CATU is run primarily by and for its members. Each year, CATU holds an Annual General Meeting (AGM), where branches submit motions to be voted on by every member, which provide opportunities to change CATU’s Constitution and By-laws, as well as put forward national campaigns for the union to work on. This is the highest authority in the union.
UNION DEMOCRACY
HOW THE UNION WORKS
BRANCHES
Branches are CATU’s democratic building blocks. They are typically formed around concentrations of members in specific geographical regions – like towns, cities or municipals within larger cities. They hold their own AGMs to decide directions for local campaigns and to elect branch officers.
Branches typically have the following offer roles that must be filled:
- Chairperson – 2 where possible, to coordinate monthly meetings and tasks.
- Communications Officer – who manages public and internal marketing.
- Recruitment Officer – to encourage growth and activism from membership.
- Membership Defence Officer – who manages and supports issues that members are having in the housing situation or wider community.
- National Representative – who sits on the National Committee to work on more island-wide and organisational issues.
NATIONAL COMMITTEE & BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The National Committee is a structure made up of delegates from each branch within CATU. They primarily focus on island-wide campaigns and strategy, manage communications output and press inquiries and handle revenue streams, staffing and organisation funds.
CATU also has a Board of Directors, typically made up of former National Committee members or other housing activists. They oversee management of the union and protect the interest of its members.
WORKING GROUP & STAFF
Where specific issues or projects require a focused and coordinated effort, Working Groups can be established by members keen on dedicating their time. As well as that, where members feel it’s important to address particular issues affecting groups based on their ethnicity, gender, sexuality or other identities, there is a Caucus system in place that allows those members to coordinate tackling any compounded issues affecting them.
A handful of staff members have also been hired to provide more consistent and stable organising across the island. They consist of regional organisers, based on the provinces of Ireland, along with Administrative and Education/Training staff to assist the above volunteer-led groups.