How COPE 378 Works

Unions are a Democracy

COPE members run our union. All union officers are elected by the members in their workplace. The COPE 378 President, Executive Board and Council members stand for election every three years. Job stewards are also elected from their work areas.

Executive Council

This is the senior policy making body of the union. Executive Council members are responsible for policy issues, the annual budget and all major financial decisions.There is one Executive Councillor for every 80-100 members. There are a minimum of five Council meetings each year.

Councillors bring forward suggestions from stewards and members on the ways the union can improve its policies and services to the members. These issues are debated at Council meetings. Councillors also act as Chief Job Stewards, recruiting and advising job stewards in their constituency.

Executive Board

The Executive Board is made up of about 15 members. The board is the executive management body of the union and meets monthly to discuss adminstrative and operational issues. The board reports to Council on policy and financial matters.  

The Executive Board suggests ways the union can improve its policies and services to members. Board members must represent the interest of all members in their respective workplaces. They also sit on the union negotiating committee during bargaining and hold workplace membership meetings.

The President

The President assigns all staff responsibilities, manages the union office, chairs meetings and acts as the union's representative to all outside organizations

Table Officers

The President, the three Vice-presidents and Secretary Treasurer are the Table Officers. They represent the interests of all union members in discussions at Executive Board and Council meetings on matters regarding administration, policies and financial decisions of the union.

Administrative Support Staff

The Adminstrative Support Staff are responsible for ensuring membership, steward and councillor address and phone lists are up-to-date, recording information on grievance files, advising members about meetings, ensuring that union officers have appropriate forms, bulletins and union booklets to perform their duties. Professional and administrative support staff are employed in the union office.

Union Representatives

Union Reps are full-time employees in the union office who provide technical advice to stewards and Chief Job Stewards and teach new stewards how to handle complaints and stage one grievances. Reps handle more complex grievances, keep members up-to-date on grievance status, take members' cases to arbitration and act as coordinators of bargaining teams during contract negotiations.