Activist Code of Conduct

Activist Code of Conduct

All elected and appointed representatives and officials¹ have: 

1. A responsibility to AMAPCEO and, as such, are expected to act honestly, in good faith, with due care and diligence and in the best interests of the organization as a whole;
2. A duty to make full and timely disclosure of any real or potential conflicts of interest that might arise between their responsibilities as an AMAPCEO activist and their personal or private interests including personal disputes filed under a collective agreement;
3. A duty to avoid using their positions as AMAPCEO activists or using confidential information obtained in those roles to advance or benefit their personal or private interests;
4. A duty to make full and timely disclosure of any developments (including those that occur outside the workplace) that might compromise the activist’s ability to carry out their roles and responsibilities;
5. A duty to avoid encouraging the offer of, and to refuse, gifts, hospitality or other benefits, the acceptance of which could influence their judgement or the performance of their duties;
6. A duty to respect confidential information that is disclosed to them in their capacity as AMAPCEO activists;
7. A duty to attend required meetings of bodies to which they are elected or appointed; to prepare adequately for those meetings by reading agenda and other material; and to give advance notice and explanation in cases where they are unable to attend;
8. A duty to treat other AMAPCEO members and staff with respect, when acting in their roles as AMAPCEO activists, both in AMAPCEO meetings and outside meetings. For example, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, activists have a duty to avoid:
   • Disrupting meetings by making continual interruptions or whispered asides;
   • Making offensive or abusive remarks directed at other members or staff;
   • Using unparliamentary language, inflammatory words or a harsh tone;
   • Impugning the motives of other members or staff;
   • Ignoring the legitimate direction of the presiding officer at AMAPCEO meetings.

The provisions of this Code apply to the conduct of activists at all times during their term of office (although any confidentiality restrictions continue to apply even after the conclusion of one’s term of office unless a particular item has become public or if members have otherwise been released from compliance with confidentiality on a particular matter). The Code applies, in other words, to an activist’s conduct outside AMAPCEO’s governance and membership meetings and outside the AMAPCEO offices, and includes the member’s workplace, off-site social interactions, public meetings or events, private meetings or events, teleconferences, written or verbal communications and social media (including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, websites, e-mail, instant messaging or texting).

Activists, staff or bodies who are uncertain about the application of any element of this Code to their own circumstances, or who wish to make a required disclosure, should contact the union’s Ombudsperson (Chief Operating Officer or their designee). Activists who wish to pursue a Code of Conduct complaint against another member should contact the union’s Ombudsperson (Chief Operating Officer or their designee).

Any member deemed to be in violation of the Code of Conduct would be dealt with according to the appropriate sections of the AMAPCEO Constitution, By-laws 4 and 10, and/or Robert’s Rules of Order. 

¹ “Representatives and officials” include any member of AMAPCEO holding elective office, at any level, as well as any member appointed to an office or committee) of AMAPCEO (referred to hereafter as “activists”)