Our Union Bylaws

The governing rules of SEIU Local 503 at Oregon State University, as adopted and amended by the membership.

These documents define the structure, governance, and procedures of our local union. They ensure we operate in a democratic, transparent, and fair manner, accountable to the members we serve.

Download Full Bylaws (PDF)

Constitution

Article 1- Name

The name of this organization shall be the Oregon State University Local 083 (the Local) of SEIU Local 503, OPEU (the Union).

Article 2-Purpose

Local 083 is a basic membership group of the Union and is established for the purpose of representing the classified employees of Oregon State University.

Article 3 - Membership

Membership is open to all SEIU Local 503, OPEU bargaining unit members of Oregon State University.

Article 4- Officers

The officers of the Local shall be the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chief Steward, and the Membership Coordinator.

Article 5 - Amendments

The Constitution may only be amended by a majority vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the ballots cast in a mail-in vote following proper notice to the membership. Proper notice means the Local shall send to the membership the proposed amendment(s) by mail or email, for members to review 30 days prior to the vote. The notice will include the date of the vote.

Local 083 Bylaws

Article 1 - Duties of the Local

The primary duties of the Local shall be to administer collective bargaining agreements for the betterment of the members of the Local, to develop a system of communication for bargaining information, to vote on the ratification of the collective bargaining agreement, to elect officers and stewards from within, and to foster and protect the general goals of the Union.

Article 2-Duties of the Executive Committee

The officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, the Chief Steward, and the Membership Coordinator. The Executive Committee shall meet as necessary to conduct business affecting the membership of the Local. A quorum of four (4) is empowered to transact such business.

Article 3-Duties of Officers

Section 1- President

  • The President shall preside over all meetings of the Local and the Executive Committee.
  • The President shall be an automatic General Council Delegate and attend General Council.
  • The President shall act as spokesperson for the Local.
  • The President, with council from the Executive Committee, shall appoint special committees and their members, replace inactive members and/or committees and dismiss committees in their entirety. In the event of a vacancy in the Executive Committee, the President shall appoint a non-voting interim officer until an election can be held.

Section 2 - Vice President

  • The Vice President shall, in the absence of or upon request of the President, perform the duties of the President.
  • The Vice President shall replace the President for the unexpired term in the event of the President's death, incapacity, resignation, removal from office or any other reason preventing the President from completing her/his term.
  • The Vice President shall assist the Membership Coordinator and maintain a working communication system.

Section 3-Secretary

  • The Secretary shall record minutes for all Local and Executive Committee meetings.
  • The Secretary shall maintain a file of all such minutes.

Section 4-Treasurer

  • The Treasurer shall maintain the financial records of the Local and shall be responsible for disbursement of funds on behalf of the Local. Requests for disbursement of funds shall be made to Union Headquarters in care of the statewide Union Treasurer who shall comply with such requests when they are in compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Union.
  • The Treasurer shall provide a financial report at all Local and Executive Committee Meetings or upon request.

Section 5 - Chief Steward

  • The Chief Steward shall be responsible for the local enforcement of the collective bargaining agreement.
  • The Chief Steward shall recruit, mentor and provide training opportunities for stewards.
  • The Chief Steward shall preside over Steward Council Meetings.
  • The Chief Steward shall ensure that all stewards' timelines are met.
  • The Chief Steward shall assign and assist Stewards as necessary through the grievance process.
  • The Chief Steward shall monitor grievances filed by stewards and regularly report to the Executive Committee.
  • The Chief Steward shall maintain a catalog of all issues and grievances filed against Oregon State University or its subdivisions by the grievant's name. This catalog shall indicate the grievance's final disposition and shall include any other pertinent information that may be of help with future grievances or in bargaining.
  • The Chief Steward shall handle, maintain, and safeguard records of members of the bargaining unit.
  • The Chief Steward shall be an automatic General Council Delegate and attend General Council.
  • A candidate for Chief Steward shall be an active Steward in the Steward Council.

Section 6- Membership Coordinator

  • The Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for the recruitment of new members and the retention of current members.
  • The Membership Coordinator shall assist with the development and maintenance of the Communication Action Team.
  • The Membership Coordinator shall receive all university new employee lists, and all Local 083 membership lists and shall use these lists to recruit new members and correct discrepancies.
  • The Membership Coordinator shall be responsible for the Union presentation at the New Employee Orientation.
  • The Membership Coordinator shall send out a letter to all Fair Share employees annually urging them to become members.
  • The Membership Coordinator shall be an automatic General Council Delegate and attend General Council.

Article 4-General Council Resolutions

Resolutions to the General Council may be presented by any member of the Local at any Classified Workers' Meeting. The Executive Committee shall, by majority vote, endorse or reject sponsorship of the resolution. If endorsed, the resolution will be submitted to the Resolution Review Committee for further review, and, if accepted, it will be passed on to the General Council of the Union. It is the duty of the Executive Committee of the Local to insure that all resolutions, submitted to the Resolution Review Committee, follow standard form. In the event the Local's Executive Committee does not endorse the resolution, the author of the resolution may, after having obtained the signatures of fifty (50) active members, present it to the Resolutions Review Committee.

