National Global Justice Committee provides focus to CUPE’s global justice work and administers our Global Justice Fund. This Committee’s work in Canada and with strategic international partners helps build a global movement to oppose corporate privatization, trade, deregulation, and increased threats to security, peace and human rights.
Terms of Reference
Draft: February 2005
Final Amendment: September 2005
This committee shall be known as “The National Committee for Global Justice”, accountable to the National Executive Board and the National Executive Committee who serve as the Board of Directors for the Global Justice Mondiale Fund.
1. Committee Purpose and objectives:
The National Committee for Global Justice provides advice and recommendations to the National officers and the National Executive Board on global justice issues, and implements resolutions as set by National Convention policy. The national committee works with other national committees and through division committees, to coordinate policy, programs and campaigns that strength activism against corporate globalization and to achieve democracy, international peace and security.
The Committee provides advice and recommendations to the National Executive Committee, the governing body for the Global Justice Mondiale Fund, with regard to administration, project support and governance of the Fund, and oversees coordination with project partners and allies.
The Committee develops and implements a Plan of Action for each two-year period, between national conventions.
2. Composition of committee:
Committee members are appointed by the National officers to represent provincial Divisions and CUPE members who work in international development non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Alternates are named for each member. The committee strives for gender balance and diversity. Committee Co-chairs will be gender balanced. Committee members must be knowledgeable on CUPE policies, structures and have experience and active participation in international activities in the union and with community allies and international solidarity groups at local, regional or national levels. The National President appoints all committee members and alternates, names the Co-chairs and NEB liaison, and assigns CUPE staff advisors to the Committee.
3. Roles and responsibilities of committee:
The committee shall strive to achieve excellence in implementing National Convention policy and integrating global justice work within the Strategic Plan for the Union. The committee will develop and implement its own strategic plan, to be evaluated and revised in a timely fashion. The Committee members must be prepared to represent CUPE Global Justice issues and the work of the Committee at all times. The committee shall elect one member to serve as Co-Chair.
4. Duties of committee members:
a. Committee Co-chairs:
Provide leadership and coordination of activities at committee meetings.
Maintain communications at all levels of the Union and engage in on-going self-development and education on international events and analysis.
Motivate National Committee members, keep them on track and focused at, and between meetings.
Chair the National Committee meetings in such a way as to achieve consensus wherever possible.
Carry out tasks as determined by the National Committee.
Work closely with the staff advisor to the committee in carrying out tasks, implement Committee recommendations and the strategic plan of action between meetings; set the agenda for meetings and prepare committee reports.
b. Committee members:
Attend and actively participate in all National Committee meetings.
Keep the alternate member, his/her local union leadership and provincial leadership informed on the Committee’s work and activities.
Work to implement the Committee’s action plan between meetings, in his/her region or province and in his/her local union.
Regularly report to the Committee staff advisor and the leadership of his/her activities in the region, prior to Committee meetings.
Provide co-chairs and staff advisor with feedback and input on draft minutes, CUPE documents, campaigns, reports and policies.
Actively promote the Committee’s work and increase the profile by keeping Global justice on all agendas at a local, division and national level. Participate and promote tours, campaigns and mobilizations locally.
Work closely with other division Committees to encourage as much integration as possible.
Network among other members and with coalition partners in the community.
Coordinate and assist in submitting resolutions to Division and National conventions and organize support among other members for these resolutions.
Ongoing self-development and education on global justice issues and analysis.
Participate and provide leadership in union development courses on global justice issues and work.
Assist in the development of national communications networks on key issues; share materials.
c. Committee National Executive Board (NEB) liaison:
Participate in all committee meetings to share information and expertise.
Address and promote global justice issues and concerns at the NEB and National Executive Committee (NEC)/ Global Justice Mondiale Fund Board meetings.
Keep the NEB and NEC updated on the ongoing work of the Committee, and on decisions/recommendations and vice-versa.
Provide assistance to the NEB and NEC on global justice issues, and have relevant issues referred to the Committee.
Promote and lobby the national officers and the NEB and NEC to support and implement Committee recommendations, decisions and plan of action.
Lobby for the integration of global justice perspective into everything CUPE does.
Work with the NEB and NEC, Divisions and Locals to build support for financial sustainability of the Global Justice Mondiale Fund.
Stay connected with Committee members between meetings to share information and address concerns.
Increase the Committee’s profile.
Advise the Committee on CUPE structure, decision-making and budget process.
Lobby for global justice education to the NEB and NEC members.
Work closely with the staff advisor and the co-chairs.
d. Committee staff advisor:
Maintains an up-to-date list of the Committee members. Works closely with the Committee co-chairs between meetings.
Provides guidance and direction to the national leadership in the implementation of convention policy directives and to promote global justice activities and goals in the developing policies of the Union.
Provides orientation to new members and on going mentoring and support to all Committee members.
Coordinates, plans and organizes Committee meetings in consultation with the co-chairs.
Works closely with the co-chairs in preparing and circulating the agenda and preparation of materials for the meetings, including all financial reports.
Prepares and circulates the minutes of the meetings.
Coordinates and liaises with division staff advisors to division Global Justice/international solidarity committees, and with national departments and staff advisors to other national committees.
Coordinates conference calls if necessary and assists with follow-up work between meetings to monitor progress of the Committee’s action plan.
Oversees the administration and financial records keeping for the Global Justice Mondiale Fund.
Prepare all reports and recommendations for the Board of Directors, Global Justice Mondiale Fund.
Seek resources and budget necessary to carry out the Committee’s work.
Advises and assists Committee members to organize Global Justice initiatives in their regions.
Works closely with the Communications and Union Development branches to produce and update materials and programs.
In conjunction with the Co-chairs, coordinates writing the Committee’s report to the National Convention and coordinates follow-up work from Convention Resolutions.
In conjunction with the Co-chairs, coordinates the Global Justice program and promotion table/education events at the National Convention.
Maintains communication with project partners and locals sponsoring projects; ensures good reports/evaluation and follow up of all projects.
Works closely with the CLC International Affairs Dept. and other Unions’ Global Justice/international solidarity staff.
Writes all reports, budget submissions etc. necessary to qualify for CLC/CIDA project funding and other outside funding sources.
Provides leadership and serves as a resource to conferences and meetings in CUPE and with other Unions and partners.
5. How the committee operates:
There will be a minimum of two Committee meetings a year.
To promote the work of the Committee and to strengthen local capacity, the Committee may hold meetings in different regions of the country that are open to observers. These meetings may be planned in conjunction with other national or division committees to strengthen common goals.
Agenda is circulated prior to the meeting and with adequate time to complete the work of the Committee.
The Committee operates by consensus wherever possible.
The co-chairs enforce “ground rules for meetings”.
Any unfinished business or timely project matters may be determined by teleconferencing.
All members will provide written reports on local, division work prior to the meeting.
All members will report back to their Local and division executives on the work of the meeting.
Minutes of all meetings will be sent to Committee members for review and comments.
Following national convention, the Committee shall prioritize new resolutions and develop a plan of action for the next two years.
Recommended for Approval,
National Committee for Global Justice
Meeting in Vancouver
February 21, 2005