STRUCTURE
The Bakers Food and Allied Workers Union is its members’ Union. They make the decisions that dictate the policies that are carried out by their elected representatives.
The Union Rule Book states that: “This Union shall consist of an unlimited number of members, and for the purpose of government shall be divided into:
a) An Annual Conference of delegates elected by the members
b) An Executive Council elected at Annual Conference
c) Regions of Branches
d) A salaried staff section”
Also forming part of the Executive Council, are the two National Officers (the General Secretary and the National President) who are elected by the entire membership. There are also Full-Time Officials, who are elected by the members within the particular Region that they are to represent. Thus, the government and administration of the Union is as a direct result of the election of representatives by and from the general membership.
Any seven or more people may form a Branch of the Union having received sanction from the appropriate body. There are currently approximately two hundred and fifty Branches varying in membership size from seven to in excess of one thousand. Each of these Branches falls within one of seven Regions. Each Branch is entitled to have elected representatives (depending on their size) sit on the Regional Council along with the appropriate Full-Time Official(s). More details of each Region, their office locations and Full-Time Officials can be found in the Regional Offices section of this website.
Within each Branch are elected a Branch President, Branch Secretary, Safety Representative and other designated representatives depending on the Branch’s size and structure. These representatives are responsible for conducting the general business of the Branches. They will be offered training through one of the Union courses to enable them to function and represent their members more effectively; (see the Training section of this site for more details).
The Union tries to be as overt as possible in enabling member’s access to all aspects of its administration and government. Branch meetings enable each member to have their say in their own Branch’s business, and that of the Union generally through the election of delegates to Regional Councils and to Annual Conference. Regional Councils give delegates the opportunity to discuss the running of the Union at a more local level. The Annual Conference enables delegates to have their say in the running of the Union. Each Annual Conference delegate is provided with a number of documents designed to inform them of the Union’s position financially and of its general progress over the previous year. These documents, along with others are made available to the membership through the Branches. Some of these are detailed on this page, whilst others – the Rule Book and the Foodworker for example - are found elsewhere on this site.