Article 5 - Delegates to General Council

In addition to the President, the Local's Chief Steward and Membership Coordinator shall serve as delegates to the Union's General Council. Additional delegates, as mandated by the Union's Constitution and Bylaws, shall be elected from the membership of the Local. Nominations may be made by direct mail or email.

Article 6-Committees

Necessary committees may be appointed by the President or nominated by the Executive Committee.

Standing Committees will be:

  1. Executive Committee (elected by members)
  2. Stewards' Council
  3. Communication Action Team

Article 7 - Union Stewards and Stewards' Council

Section 1- The Local's Union Stewards shall comprise the Local's Stewards' Council. The Stewards' Council shall nominate one of its members to serve as the Local's Chief Steward. The Chief Steward shall be elected by a vote of the general membership for a term of two years at the same time as the other Local officers. Any member in good standing may volunteer to become a Union Steward.

Section 2 - Union Stewards

  • Union Stewards shall complete an SEIU Steward training and be certified prior to becoming an active Steward.
  • Union Stewards shall handle grievances of members of the bargaining unit as required by the Union.
  • Union Stewards shall act as the primary communication link amongst the Union, the Local, and the membership in the worksites represented by the Union Steward.
  • Union Stewards shall collectively maintain a catalog of all issues and grievances brought forward by represented workers.
  • Union Stewards shall organize and build the Union in those worksites represented by the Union Steward.
  • Union Stewards shall adhere to the responsibilities and duties as set forth in the SEIU Local Steward's Pledge.
  • Union Stewards shall report to the Chief Steward.

Section 3-Stewards' Council

  • The Local's Stewards' Council shall work collaboratively to enforce the contract and represent the membership.
  • The Local's Stewards' Council shall support the mission as set forth by the Executive Committee.
  • The Local's Stewards' Council shall have the authority to remove inactive or incompetent Union Stewards by a majority vote.
  • The Local's Stewards' Council may, at times, equal the maximum amount of Stewards allowed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this case, if an additional member wishes to be a Steward, the Stewards' Council shall have the authority to decide, by majority vote, who shall comprise the Stewards' Council.

Article 8-Communication Action Team

The Communication Action Team is a network of Union members throughout Local 083 who volunteer to spread Union communications and organize actions in their workplace or area.

Article 9 - Bargaining Delegates

Section 1- Bargaining Delegates will be elected at the same time as Local officers, and with the same procedure and serve the same term. Should any Bargaining Delegate position become vacant for any reason, vacancies will be filled by duly elected Alternates. The number of Bargaining Delegates will be determined by the Union's Administrative Policies and Procedures.

Section 2 - Bargaining Delegates:

  • Bargaining Delegates shall attend all scheduled bargaining conferences.
  • Bargaining Delegates shall educate and inform local members of bargaining issues at regular intervals.
  • Bargaining Delegates shall solicit input from local members and represent the Local at bargaining sessions.
  • Bargaining Delegates shall utilize and maintain a communication system to communicate bargaining issues.
  • Bargaining Delegates shall elect, from the group of bargaining delegates, one table representative and one alternate table representative.

Article 10 Elections

Section 1- All Local elections of Officers, Bargaining Delegates and General Council Delegates shall be held every two years in accordance with the Union's Bylaws. All terms of office shall be two (2) years beginning May 1 of even numbered years.

Section 2 - The President, at the January Local meeting, shall announce the appointment of the Election Committee. The Election Committee shall consist of at least three (3) active members of the Local, who are not nominees, to:

  • Accept nominations.
  • Prepare, distribute, receive, and count valid ballots.
  • Certify and announce election results.

Section 3 - After the Election Committee's appointment has been announced, nominations can be submitted in writing to the elections committee.

Section 4-Election Process

  • Newly-elected Officers, Bargaining Delegates and General Council Delegates will be installed at the April Classified Workers' Meeting, with their term beginning on May 1st.
  • Ballots will be counted no later than one (1) day before the April Classified Workers' Meeting.
  • Ballots will be due back no later that two (2) days prior to the April Classified Workers' Meeting.
  • Ballots will be mailed no later than twenty-one (21) days prior to the ballot due date.
  • Nominations will close no later than thirty-five (35) days prior to the ballot due date.
  • Nominations will open no later than the February Classified Workers' Meeting.

Section 5- The election will be by mail-in secret ballot.

Section 6- The Committee will announce the results within seventy-two (72) hours of the final count.

Section 7- In the event of a Local officer position vacancy that will last more than six (6) months, other than that of President, adequate notice for nominations shall be given to the voting membership and an election held in accordance to the Union's Bylaws.

Article 11 - Classified Workers' Meetings

Section 1- The Local shall meet at least six times per year and at least one of these meetings shall be prior to the Union's General Council to comply with the Union's Bylaws.

Section 2- All members attending a duly publicized meeting of the Local shall constitute a quorum, whereby and hereinafter "duly publicized" shall mean with at least a seven (7) day notice.

Article 12 - The Union's Governing Documents

In all conflicts, errors, and omissions, the governing documents of the Union shall prevail.

Article 13- Amendments

The Bylaws may only be amended by a majority vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the ballots cast in a mail-in vote following proper notice to the membership. Proper notice means the Local shall send to the membership the proposed amendment(s) by mail or email, for members to review thirty (30) days prior to the vote. The notice will include the date of the vote.