The Local Election Committee advises all voters that ballots were mailed Monday, Dec. 2.
Voters should expect to receive a ballot by Monday, Dec. 9.
If you do not see a ballot by that time, and believe that you are a member in good standing of the Pacific Media Workers Guild who should be eligible to vote, you may request a provisional ballot. Call the local offices at 415-421-6833 and ask for Margo Brenes or Eva Vargas.
Please also be advised that, per the Local’s Election Rules, ballots must be received in the election Post Office Box prior to 5 p.m. Dec. 20 in order to be counted. In no case will hand-delivered ballots be accepted.
Candidates and slates are further advised that it is a violation of Department of Labor guidelines to collect ballots from voters. Each voter must instead mail his or her own ballot in the form detailed in the voter instructions.
The Local Election Committee consists of Paul Burton, freelance unit; Rebeca Vera, CFI; and Walt Yost, retiree. They can be reached via email at pmwg2013election@gmail.com.
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Rules for the Election of Local Officers, Executive Committee, Unit Officers and the Representative Assembly
The Local Election Committee, through the Executive Committee, submitted the attached rules to the Representative Assembly on November 23, 2013, which were approved with certain amendments. The amendments are reflected in the document.
Please also note the attached code of conduct for the campaign, which was previously posted and re-posted below.
All members are advised to read the rules and the code and support all candidates in appropriate campaign conduct.
Member lists are going to be available for inspection tomorrow at the Guild offices from 10 am to noon and from 1 pm to 2 pm. Inspections involve reviewing the lists, but does not allow copying, photography or any other imaging.
The LEC is also arranging additional inspection times for next week.
Candidates have begun to request and receive email lists for ALL members.
If any member has a question about the rules or their application, please contact the Local Election Committee at pmwg2013election@gmail.com. The members of the LEC are Paul Burton, Walt Yost and Rebeca Vera.
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Local Elections Committee issues Campaign Conduct rules for union campaign
November 25, 2013
Pacific Media Workers Guild’s Local Election Committee, staffed by Paul Burton, Walt Yost and Rebeca Vera, has released its “Campaign Conduct” rules, attached here and reflected below.
All candidates and their representatives and designees must adhere to these rules which are based on Department of Labor regulations.
Candidates should note the directive at item 6 for the question of use of email lists.
Campaign Conduct
ISSUED BY THE LOCAL ELECTIONS COMMITTEE, TNG-CWA 39521, NOVEMBER 2013
1. Use of union money & equipment
No union monies may be used to promote, endorse or criticize a particular candidate. Included in this prohibition is a Local’s executive body or other person or group’s endorsement, promotion, or criticism of an individual’s candidacy by use of any union’s letterhead or other stationery paid for by union funds or bearing the union’s seal or insignia, by use of a union’s newspaper or website, or by use of a union’s equipment, including computers, email systems and electronic bulletin-board access paid for by the union.
Union monies may be used, however, for notices, factual statement of issues not involving candidates, and other expenses necessary for the holding of an election. It also is permissible for a union to publish in its newspaper, website, or newsletter statements submitted by candidates, or letters to the editor about candidates, as long as all candidates are treated equally. A union may use its website to post links to candidates’ websites, as long as all candidates are treated equally, and as long as the candidates pay any associated costs.
2. Use of Union Staff
Local officers and staff involved in campaigns must do so on their own time and at their own expense.
3. Use of employer time, money and equipment
Employer monies may not be used to promote a candidate. Thus, neither candidates nor members involved in campaigns should use employer time, money or equipment to promote a candidate. This prohibition extends to use of employer copying equipment, computers and email systems, including work email addresses. Campaigning must be done on the employee’s own time and at his or her own expense.
4. Candidate access to union meetings
Union officers and staff are free to permit or deny candidate access to union meetings, as long as all candidates are treated equally.
5. Candidate access to mailing addresses
A candidate who wishes to mail campaign material to members may do so via a third- party mailing house, paying his or her own costs of supply, postage and labor. All candidates should be informed that this option will be available.
6. Candidate access to e-mail The Pacific Media Workers Guild Election Committee has ruled that all candidates in the 2013 election should have equal access to member e-mail lists to send out campaign material and information. This includes e-mail lists of members for the various units of Local 39521.
We direct PMWG staff to inform candidates of this decision and respond to requests for use of lists by providing the candidates with the lists. We also request that a notice of the guidelines for the limited use of the lists be sent. We recommend that candidates are allowed to only contact members by e-mail no more than two times before the ballots are due (Dec. 19), that they do not contact members through employer e-mail addresses, and that they do not call members at their place of work.Candidates are directed not to retain lists after the election, not to pass them on to third- parties, and not to use them for any purpose other than campaign messages.The LEC and the PMWG are not obligated to make available any mailing addresses and phone lists. The LEC expects that candidates will respect the privacy of members. The LEC is tasked with ensuring that the election is fair and transparent; since some candidates have already used e-mail lists, we found it necessary to clarify how lists should be used and to allow equal access to lists for all candidates.Member use of Google Groups and listservs to discuss election issues and campaigns is acceptable; the LEC recommends that all candidates be informed of the existence of the different groups so that there is equal access for all candidates to participate in all forums. All candidates are directed to disclose the names and purposes of existing member e-mail groups and listservs. Candidates should be permitted to join discussion groups that are union resources.
7. Distribution of campaign material.Upon request by a candidate, Locals may distribute campaign flyers in the workplace and post them on union bulletin boards, to the extent not restricted by the relevant collective bargaining agreement or legally implemented employer policy, as long as all candidates are treated equally.
Also posted on the CFI website.
