AFGE LOCAL OFFICERS

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO

AFGE LOCAL OFFICERS

Resource Guide

2ND EDITION

AMERICAN FEDERATION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, AFL-CIO Education and Leadership Development Department

80 F Street, NW Washington, DC 20001

education.

? 2007

AFGE Local Officers Resource Guide

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

T his guide includes resources designed to help AFGE Local Officers educate and lead the local union. It contains information on the roles and responsibilities of local union officers as well as useful tools for developing union activists and mentoring them in their union work. Keep this guide handy and use the resources in this book in one-on-one education sessions with officers, stewards, and members. Stewards and other union activists will find the information contained in this guide useful in building confidence in performing their duties and gaining a more complete understanding of the goals and objectives of AFGE and the local union.

The information and materials outlined in this guide are also available online at education..

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Table of Contents

1. Primary Goal of Local Officers: Building a Strong Local Union . . . . . . . . .5

Involving And Educating The Membership Identifying And Encouraging New Leaders The Three Key Functions of AFGE:

Organizing, Representation, and Legislative and Political Action

2. How AFGE Operates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Union Profile AFGE Governance And Organizational Structure Duties Of National Officers And Staff AFGE Departments Where Do Our Union Dues Go? AFL-CIO Structure

3. Fiduciary Responsibilities of Local Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21

Fiduciary Responsibilities Under The Law Fiduciary Responsibilities Under

The AFGE Constitution Union And Local Operating Practices Breach Of Fiduciary Responsibilities Checks And Balances?Annual Local Audit Completing A Local Audit

4. Setting Goals and Preparing a Local Budget . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

Setting Goals Strategic Planning The Use Of Goals In Preparing A Local Budget

5. Local President: Duties and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31

Duties And Responsibilities Executive Board Meetings Time Management

6. Local Treasurer: Duties and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Duties And Responsibilities Handling Expenditures Expense Vouchers: Guidelines Financial Reports Local Accounting System AFGE Local Collection Of Dues Program The Local Membership Database:

Keeping It Up Date

7. Local Secretary: Duties and Responsibilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45

Duties And Responsibilities Meeting Minutes: The Official Record

Of Union Business Order Of Business In Union Meetings Local Filing System

8. Local Executive Board and Local Union Committees . . . . . . . . . . . .51

Duties And Responsibilities Local Union Committees Getting A Local Union Committee

Off The Ground Types Of Local Committees

9. Running Effective Union Meetings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57

Democratic Decision Making Running An Effective Union Meeting Using Parliamentary Procedure Chairing A Union Meeting In 10 Easy Steps

10. Running Union Elections . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Who Decides? Running the Election Collecting and Implementing the Results Common Pitfalls

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11. Organizing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .69 Why Organize?

How To Start An Organizing Program In Your Local

AFGE's Internal Organizing Model: Issue Organizing

External Organizing: Organizing New Bargaining Units

New Forms Of Organizing

AFGE Retirees

15. Union Communications . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Communicating with Members Worksite Visits Publications Communicating with the General Public Community Service Media Outreach Being a Spokesperson for the Local Union Planning a Media Event

12. Collective Bargaining and Representation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .79

American Workers Have Not Always Had These Rights

Workers Rights In The Federal And DC Governments

Collective Bargaining Basics Contract Mobilization--Involving

Workers in the Bargaining Process

13. Legislative and Political Action . . . . . . .87 People Power: Mobilizing The Membership Government Workers Have The Right

To Participate In Political Action People-Powered Politics:

Union Power vs. Corporate Power The Hatch Act: Its Importance To

Government Employees Joining Forces With The AFL-CIO Working With Coalitions To Build

Our Political Power

14. Promoting Civil, Human, and Workers Rights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .95

Establishing a Local Women's and Fair Practices Committee

Local Women's and Fair Practices Coordinators Contract Language Working With Coalitions to Promote

Workplace Equality

16. Mobilizing Our Power . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Why Mobilize? How To Build A Local Mobilization Structure One-on-One Education Collective Actions

17. Welcoming New Members . . . . . . . . . .125 Conducting A New Worker Orientation Developing A New Member Packet New Member Follow-up

18. Building A Stewards Structure . . . . . . .133 Stewards: The Face Of The Local Union Chief Steward Training Stewards Communicating With Stewards Recognizing Stewards

19. Grievance and Arbitration . . . . . . . . . .139 Why We Have A Grievance and

Appeals Procedure Guidelines for Effective Grievance Handling Duty of Fair Representation Appeals and Arbitration

20. AFGE History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .147

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