1.1 In this document

1. OSSTF" shall mean the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation.
2. "District" shall mean a District Organization of the OSSTF.
3. "Branch" shall mean a Branch Organization of the OSSTF District 19 Peel.
4. "Unit" shall mean a bargaining unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel.
5. "Member" shall mean an Active Member of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel as defined in Article 5 of this Constitution unless otherwise stated.
6. "Constitution" as used in this document shall be understood to mean a system of fundamental principles according to which the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel is governed, and as such shall represent the basic organization of the Teaching Profession Act Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel. Further, it is understood that nothing in this Constitution can contradict or contravene the Constitution, Bylaws, and Policies of the Provincial organization of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation.
7. "Bylaws" shall mean standing rules governing the membership of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel, made under the authority of the Unit's Constitution on matters of internal regulation and matters which are entirely within the control of the Unit.
8. "Policy" shall mean a stand or position taken by the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel in accordance with its Bylaws on matters whose resolution is beyond the internal legislative power of the Unit.
9. "Procedure" shall mean a specific standard operating practice of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of OSSTF District 19 Peel approved in accordance with its Bylaws to assist the Unit in operating effectively and efficiently.
10. "Day" in the context of specifying the number of days notice for meetings or motions, shall mean school days and shall not include the day of the event.

2.1 This organization shall be known as the Teachers' Bargaining Unit of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, District 19 Peel, or, where it is not ambiguous in the context, the Unit.

3.1 This Constitution is established under the Constitution and Bylaws of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, a provincial body, which is a federation, affiliate of the Ontario Teachers' Federation, and where silent on a matter, The Constitution, Bylaws and Policies of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation shall be used.

3.2 The OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel, is a "Branch Affiliate" as defined in The School Boards and Teachers Collective Negotiations Act, amended 1998, and as such has all of the rights and responsibilities for the negotiation of Collective Agreements between the members of this Unit and the Peel District School Board as described in that Act.

4.1 The objects of the OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit District 19 Peel shall be:

1. first and foremost to protect its members, both individually and collectively.
2. to bargain collectively on behalf of its members.
3. to secure for members a workplace free from gender and racial bias, and from any form of physical and/or sexual harassment.
4. to support and promote equal opportunity for members, employees and students.
5. to promote a high standard of professional ethics and a high standard of professional competence.
6. to promote and advance the cause of public education.
7. to secure for members active participation in formulating policies and practices affecting education.
8. to promote political action to ensure that legislation regulating educational structures and policies is in the best interest of members, students and the community.

5.1 Members and membership rights and responsibilities shall be designated and delineated in accordance with the Bylaws as:

1. Active Members;
2. Voluntary Members;
3. Associate Members.

6.1 In addition to the fees prescribed by the regulations made under the Teaching Profession Act and in accordance with the pertinent articles and sections of The Constitution, Bylaws and Policies of the OSSTF, the OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel may establish a levy or levies applicable to members of the Unit.

6.2 Any levy or levies as described in 6.1 shall be approved through the appropriate motion in accordance with the required procedures set out in the Bylaws, at a District Annual General Meeting of the OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel.

7.1 The OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel, in addition to the administrative services it provides for its members, shall provide comparable administrative services for the OSSTF PSSP Unit, District 19 Peel, and may provide similar administrative services for the OSSTF Occasional Teachers' Unit District 19 Peel.

7.2 The OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel, in addition to the professional services it provides for its members, shall provide professional services at a mutually agreed level and in a mutually agreeable format separately to both the OSSTF PSSP Unit, District 19 Peel, and to the OSSTF Occasional Teachers' Unit, District 19 Peel.

7.3 There shall be a bi monthly meeting of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit President, the PSSP Unit President and the Occasional Teachers' Unit President to discuss concerns. Other Unit officers may attend as matters determine.

