What is a Local?

Instead of hiring staff to run our union for us independently, our labor union is a member-run union, meaning our members direct all staff operations, through member leaders or through referenda (membership votes). Our staff make recommendations, but the members have the final say. The staff work for us. For you.

To distribute that member leadership responsibility and provide focused, nuanced leadership in markets around the country, just like the United States has 50 states, our union has 25 Locals that are subordinate to the national board in terms laid out in our National Constitution and each Local’s Constitution.

Every member of our union is registered in one of these 25 Locals, each of which have their own dedicated national staff, such as a Local Executive Director, and member leaders including Presidents, Officers, Board of Directors, and Committees who serve the members in those specific areas. Ten of our Locals do not have physical offices and are administered by a Local Administrator, who is usually shared with one or more other Locals.

Members’ dues and initiation fees are not paid to their home Local, but into the Nationally-controlled general fund. To support Local operations and programming, every April each Local prepares and submits a budget request to the National Finance Committee for National Board presentation and approval.

All of a Local’s communication with its members have to be requested, reviewed, and approved by the National Communications Department, led by the Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, who reports to the National Executive Director, who reports to the President and the National Board of Directors. Local member leaders do not have access to their members’ names or contact information.

Any changes to a Local’s Constitution passed by a Local Board has to be approved by the National Board. Local Boards may make advisory motions to the National Board requesting a specific action to be taken, which must then be reviewed and considered by the National Board.