QIEU Chapter Resources: Information Sheet 6
Role of the Chapter Executive
What is the Chapter Executive? The Union Chapter Executive provides the vital link between members and our union office. This group of members is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that all members and potential members are actively engaged and informed of the activities of our union. The Chapter Executive ensures that new staff are invited to join our union. Chapter meetings are scheduled and members’ and potential members’ input is sought and conveyed to our union office. It makes good sense to share the responsibility of these tasks between members at the school, rather than to rely on one person.
Positions on the Chapter Executive The Chapter Executive is an elected group of three or more members. The positions include:
Chapter Representative; Membership Coordinator/s; Network Coordinator/s; and Collective Bargaining Coordinator.
Role of the Chapter Executive A Union Chapter and an effective Chapter Executive ensures that all members can play an active role in our union. The role of the Chapter Executive includes:
Listening and providing assistance to members or referring them to our union office for further advice; Encourage membership; Promote participation at union training and professional development opportunities; Distributing information to members, maintaining the union notice board and alerting your organiser to any emerging issues and needs at your school; Conducting meetings and encouraging member attendance; and
Last Updated: 06/11/2008
Supporting members with industrial and professional issues at the school level.
Individual roles of Chapter Executive Members Individual members of the Chapter Executive have specific roles. The Chapter Representative has the responsibility of coordinating Chapter activities. Duties include:
Acting as the point of contact for our union office and union organiser; Distributing information to other Chapter members. This includes passing information to the Chapter Network Coordinator for distribution to the identified networks; Issuing notices of Chapter meetings and chairing such meetings; Handling minor queries from members; and Assistance in low level dispute resolution meetings with members and the employer consistent with the relevant grievance procedure.
The Chapter Membership Coordinator/s assists the Chapter Representative and has the responsibility of coordinating the recruitment of new members. Duties include:
The provision of Membership Application Forms to new starters and graduate teachers; Providing a list of new staff, teachers and graduates at the school, to be forwarded to our union office; Coordinating with the union organiser to initiate campaigns to recruit new members; and The display and provision of material regarding membership benefits.
The Chapter Collective Bargaining Coordinator/s assists the Chapter Representative and has the responsibility of coordinating activities regarding collective bargaining and the implementation of the certified agreement. The Chapter Collective Bargaining Coordinator may also be identified as the Union Chapter Representative on the School Consultative Committee (if a School Consultative Committee exists). Duties include:
Consultation with Chapter members to identity issues and concerns; Representing the issues and concerns to the principal, employing authority, union office or the Single Bargaining Unit (SBU) as appropriate; and Representing the issues of the Chapter members to the School Consultative Committee.
The Chapter Network Coordinator assists the Chapter Representative and has the responsibility of distributing information and coordinating communication networks amongst staff, with a special responsibility to school officers and services staff. This
Last Updated: 06/11/2008
is a fundamental role given the relative number of teachers, school officers and services staff in a school. Duties include:
Distributing information and coordinating communication networks among school officers, services staff and teachers; Acting as a point of contact for school officers and services staff, and liaising with the Chapter Representative as appropriate; and Distributing information and coordinating communication within staff network, which may include various staff rooms or staff groupings where relevant (consideration should be given to the number and location of staff rooms and the various groupings).
Additional Information? If you would like to know more about the role of the Chapter Executive, or how you can become involved in your Chapter Executive, please contact your union organiser or the union office: Brisbane Office Townsville Office Bundaberg Office
Last Updated: 06/11/2008
(07) 3839 7020 (07) 4772 6277 (07) 4132 8455