7.4 There shall be an annual meeting of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit President and Treasurer, the PSSP Unit President and Treasurer, and the Occasional Teachers' Unit President and Treasurer to develop the budget proposals to be presented at their respective annual general meetings.

7.5 It is recognized that in meeting the obligations and commitments established in Sections 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.4 the OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel shall assume the responsibility and the authority for the budgeting, accounting and expenditures related to all financial matters of the three bargaining Units within the District. It is understood that in this arrangement both the President of the OSSTF PSSP Unit, District 19 Peel and the President of the OSSTF Occasional Teachers' Unit, District 19 Peel shall have the authority of a Spending Authority as set out in the Bylaws applicable to all other Spending Authorities.

7.6 The organization of OSSTF Teachers' Bargaining Unit, District 19 Peel shall include the following bodies:

1. A Unit Executive
2. A District Council
3. Branches and Branch Executives
4. Standing Committees
5. A Teachers' Bargaining Unit Collective Bargaining Committee
6. Special Committees

7.7 Teachers' Bargaining Unit Executive.

1. There shall be a Unit Executive consisting of the following positions:
   1. Voting members selected in accordance with the Bylaws, specifically:
      1. the President
      2. the Vice President
      3. the Provincial Councillor
      4. two Executive Officers,
      5. the Chief Negotiator, and
      6. the Chairs of the Standing Committees as established in the Bylaws.
   2. Nonvoting members selected in accordance with the Bylaws, specifically:
      1. the Chairs of the Standing Committees as established in the Bylaws.
      2. The Unit Executive shall meet regularly and in accordance with the Bylaws.
2. The Unit Executive shall assign the position of Secretary Treasurer to the Vice President.
3. The Unit Executive shall assign the position of Grievance Officer to any member of the Unit.
4. The Unit Executive shall assign the following positions from the Unit membership:
   1. a Benefits Information Officer
   2. a Staff Allocation Committee Officer

7.8 District Council

1. There shall be a District Council composed of the following members:
   1. Voting members, specifically:
      1. each Branch President or designate
      2. the voting members of the Teachers' Bargaining Unit Executive
   2. Nonvoting members, specifically:
      1. the Speaker of District Council
      2. the Provincial Executive Liaison
      3. the OSSTF Secretariat Field Secretary
      4. Benefits Information Officer
      5. Staff Allocation Officer
2. The District Council shall meet regularly and as required, and in accordance with the Bylaws.
3. The District Council shall at its first meeting elect a Speaker or Speakers to chair the meetings of the Council for the year.
4. The District Council shall institute and appoint any member of the Unit, in accordance with the Bylaws, to each of the following Special Committees:
   1. Constitution Committee
   2. Elections Committee
   3. Expenditures Monitoring Committee

7.9 Branches and Branch Executives

1. All Active Members of the Unit shall be assigned to a specific Branch, in accordance with the Bylaws.
2. All Active Members of the Unit who teach one or more credit courses in an evening and/or summer school program operated by the Peel District School Board during a Federation year shall be considered to be assigned also to the Alpha Branch in addition to the Branches to which they are assigned pursuant to Section 7.9.1.
3. Each Branch established under Section 7.9.1 shall be responsible for the formulation and adoption of a Branch Constitution, which shall include a Branch Executive as set out in Section 7.9.4.
4. Each Branch established under Section 7.9.1 shall elect a Branch Executive consisting of the following positions as a minimum:
   1. a Branch President
   2. a Branch Vice President
   3. a Branch Secretary Treasurer or a Secretary and a Treasurer
   4. a Branch Representative to each of the District Standing Committees, established in accordance with the Bylaws
   5. other Branch Officers as established by the Constitution of the Branch
      1. The Alpha Branch established under Section 7.9.2 shall have a Branch Executive appointed by the Unit Executive.
5. In addition to their other duties, it shall be the duty of the Branch President to serve as liaison between the Branch and the School Administration in matters of Federation concern.

