Elections at SEIU local 503, OPEU
General Council is the decision-making body of the union that establishes SEIU Local 503, OPEU policy. General Council is held every
two years in even-numbered years. The Board of Directors - made up of statewide officers, district directors, and assistant district directors
- manages the union and oversees the strategic plan between General Councils. To be a delegate or vote on delegates to General
Council, you must be a full member in SEIU Local 503, OPEU. Fair share payers do not have voting privileges.
Statewide Officers
Statewide officers are the union President, Vice President,
Secretary-Treasurer and Executive Director. Nominations for
statewide officers open on January 23, 2004 and close at 5
PM on August 20, 2004 - the second day of General Council.
District Directors and Assistant Directors
District Directors and Assistant Directors are elected on a
representational basis according to Article VI of the SEIU
Local 503, OPEU Constitution. Nominations open January
23, 2004 and close February 13, 2004 at 5PM. Nomination
forms will be posted at worksites and on the website.
General Council Delegates
Delegates come to General Council as elected representa
tives from either their District or Local. Alternate District and
Local delegates are elected to fill any delegate vacancies that
may arise. Members of the Board of Directors and past
union presidents are automatic delegates.
Every local of SEIU Local 503, OPEU has the right to a minimum
of one delegate. Delegate strength is based on membership,
with one delegate for each one hundred (100) members.
District Delegate representation is based on one delegate for
each five hundred (500) active members.
District Di rector-elects and Assistant Director-elects who are
not incumbents (they have been elected to those positions
in the spring elections) are also entitled to be delegates to
General Council and take the first District delegate positions.
Remaining positions are filled with elected General Council
delegates from that District. Alternates are also elected.
Locals should elect their General Council delegates and alter
nates in accordance with their bylaws and forward election
results, General Council Delegate Report forms and
Credentials forms to Salem Headquarters by June 15, 2004.
If you have any questions about election guidelines, the
resolution process, or General Council, contact your Local
Officers, District Directors or any Statewide Officer.
All Duties of Officers are listed in the SEIU Local 503, OPEU Bylaws under Article X - Duties of Officers
(go to www.seiu.org, click on "Bylaws 503" under Regular Features.) Some of the required duties include:
DIRECTORS / ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
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President
Presides at all meetings of the General
Council, Board and Executive Committee •
Sets the Board meeting agenda and acts
as the Board administrator • Chief
spokesperson for the union • Appoints
Standing and Special Committee members,
subject to Board approval • Serves as
ex-officio member of all Standing and
Special Committees • Renders a report of
his/her administration with recommen
dations, as he/she deems advisable to
General Council • Attends and represents
the union at all appropriate national and
regional meetings • Serves as delegate to
the SEIU Convention • Serves as delegate
to the AFL-CIO and AFL-CIO COPE
Conventions • Represents SEIU Local 503,
OPEU on the SEIU Oregon State Council •
Chairs the union's Grievance Appeals
Committee • Coordinates the activities of
the District Directors and Assistant District
Directors • Represents the union at the
Legislature and in ballot measure campaigns,
in conjunction with the Executive Director
and the Political staff.
Vice President
Performs the duties of the President in
their absence • Replaces the President for
the remainder of their term in the event
of death, incapacity, resignation or
removal of the President • Is a member of
the Executive Committee, the union
Finance Committee and other committees
as designated in the Bylaws or to which
appointed by the President • Serves as
delegate to the SEIU Convention • Serves
as delegate to the AFL-CIO and AFL-CIO
COPE Conventions.
Secretary-Treasurer
Keeps a correct record of the meetings of
the General Council, Board of Directors
and Executive Committee • Custodian of
the records of the union • Chairperson of
the union Finance Committee and a
member of the Executive Committee •
Purchases contingent liability and
property damage insurance for the Board
of Directors members and employees of
the union in the performance of their
duties • Purchases a surety bond in
accordance with the requirements of
Bylaws Section 16, Article XVI - Financial •
Establishes a bank account or accounts in
the name of the union as designated by
the Board of Directors • Collects the
monies and keeps the accounts and books
of the union and renders a statement after
certified audits of the accounts and books
of the financial condition of the union to
General Council and as requested by the
Board of Directors • Coordinates and
keeps current a list of policies and
procedures of the union • Responsible to
the Board for annual review of the fiscal
operation of the union and locals.
