Can Vote If Dues Are Paid

To the Editor:

The Chief has consistently recognized the need for Transport Workers Union Local 100 members to pay their dues regardless of whether they support the current set of officers or not. However, your editorial last week regarding the recent referendum amending the local's bylaws could have the unintended effect of discouraging members who have fallen behind in their dues from catching up.

You note that members must "be in good standing and current with their dues for at least 12 months in order to vote." This is not correct. According to the TWU Constitution, any member who wishes to run for office must be in continuous good standing for 12 months prior to the nominations. But, in order to vote, a member just needs to be in good standing at the time of the election.

In fact, during the prolonged counting of ballots in the recent referendum, the Local 100 Elections Committee checked and rechecked the status of ballots from members in bad standing. If their status had changed to good standing overnight because a dues payment had been received, their ballots were counted. (1,000 of the ballots received by the local were not counted because the members were behind in their dues at the time of the count. Another 278 were not counted because the member provided no ID on the outer envelope that would make it possible to determine whether they were in good or bad standing.)

In next year's contract vote and elections, TWU 100 members should expect - and insist - that any member who is paid up at the time of the vote, even if they had fallen behind in the previous 12 months, will be able to vote.

STEVE DOWNS, Chair, Train Operator Division,
Transport Workers Union Local 100