Local bylaws: the rules of your local

• National or provincial constitution. This is the highest rulebook for every local. Local bylaws cannot conflict with it. It is amended at convention, not at your general membership meeting (GMM) alone.
• Local bylaws. They set how this local elects officers, sets quorum, spends money, and runs meetings. Changes usually need notice to members, a 2/3 vote at a GMM, and national approval.
• Local executive committee (LEC) policy or standing order. These are day-to-day operating rules the executive can change more easily. Do not use policy to replace election rules, quorum, or cheque signing.
• Collective agreement. This is the agreement with the employer. Grievance time limits and representation rights are set here, not in bylaws. See the grievance guide for that work.

• The executive structure. Who makes up the local executive committee (LEC)? For example: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and chief steward.
• Quorum. How many members must be present at a GMM to pass a binding motion or spend money? This is usually a fixed number or a percentage of the membership.
• Signing authorities. Which officers may sign union cheques or authorize electronic payments? Always require at least two signatures.
• Elections. How and when are officers and stewards elected? Term length, nominations, ballots, and vacancy rules belong in writing.
• Meetings. How often are GMMs held, who may call special meetings, and how do members get the agenda and minutes?
• Finances and trustees. Set the fiscal year end, the financial reports members receive, and who audits or reviews the books (often elected trustees).
• Amendment clause. Set the notice period, the GMM vote threshold (usually 2/3), and any national approval step before changes take effect.

Quorum scales with membership

Write a number or percentage your local can actually meet. Lost quorum mid-meeting stops binding votes.

For secret-ballot steps and lost-quorum rules, open the Democratic governance module.

1. 1. Notice

   You must provide advance notice to the membership (usually 15 to 30 days) that a bylaw amendment will be voted on.

2. 2. The GMM

   The vote must take place at a general membership meeting with quorum.

3. 3. The threshold

   Passing an amendment usually requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present, not a simple 50%+1.

4. 4. Approval

   In unions like OPSEU / SEFPO, CUPE, and Unifor, amended bylaws usually need national or provincial officer approval before they take effect.

• GMM quorum. One pattern locals use: 25 members in good standing or 10% of the membership, whichever is less. This is common when the membership list swings between campuses. Confirm the figure in your own bylaws and the current constitution.
• Amendment notice. One pattern locals use: 21 days written notice, posted on union boards and emailed where members have consented. Confirm the notice period in your own bylaws and the current constitution.
• Executive shape. President, two vice-presidents, secretary-treasurer, chief steward, and stewards elected per campus unit. This matches multi-site college support staff.
• National approval. Amended local bylaws usually take effect only after written approval from the union's president or a designate. Confirm the current rule in the OPSEU / SEFPO Constitution.
• Fiscal year. A March 31 year-end lines up with academic calendars. Adjust it if your local uses a different reporting cycle.

1. 1. Meet in Local Portal

   Use a Circle bulletin to post meeting times, attach the current PDF, and link officers to the same builder URL.

2. 2. Edit article by article

   Switch to Committee draft mode, load the OPSEU / SEFPO article set when your local is OPSEU / SEFPO, and rewrite only the articles on the agenda.

3. 3. Paste current bylaws

   Paste approved text into the redline field to see which articles change before you post notice.

4. 4. Export for the LEC and GMM

   Download PDF or plain text for Word cleanup, then walk the adoption checklist before the vote.

• CUPE. A Guide to Preparing Local Union Bylaws walks through required provisions and options. The CUPE National Constitution says additional local bylaws need the National President’s written approval before they take effect. Look up the current article number in the constitution itself, because numbering changes between conventions.
• Unifor. The Unifor Constitution has an article that governs Local Unions. The National Executive Board reviews local by-laws and may withhold approval when they conflict with the constitution or equity principles. Look up the current article number in the constitution itself.
• OPSEU / SEFPO. Locals follow the OPSEU / SEFPO constitution and send amended local bylaws through the national office path listed on the Members tools hub. Confirm the current PDF there, because deep links move when the national site is reorganized.
• Shared pattern. Across these unions the pattern is the same: notice to members, a vote at a quorate meeting (often 2/3), two signing officers, and national review before the new text is in force.

• LEC-only rewrite. The executive votes to change quorum or elections without notice to members. Members can challenge the result, and the national office may refuse approval.
• Policy dressed as bylaws. Spending and election rules exist only in an LEC policy binder. When a conflict comes, nobody can prove the democratic path.
• Wording changed after notice. The wording on the floor differs from the posted notice. Restart the notice period or vote only on the posted text.
• Conflicts with the constitution. The local text undercuts national election, dues, or equity rules. The constitution governs. Rewrite the text before you spend a GMM on it.
• Treating GMM passage as final. The local posts “new bylaws” the next morning without the required national letter. The old bylaws still govern until approval arrives.

• Bylaw Builder. Use the quick template or Committee draft mode, with OPSEU / SEFPO article wording, per-article edits, committee notes, and a redline summary when you paste current bylaws.
• Board Notice Maker. Print the GMM date, time, and "bylaw amendment on the agenda" line for cork boards.
• Running meetings guide. Chair a quorate GMM with Robert's Rules: precedence, debate, and the Rules of Order cheat sheet on your phone.
• Org Chart. Keep the officer roster that bylaws describe aligned with the names members see on the board and website.
• Email & outreach guide. Member notice patterns you copy into your own email, with no marketing lists, for the advance amendment email.
• Document Generator. Use letterhead for the national submission cover letter once the GMM minutes are signed.