May 20, 2022

Young Workers & Equity Councils: Representatives to be Elected

Dear Local President/Secretary,

During the 2022 Triennial Convention held May 12–14, 2022, a Constitutional Amendment was approved for the NSGEU to have a Young Worker Council and an Equity Council. Click here to review the Constitutional Amendment.

In addition to those elections noted on the Triennial Election Return Form sent to you, each Local is asked to elect, if possible, one young worker representative (35 years or younger) and one equity representative (Equity will be defined as members who self-identify as having experienced barriers due to Sexuality and/or Gender Identity, Race and/or Ethnicity, Culture and/or Religion, Abilities and/or Disabilities). If you are a local with a sub-local structure or your local crosses more than one of the NSGEU regions, you are to elect one rep from your local as a whole.

Please note that Local members do not have to meet a 40% criteria to run for the local seat or the council seat.

In order to be eligible for the Board seat, members MUST have the 40% criteria (please see Board eligibility section contained in this email).

Young Workers Council

Functions of the Young Workers Council

The Young Workers Council shall:

Elect a Board member and an alternate as prescribed in the NSGEU Constitution.
Serve as a liaison body between the Board of Directors and the Locals.
Serve as a venue to present ideas or suggestions for presentation to the Board of Directors meetings.
Act as a review body to ensure issues coming from the Locals are properly channeled and directed to ensure a fast, efficient, and appropriate response.
Engage in other related activities as requested by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee or the Locals in the Region.

Young Worker Board Election Process

Each local will elect one young worker representative (35 years or younger).

Within each region (ie CB), the young worker representatives from the locals represented in that region will elect one member to represent the region. The regional member elected from the locals will attend the Regional council meetings in their respective region.

From the eight regions there will be 8 reps, these 8 reps will form the Young Workers council and elect a board member and board alternate. The Young Workers Council shall meet at least twice per year or at other times as required and approved by the Executive Committee or the Board.

The duties of the Young Worker Board member shall be to:

Represent the Young Worker Council at the Board of Directors.
Take a full and active part in the operation of the Board of Directors and serve in various capacities as required.
Take concerns of the Young Worker Council to the Board of Directors and vice versa.
Establish and maintain communications between the Young Worker Council and the Board of Directors.
Attend and participate in meetings of the Young Worker Council, Board of Directors, Triennial Conventions, Regional Council and special meetings that may be required from time to time.
Submit a written report of the Board’s activities to the Young Worker Council after each Board meeting, in a timely manner.
Submit a written report of the activities of the Young Worker Council at each Board of Directors meeting.
May be required to deal directly with locals and/or local executives when requested by the Young Worker Council, Board of Directors or Executive Committee of the Union.
Represent the union at local, provincial or national functions.

Board of Directors – Eligibility

Except at the formation of new locals, to be eligible for nomination to the Board, members must be a Regional or Occupational Councillor for that Regional Council or Occupational Council, or a member of the Young Workers Council, or a member of the Equity Council, and shall have attended at least forty percent (40%) of his/her Local meetings in the twelve (12) months preceding the nominations, and shall have served as any of the following for a minimum of twelve (12) months in the six (6) years preceding the nominations:

a Local officer, i.e. President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer;
a steward;
a bargaining unit negotiating council member;
a bargaining unit negotiating committee member;
a former member of the Board;
a member of a Provincial Committee;
a Regional Councillor;
an Occupational Councillor;
a Young Worker Councillor;
an Equity Councillor.

No member shall be eligible for election to the Board on behalf of a Regional or Occupational Council or Young Worker Council or Equity Council if that member has already been elected to represent another Regional or Occupational Council or the Young Worker Council or the Equity Council for the same term of office.

Equity Council

Functions of the Equity Council

The Equity Council shall:

Elect a Board member and an alternate as prescribed in the NSGEU Constitution.
Serve as a liaison body between the Board of Directors and the Locals.
Serve as a venue to present ideas or suggestions for presentation to the Board of Directors meetings.
Act as a review body to ensure issues coming from the Locals are properly channelled and directed to ensure a fast, efficient, and appropriate response.
Engage in other related activities as requested by the Board of Directors, the Executive Committee or the Locals in the Region.

Equity Council Board Election Process

Each local will elect one equity council representative.

(Equity will be defined as members who self-identify as having experienced barriers due to Sexuality and/or Gender Identity, Race and/or Ethnicity, Culture and/or Religion, Abilities and/or Disabilities)

Within each region (ie CB), the equity council representatives from the locals represented in that region will elect one member to represent the region. The regional member elected from the locals will attend the Regional council meetings in their respective region. From the eight regions there will be 8 reps, these 8 reps will form the Equity Council and elect a board member and board alternate. The Equity Council shall meet at least twice per year or at other times as required and approved by the Executive Committee or the Board.

The duties of the Equity Council Board member shall be to:

Represent the Equity Council at the Board of Directors.
Take a full and active part in the operation of the Board of Directors and serve in various capacities as required.
Take concerns of the Equity Council to the Board of Directors and vice versa.
Establish and maintain communications between the Equity Council and the Board of Directors.
Attend and participate in meetings of the Equity Council, Board of Directors, Triennial Conventions, Regional Council and special meetings that may be required from time to time.
Submit a written report of the Board’s activities to the Equity Council after each Board meeting, in a timely manner.
Submit a written report of the activities of the Equity Council at each Board of Directors meeting.
May be required to deal directly with locals and/or local executives when requested by the Equity Council, Board of Directors or Executive Committee of the Union.
Represent the union at local, provincial or national functions.

Board of Directors – Eligibility

a Local officer, i.e. President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer;
a steward;
a bargaining unit negotiating council member;
a bargaining unit negotiating committee member;
a former member of the Board;
a member of a Provincial Committee;
a Regional Councillor;
an Occupational Councillor;
a Young Worker Councillor;
an Equity Councillor.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact my office.

In Solidarity,

Sandra Mullen

President, NSGEU

Young Workers & Equity Councils: Representatives to be Elected

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