Article
I
Name
The
name of this organization shall be the
Article
II
Affiliations
Local
1776 shall be affiliated with AFSCME Council 93 of the American Federation of
State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO and the Northampton Labor
Council.
Article
III
Objectives
A.
To promote the organization of workers in general and public employees in
particular.
B.
To promote the welfare of the membership and to provide a voice in the
determination of the terms and conditions of employment. We are committed to
the process of collective bargaining as the most desirable, democratic and
effective method to achieve this. Both as union members and citizens we shall
also employee available legislative and political action.
C.
To promote civil service legislation and career service in government.
D.
To provide research and educational services and activities designed to assist
members and affiliates.
E.
To foster cooperation among affiliates.
F.
To cooperate with other labor organizations in particular and other segments of
our society in general toward the ends that the material riches of American
society be more justly distributed and the moral promises of American life be
realized.
G.
To work with our brothers and sisters in other lands toward the improvement of
the conditions of life and work in all countries, towards the diminution of
international tensions and a reduction in the use of armed forces to resolve
disputes, and towards genuine fraternity of all workers.
Article
IV
Membership
and Dues
Section
1. All employees of the
Section
2. Application for membership shall
be made on an authorization form for payroll deduction of union dues. Members
not eligible for payroll deduction of union dues shall be billed monthly in
advance by the secretary-treasurer.
Section
3. The weekly membership dues shall
be $4.73 per member. In January of each year the dues of this local shall be
adjusted in accordance with the provisions of the International Constitution.
Section
4. Membership dues shall be payable
monthly in advance to the local Secretary-Treasurer and in any event shall be
paid no later than the fifteenth of day of the month in which they become due.
Any member who fails to pay dues by the fifteenth day of the month in which
they become due shall be considered delinquent, and upon failure to pay dues
for two successive months shall stand suspended. Provided, however, that any
person who is paying his or her dues through a system of regular payroll
deduction shall for as long as that member continues to pat through such
deduction method, be considered in good standing.
Section
5. A member suspended under the above
section may be reinstated to membership in the local upon payment of all
arrearages.
Article
V
Meetings
Section
1. Regular meetings of this local
shall be the chapter meetings and shall be held once each month by each chapter
at a time and place to be fixed by the chapter officers.
Section
2. Special meetings of a chapter may
be called by the local union president, the local union executive board, the
chairperson of the chapter, or by a petition filed with the chairperson of the
chapter and signed by 10 percent of the members of the chapter. Special
meetings of a chapter may be called by the International President or his/her
representative.
Section
3. Regular general membership
business meetings of this local shall be held in the months of March and
October at a time and place to be selected by the executive board.
Section
4. Special general membership
business meetings of this local may be called by the president, a majority of
the executive board, or by petition filed with the president and signed by 10
percent of the members. A special general membership business meeting may also
be called by the International President or his/her representative.
Section
5. The local union executive board
shall meet monthly at a time and place
to be fixed by the members of the executive board.
Section
6. Special meetings of the local
executive board may be called by the
president, or a majority of the executive board. A special meeting of the
executive board may also be called by the International President or his/her
representative.
Section
7. A quorum for the transaction of
business shall consist of not fewer than 5 percent of the membership of that
particular body, except for executive
board meetings which shall require a majority of the members.
Article VI
Local officers, Trustees, Chapter Officers and
Stewards
Section 1. The officers of the local shall be:
president, vice-president, recording secretary, secretary-treasurer and
sergeant-at-arms and these officers and the chapter chairperson and chief
steward(s) of each chapter shall constitute the executive board of this local.
Section 2. There shall be elected three members who
shall serve as trustees. The trustee shall be elected to three-year terms of
office, except that in the initial election one shall be for a three-year term,
one for a two-year term and one for a three-year term. Not more than two
trustees shall be elected from the same chapter.
Section 3. The president, vice-president, recording
secretary, secretary-treasurer and sergeant-at-arms shall be elected for a
two-year term in the even-numbered years.
Section 4. The officer of each chapter shall be a chapter
chairperson. He/she shall be elected
for a two-year term in the even-numbered years. He/she shall be employed in the
chapter they represent.
Section 5.There shall be a chief steward for each chapter
except that each administrative unit within a chapter having a membership of
fifty or more members shall be entitled to a chief steward. Chief stewards
shall be elected to a one-year term. He/she shall be employed in the
administrative unit they represent.
Section 6. Stewards shall be selected by a method as
determined by the members in their respective areas. They shall be elected for
a one-year term.
Section 7. There shall be a parliamentarian in this local
whose term of office shall be for one year.
Article VII
Nomination and Election of Officers, Trustees,
Chapter Chairs, Chief Stewards and Delegates
Section 1. Nominations of officers, trustees, chapter
chairs, chief stewards and delegates shall be made at a special general
membership meeting concerning elections in the month of February. At least
fifteen days advance notice shall be given the membership, by first class mail,
prior to the nominations meeting.
Section 2. A nominating committee
may be appointed by the executive board to make nominations, whether or not
such nominating committee is used, nominations shall be permitted from the
floor at the nominations meeting.
Section 3. To be eligible for
office, a member must be in good standing for one year immediately preceding
the election.
Section 4. All matters concerning
nominations and elections shall be subject to the provisions of Appendix D,
entitled Elections Code, of the International Constitution, which is made part
of this constitution by reference.