7.10 Standing Committees

1. There shall be Standing Committees as set out in the Bylaws.

7.11 Teachers' Bargaining Unit Collective Bargaining Committees

1. There shall be a Teachers' Bargaining Unit Collective Bargaining Committee as set out in the Bylaws.

7.12 Special Committees

1. There shall be Special Committees as called for in Section 7.8.4 of this Constitution.
2. There may be other Special Committees authorized by and reporting to the Unit Executive or authorized by and reporting to the District Council, in both cases established in accordance with the Bylaws.

8.1 Unit General Meetings may be called in accordance with the Bylaws for the purposes of conducting Unit business.

8.2.1 There shall be a Unit General Meeting called in accordance with the Bylaws for the purpose of but not restricted to the receipt of the Auditor's report for the previous fiscal year, the approval of the budget for the next fiscal year, and the delivery of speeches by candidates for the Unit Executive with the Bear Pit sessions to follow.

8.2.2 Election of officers to the Unit Executive will be conducted by secret ballot in each school / designated polling station over a two day period immediately following the A.G.M. in accordance with the Bylaws and Procedures.

8.3 All meetings of the Unit Executive, the District Council, Unit General Meetings, and the Unit Annual General Meeting shall be conducted in accordance with the Rules of Order and The Constitution, Bylaws and Policies of the OSSTF and shall have minutes duly recorded.

9.1 The Unit, in a General Meeting called in accordance with the Bylaws, may pass Bylaws not inconsistent with this Constitution or Bylaws concerning:

1. the procedures for the selection of its office holders;
2. the management of its own internal organization and administration;
3. the time, place, and conduct of its Annual General Meeting, and its other meetings;
4. the establishment, amendment, or rescission of Unit Procedures, or Unit Policies;
5. the conducting of the Unit's financial affairs, including the appointment of auditors;
6. the administration and maintenance of the Collective Agreement which is in effect and applicable to the members; and
7. all other matters as are deemed necessary or convenient for the promotion of the welfare of the members or the conduct of the Unit's business.

10.1 Amendments to this Constitution may be made at a General Meeting:

1. by a two thirds (2/3rd) vote of the members qualified to vote, present and voting, provided that:
   1. notice of the proposed amendment(s) has (have) been given to a meeting of the District Council at least nine days prior to the General Meeting, and
   2. the proposed amendment(s) has (have) been duly circulated to or posted for the examination of the members of each Branch at least four days prior to the General Meeting.
2. by a nine tenth (9/10th) vote of the members qualified to vote, present and voting, previous notice as in 10.1.1.1 and/or 10.1.1.2 not having been given.

10.2 Amendments to the Bylaws may be made at a General Meeting:

1. by a simple majority of the members qualified to vote, present and voting, provided that:
   1. notice of the proposed Bylaw(s) or amendment(s) has (have) been given to a meeting of the District Council at least nine days prior to the General Meeting, and
   2. the proposed Bylaw(s) or amendment(s) has (have) been duly circulated to or posted for the examination of the members of each Branch at least four days prior to the General Meeting.
2. by a three quarter vote of the members qualified to vote, present and voting, previous notice as in 10.2.1.1 and/or 10.2.1.2 not having been given.

10.3 The required votes for an amendment to be approved as set out in 10.1 and 10.2 above shall be defined precisely as fractions or percentages of votes cast, whether by a show of hands, a standing vote, or unspoiled ballots in the case of a vote using ballots. The applicable definitions are as follows:

1. a simple majority – ‘50% + 1' of the votes when the total number of votes cast for and against is even, or ‘50% rounded up' when the total number of votes cast is odd.
2. a two thirds (2/3), a three quarters (3/4), or a nine tenths (9/10) Majority - the exact whole number result of applying the fraction to the total number of votes cast for and against when that total is a multiple of three (3), four (4) or ten (10) respectively, or the result of applying the required fraction ‘rounded up' when the total number votes cast is not a multiple of three (3), four (4), or ten (10) respectively.