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AffiliationThe Process of Affiliating Your Local with IUPACONTACT To get started, please make a phone call to our main office and request an organizing package be sent to your home address preferably. Arden will take your request at 800-247-4872 and forward your name and contact phone numbers to Dave Nulton, Field Services Director, who will then call you, usually within 24 Hours. While e-mail may be utilized, it is best to talk directly with you and determine your needs. You will be contacted by phone and after receiving and reviewing the materials, a dialogue will determine if the group is ready to charter. A few questions will be asked by us and we would encourage you to respond in writing (e.g., letter, fax, e-mail). The questions will concern the following: your background in the dept., the number and type of positions in the dept., how many officers/personnel will commit to this effort, what services the members desire and what they are willing to pay, the top 3-5 issues in the dept., are any other organizations presently representing any of the personnel, is a core group willing to assist in the organizing effort, is a labor contract in effect and the date of expiration of that contract, etc.? INTERVIEW Based on a variety of factors, a decision will be made on chartering usually within two weeks. The key factors are interest among the potential membership and a committed leadership group. The chartering process may also be controlled by collective bargaining laws, etc., and may vary from state to state. ONSITE ANALYSIS Once a decision is made to charter, usually a trip to the particular location can be arranged within 30 days. Prior to the actual trip, IUPA may require that the interested group provide a commitment by completing bank/credit card draft authorization forms in non-collective bargaining states. Again, the chartering process may be affected by the applicable labor statutes in a particular location. This step culminates in the selection of a date for your chartering meeting. CHARTERING Your Local's first union meeting is usually divided into two parts. The first part lasts approximately 45 minutes and consists of a presentation of the leadership and history of the International, the membership make-up, and the benefits of membership. A question/answer period follows with a 10-15 minute break, allowing those attending that may not want to be part of the chartering process to leave. The remaining attendees then proceed with the chartering process. A number of votes will take place at this time and may be as follows: motions to form a local union and affiliate with IUPA, motions to affiliate with the central labor council and the state federation of the AFL-CIO, motions to select a name and local number, motions to elect a governing board (usually for at least six months and consists of a president, vice president, secretary-treasurer, sgt.-at-arms, etc.), appointment of committees to setup a membership drive, create a constitution and bylaws, develop a newsletter, and so on. It is important that correct and accurate notes be taken as this meeting marks the creation of your Local union. These notes will serve to be the initial entry into the corporate notebook of your Local. Thus, your new Local is "born". Followup will continue until your Local is on solid ground and functions as an autonomous unit. An integral part of your Local's development is getting involved in the political process locally and on the state level by participating with the local and state unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO. Participation in union-sponsored events like candidate screenings, rallies, fundraisers, and other political events is highly encouraged and necessary for success. Even in the best of collective bargaining situations, participation in the political process is a necessity. Thanks for listening and please make that call to the International. We look forward to hearing from you. |
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