Under the bylaws, elections must be held once a year. The executive of SONG, consisting of elected officers from each workplace plus seven officers elected at large, make decisions on financial and policy matters. Within CEP, a convention is held every two years, to which SONG elects delegates. The convention sets the national union's policies and priorities. Union dues are not paid by new members until the union has signed a contract with the company.
Union dues are tax deductible.
The biggest expenditures are the salaries of SONG's office staff and professional employees, who ensure that contracts are negotiated professionally and that grievances are pursued. The union also spends money sending some members on educational courses, and for affiliation fees to the CEP and the Ontario Federation of Labour. Some of the fees to CEP go into the national strike fund for emergencies, and SONG also maintains its own local strike fund to supplement national strike benefits. The great majority of contracts are achieved through dispute-free negotiation. But if the members at a particular workplace are not willing to accept an inferior settlement they can decide to take a strike vote.