Short answer: It's up to the local's bylaws, which must be submitted to the International President for approval (Art. XVI, Sec. 5). The 2022 BCTGM Constitution requires only that local elections be consistent with the constitution and applicable law (Art. XVI, Sec. 12(a)). An edition reflecting the July 2026 convention was not yet available.
| Verdict | Method left to local bylaws |
| Confidence | Medium |
| Last verified | 21 October 2026 |
What the text says
How local officer elections are run
"Elections of local officers shall be consistent with the provisions of this Constitution and applicable law."
"Locals are authorized to prescribe such offices in their constitutions and Bylaws as are necessary to carry out the functions of the local union from the following list of officers provided, however, that each local must elect a president, a financial secretary and a minimum of three trustees."
"Unless expressly provided in the local constitution, write-in votes shall not be valid for any purpose."
Electronic, internet, phone or remote voting
"Whenever the International President believes such action necessary or desirable, the International President shall contact each member of the General Executive Board by facsimile, by letter, telegram or telephone or email, and each member may vote in the same manner in which the member was contacted."
International approval of local bylaws or election rules
"Every local union shall adopt Bylaws. Such Bylaws and amendments thereto must be in accord with the Constitution of the International Union and must be submitted to the International President for approval."
Contract ratification and strike votes
"If a settlement cannot be reached, approval of three-fourths of the members employed in the shop involved may be required for a primary strike declaration by the local and to obtain primary strike permission from the International Union. The International President may also require a secret ballot,"
Open questions
The constitution does not prescribe a voting method for local officer elections; local Bylaws (which govern) must be submitted to the International President for approval. The strike provision sets a possible three-fourths threshold and lets the International President require a secret ballot but names no channel; no contract ratification method is stated, so no separate ratification verdict is given.
Context
- The 42nd BCTGM Constitutional Convention was scheduled for July 28-30, 2026; any amended constitution text from it was not obtained (latest OLMS filing is the 2022 edition).
- Has Canadian locals (affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress); LMRDA applies only to U.S. locals.
The federal rules still apply
Federal law sits on top of every constitution. For unions covered by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA), officer elections must meet Title IV's secret-ballot, notice and observer requirements however members vote. The Department of Labor's Office of Labor-Management Standards (OLMS) addresses remote electronic voting in its Compliance Tip Electing Union Officers Using Remote Electronic Voting Systems (updated December 10, 2024). The Tip describes safeguards for secrecy, observation and records, says it "does not offer unions safe harbor," and says each system is evaluated case by case. Federal-sector unions follow 29 CFR Part 458, which applies the same standards; postal unions are covered by the LMRDA. Locals made up entirely of state or local government employees are generally outside Title IV and follow state law and their own rules. OLMS Compliance Tip
Sources
- Constitution of the Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union, 2022 (OLMS attachment 'BCTGM 2022 Constituion.pdf', 'Constitution, Bylaws and Other Attachments', filed by BAKERY, TOBACCO AND GRAIN AFL-CIO, National Headquarters, OLMS file no. 000-315, received 2023-03-27) — 2022 (as adopted at the 41st Constitutional Convention, 2022). https://olmsapps.dol.gov/query/orgReport.do?rptId=65482&rptForm=attachment (accessed 2026-10-21)
- 2026 Constitutional Convention Delegate Eligibility Requirements (bctgm.org; lead only) — Announces the 42nd Constitutional Convention, July 28-30, 2026. https://bctgm.org/2026/02/01/2026-constitutional-convention-delegate-eligibility-requirements/ (accessed 2026-10-21)
Not verified: Could not obtain a 2026 amended constitution (bctgm.org did not post one; OLMS has no post-2022 constitution filing). No international local election manual or model bylaws found.
This page summarizes the published text of a union's governing documents. It is not legal advice and not an official interpretation by the union. Constitutions change at conventions, and locals' own bylaws matter. Confirm with your International and your counsel before changing how members vote. Spotted an error or a newer edition? Tell us at info@votem.com and we'll correct it.
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