Executive Director
Serves as chief executive officer and has
general supervision of and direction over
the daily activities of the union, including
employment and supervision of staff,
expenditure of union funds, consistent
with the Constitution and Bylaws and the
policies and procedures of the union as
determined by the Board of Directors,
subject to the financial ability of the union
to pay • In conjunction with the Secretary-
Treasurer, maintains records of the
meetings, bank accounts and financial
transactions, purchase of insurance and
bonds, collects moneys and maintains the
books of the union • Prepares annual
budget • Serves as member of the union's
negotiating team • Oversees other daily
activity of the union such as organizing,
contract administration, political activity
and training • Oversees program and
policy development • Maintains an
internal and external communications
program throughout the union •
Represents the union throughout the
community and with the media, in con
junction with the President who serves as
chief spokesperson.
District Director
Administration of the union's geographical
district • Serves on the union's Board of
Directors • Communicates to the mem
bership • Coordinates union campaigns in
the district • Coordinates multi-local union
worksite actions • Organizes and recruits
members in the district • Trains or secures
training for District officers and activists •
Represents the union in public relations
matters • Serves as one of the Board's
delegates to General Council • Develops
and implements the district's financial
budget • Acts as a communication link
between the Board of Directors and the
membership to the General Council •
Attends all meetings of the Board of
Directors • Makes union policy decisions
between General Councils • Arbitrates
internal union matters • Enforces and
interprets the union's Constitution and
Bylaws • Determines union's position on
political issues • Strategic planning for the
union • Oversees the union's operation
and affairs.
Assistant District Director
Assists District Directors in the administra
tion of union districts • Serves as alternate
member on the union's Board of Directors
• Attends all meetings of the Board • May
assist District Directors with any or all the
District Director's responsibilities, as
assigned by the District Director • Serves
in the absence of the District Director(s),
as requested • Performs all duties assigned
by the district Constitution and Bylaws •
Coordinates district communications (i.e.
district calendars, newsletters and other
general correspondence) • Chairs and
serves on district committees as assigned •
Serves as delegate to General Council •
Upon appointment by the Board,
succeeds to the office of District Director.
GENERAL COUNCIL DELEGATES
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SEIU Local 503, OPEU General Council
delegates have the responsibility of
attending all sessions of General Council,
since important decisions are made at
these sessions. Delegates appointed to
serve on working committees are expected
to attend all scheduled meetings of their
committee and to expend their full energies
in accomplishing committee objectives.
Delegates representing locals or
districts that are sponsoring resolutions
are responsible for actively working for
adoption of those resolutions. It is the
delegate's responsibility to appear before
working committees in support of his/her
local or district resolution. In addition, it
is his/her obligation to actively work for
adoption of the resolution on the floor of
the Council as long as he/she believes it is
in the best interests of public service.
j
All delegates should be active in electing
new Statewide Officers. They have the
duty to actively support those candidates
they believe will do the best job for SEIU
Local 503, OPEU.
Finally, it is the responsibility of every
General Council delegate to adequately
report Council events and decisions to the
local or district he/she represents. Every
member of the union deserves and needs
to understand all of the actions taken by
the General Council and the deliberations
which prompted those actions.
If a delegate is unable to serve, the alter
nate with the highest number of votes will
be the replacement delegate. If all alter
nate delegates are unable to serve, the
candidate with the next highest number of
votes shall be the replacement delegate to
General Council for the two-year term.
Go to www.seiu503.org for full listings of position requirements and duties.
From the home page click on "Bylaws 503" on the right hand side, under "Regular Features".
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SEIU Local 503, OPEU - STRONGER TOGETHER
NOVEMBER 2003