Section 5. Elections of officers,
trustees, chapter chairs, chief stewards and delegates shall be conducted on
the same day as the regular general membership business meeting. The results of
the election shall be reported to the membership at that meeting. Officers
shall be elected by secret ballot vote, and the balloting shall be conducted so as to afford to all
members a reasonable opportunity to vote. At least fifteen days advance notice
shall be given the membership, by first class mail, prior to the holding of elections.
Section 6. Vacancies in the office
of vice-president, recording secretary, secretary-treasurer, sergeant-at-arms
or trustee shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by a vote of
the executive board. In the event the office of president falls vacant, the vice-president shall become president
for the remainder of the unexpired term and the office of vice-president shall
be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by vote of the executive
board.
Section 7. Vacancies in the office
of chapter chairperson or chief steward
shall be filled by a majority of the membership present and voting of
the chapter of the appropriate administrative unit or units. In the event the
chapter does not fill such vacancy within thirty days such vacancy shall be
filled by vote of the executive board.
Section
8. The parliamentarian shall be elected by the executive board.
Section 9. No members may hold two
offices concurrently.
Section 10. Every officer shall, upon
assuming office, subscribe to the Obligation of an Officer, contained in
Appendix B of the International Constitution, which is made part of this
constitution by reference.
Article VIII
Duties of Officers and Executive Board
Section 1. The president of this union shall preside at all
general membership meetings of this local union and of the local executive
board. He/she shall be a member of all local union committees. By virtue of
office, he/she shall countersign all checks drawn against the funds of the
local. He/she shall appoint all standing committees and all special committees
of the local, subject to the approval of the executive board. He/she shall
report periodically to the membership regarding the progress and standing of
the local and regarding his/her official acts.
Section 2. The vice-president of this union shall assist
the president in the work of his/her office. In the absence of the president or
in his/her inability to serve, the vice-president shall preside at all meetings and perform all duties
otherwise performed by the president. He/she may, with the approval of the
executive board, be authorized to act as cosigner of checks drawn on the local
funds in place of either the president or the secretary-treasurer.
Section 3. The recording secretary of this union
shall keep a record of the proceedings of all membership meetings and of all
executive board meetings. He/she shall carry on the official correspondence of
the local, except as the executive board may direct otherwise. He/she shall
perform such other duties as the executive board may require.
Section 4. The secretary-treasurer of this union shall
receive and receipt for all monies of the local union. He/she shall deposit all
money so received in the name of the local union in a bank or banks insured by
the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and money so deposited shall be
withdrawn only by check signed by the president and the secretary-treasurer,
except as otherwise provided herein. He/she shall prepare and sign checks for
such purposes only as are required by the constitution or are authorized by the
membership or the executive board. He/she shall prepare and submit the monthly
membership report to the International Union office and see that a check is
drawn in payment of the local's per capita tax each month and sent to the
International Union. He/she shall keep an accurate record of receipts and
disbursements and shall at the March and October regular general membership
business meeting, submit to the membership monthly operating statements of the
financial transactions of the local for the previous six month period. He/she
shall, at the expense of the local union and through the International Union,
give a surety bond for an amount to be fixed by the executive board of the
local union.
Section 5. The trustees of this union shall make or cause
to be made at least semiannually an audit of the local's finances, and shall
report to the membership on the results of such audit.
Section 6. The executive board of this union shall be the
governing body of the local union except when regular or special meetings of
the local union are in session. All matters affecting the policies, aims and
means of accomplishing the purposes of the local not specifically provided for
in this constitution or by action of the membership shall be decided by the
executive board. A report on all actions taken by the executive board shall be
made to the membership at the following meeting of a chapter. A majority of the
members of the executive board shall be required for a quorum.
Section 7. The sergeant-at-arms shall maintain proper order
and decorum at all meetings of the local and shall perform such other duties as
the presiding officer shall require.
Article IX
Chapters
There shall be the following chapters in this
local: Service Maintenance Employees, Auxiliary Service Employees, Housing
Employees, Security Employees. There may be formed on the recommendation of the
executive board and with the approval of the membership, such new chapters as
are deemed necessary and proper. However, no chapter shall be formed with a
membership of less than ten members. Each member of this local shall be a
member of a chapter.
Article X
Miscellaneous Provisions
Section 1. The local union shall at all times be subject to
the provisions of the Constitution of the American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees.
Section 2. Except to the extent specified in this
constitution, no officer of the local union shall have the power to act as agent
for or otherwise bind the local union in any way whatsoever. No member or group
of members or other person or persons shall have the power to act on behalf of
or otherwise bind the local union except to the extant specifically authorized
in writing by the president of the local union or by the executive board of the
local union.
Section 3. Robert's Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the
guide in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not
inconstant with this constitution and special rules of this local union or of
the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Article XI
Amendments
This
constitution may be amended, revised or otherwise changed only by a vote of a majority
of the members present and voting on such proposed change, and such change
shall take effect only upon written approval of the International President.
Proposed amendments to this constitution must be read at a regular or special
meeting of each chapter or a regular or special general membership meeting and
voted on at a subsequent regular or special general membership meeting of the
local union, adequate and proper notice having been given to the membership
prior to the date on which the vote is taken.