Fellow Workers,
Nominations for candidates for the IWW Ireland Branch 2023 Officer elections have now been opened on the IWW nominations and elections website.
The nominations period begins on 25th March 2023 closes on 23rd April 2023 at 23:59 PM.
Elections start on 26th April 2023 at 00:01AM and will run until 16th May 2023 at 23:59 PM.
All IWW Ireland members have received an email with a secure personal link to the nominations and elections website, where they can submit their candidacy. Instructions about how to submit nominations is provided on the website, in the column on the right.
Members can only self-nominate as a candidate and cannot nominate another member as a candidate. If you want to encourage another Fellow Worker to stand for a position, please contact them directly and ask them to submit their self-nomination via the IWW nominations and elections website.
Do you have a head for figures or a passion for extending access and equality? If so, now is your chance to get involved in your branch and stand for election for one of our officer roles.
At our upcoming elections in April 2023 you can stand for one of the following positions (click to see role descriptions):
- Branch secretary and Co-secretary
- Branch Treasurer
- Branch Membership Officer and Co-Membership officer
- Branch Co-Equalities Officer (support role only)
- Branch Delegate to the Executive Council (DEC)
The co-officer positions are for members who would like to become more active in the union to play a supporting role.
This webpage contains brief descriptions of the key responsibilities for each of the roles, but these are only for guidance. You are allowed to make the role your own, using your skills and knowledge to shape the role to be as effective as possible!
As per union rules, priority for the new incoming DEC delegate will be given to FWs who do not identify as cis-male.
Branch Secretary and Co-Secretary
2-year tenure.
The secretary role is vital to keep the cogs turning, making sure that meetings take place, the group and wider union are kept up to date, and to help manage the day-to-day running of the group.
Main Responsibilities:
- Be the main contact point between the groups, the branch, and the wider union, as well as with other organisations, media, and the public at large.
- Ensure regular meetings take place that are accessible to all members.
- Facilitate communications within the group, the branch, and the wider union.
- Keep all necessary records .
- Submit a brief monthly report to the branch.
Training available: Branch secretary will update incoming officer on union activity to date, share basic knowledge of role activities based on the Manual of Policies and Procedures, and basic operation of the bulk mailer (email) system.
Branch Treasurer
2-year tenure.
The role of the treasurer is key to making sure we keep track of all our income and expenditure, and to ensure that all our financial commitments are met.
Main Responsibilities:
- Keeping branch financial records using the Treasurers workbook.
- Processing and reporting dues payments made to the branch.
- Dealing with other incoming payments.
- Making outgoing payments.
- Making quarterly financial reports to the WISE-RA Treasurer so that we receive our share of dues income.
- Submit a brief monthly report to the branch
Training available: basic book-keeping and associated role activities available from Branch Treasurer and Regional Treasurer.
Branch Membership Officer & Co-Membership Officer
2-year tenure.
It is the role of all members to build the union by recruiting new members at their workplace, but such a crucial part of the union can’t be left to chance. Once people are recruited it is essential that they are made to feel part of the union and all measures are taken to involve them and empower them.
The Membership Officer should keep an overview of recruitment and develop the grassroots nature of our union.
Main Responsibilities:
-
Recruitment:
- Advance branch ideas for recruitment.
- Develop a range of recruitment tools.
- Organise recruitment drives.
-
Membership:
- Monitor the membership database for new members and for those who leave the union.
- Process all new members.
- Contact members who stop paying dues
- Seek ways to involve members in the development of the branch and support members who come forward with an initiative to develop the branch.
- Assist with the production of a Newsletter to be sent to all members.
- Submit a brief monthly report to the branch.
Training available: The Membership officer can train incoming role holders in basic use of database and how to liaise with the wider union in the role.
Branch Equalities Co-Officer (supporting the current Equalities Officer)
2-year tenure.
Do you want to help improve access, participation, and support for marginalised members across the branch? The Equalities Officer helps members and officers to build an inclusive, supporting, and egalitarian union – one truly in accordance with our principles.
Main Responsibilities:
- Working to improve access and support for members across the branch.
- Acting as a point of contact for branch members to raise or discuss issues relating to equality, and to help build effective solutions.
- Championing issues of access and equality across all branch organising.
- Liaise with the WISE-RA Women’s Officer, BAME Officer, LGBTQIA+ Officer, and Accessibility Officer.
- Submit a brief monthly report to the branch
Training available: Incoming officer will be shown how to operate the mail bulk system and how to liaise with the wider union in the role.
There is an Equalities officer and Access officer at Regional level, to whom local equalities officers can liaise with, and avail of information and support. The present Equalities officer can guide the new incoming FW to establish these connections.
Branch Delegate to the Executive Council
2-year tenure.
The Delegate Executive Council (DEC) is the body that maintains the business of the whole union between the annual Conference.
It is made up of regional officers and branch delegates. It ensures that elected regional officers are held accountable.
The delegate carries the views of the branch to the DEC meetings, ensuring that the preferences of the branch are known to the whole union. They also keep branch members informed of the what the DEC is doing.
As per union rules, priority for new incoming DEC delegate will be given to FWs who do not identify as cis-male.
Main Responsibilities:
- Discussing and passing motions, proposals etc. with other DEC members via the Executive Council mailing list. It is essential to have regular email access as a delegate.
- Dealing with urgent or emergency issues that may arise. This may require you to make decisions without the ability to consult with your branch.
- Drafting motions, policies, and procedures where necessary, either individually or collaboratively.
- Reporting back to the branch and ensure there is good communication between DEC and the branch. This often involves bringing DEC motions and proposals to branch meetings, so the branch may direct the delegate how to vote or what to raise in the next DEC meeting.
- Submit a brief monthly report to the branch.
Training available:Training developed by Training Department for this role is now available for members. Present branch delegate can also guide new incoming officer through the role’s activities.