplish the foregoing purposes by organizing unorganized workers, educating its membership, negotiating collective bargaining agreements with employers, securing progressive legislation and by all other appropriate means available.

  3. All members of the union must be in good standing and sign a membership card before exercising the rights of membership, including standing for elected positions and voting at union meetings. Cards will be available at all union meetings.

    1. The membership of the Local, acting through general meetings, referenda and elections shall be the supreme authority of the Local.

  4. Elected Bodies

    1. Between general membership meetings of the Local, its governing body shall be the Local Representative Council.
    2. Between meetings of the Representative Council, the Executive Committee shall administer the affairs of the Local, including the authorization of routine and recurring business expenses, legal bills, donations and approval of arbitrations, contracts, strikes and organizing drives. 
      Authorization of new or exonal expenses shall be referred, with recommendation if possible, to the Representative Council.
    3. The Executive Committee shall normally make recommendations to the Representative Council on budgets and policy matters.
    4. The function of the Representative Council is to set budgets and policy and to hold the Executive Committee accountable for the proper administration and leadership of the Local.

    5. Decisions of the Executive Committee and the Representative Council shall be recorded in approved minutes.
      Bargaining units shall exercise only those functions and powers specifically granted by these bylaws.

  5. Caucuses

    If the Representative Council determines the Local can improve collective bargaining, education, organizing and democratic participation by establishing caucuses on the basis of geography, common interest or corporate ownership, it may do so. Such caucuses shall be creatures of the Representative Council and may be reconstituted or disbanded by the Council at any time by majority vote if it is determined the goals of the caucuses are not being met. The Local also encourages units to participate in common employer councils within Unifor.

    Delegates to caucuses shall consist of the chair and vice-chair of bargaining units constituting the caucuses, or their designates. Delegates shall elect a caucus chair, vice-chair and secretary at their first meeting of the year following annual Local elections.

    Caucuses shall keep and provide minutes of all meetings and shall inform the Local president of any and all meetings. Caucuses may make recommendations to the Representative Council. The Council shall consider the recommendations and may allocate any funds or other resources which the Council deems necessary and warranted. Caucuses shall abide by the Local bylaws and Unifor constitution in all of their deliberations and activities.