ARTICLE I
This local shall be known as Local 4818,
Communications Workers of America.
ARTICLE II JURISDICTION
Jurisdiction of this Local shall be the jurisdiction
assigned by the
ARTICLE III OBJECTS
The objects of Local 4818 shall be to represent and
serve the workers within the jurisdiction in accordance with the By-Laws and
Rules of the Local and the Constitution and policies of the
ARTICLE IV LOCAL STRUCTURE
The structure of the Local shall consist of the
following:
1. Membership
2. Officers
3. Committees
ARTICLE V MEMBERSHIP
Section 1 - Eligibility
Any person eligible to membership
in the Communications Workers of America, as defined in Article V of its
constitution, shall be eligible for membership in this Local if performing work
within the Locals assigned jurisdiction, or if employed on a part-time or
full-time basis by the Union.
Section 2 Application
Membership in the Local
shall be obtained after payment of the Local initiation fee of $2.00 and upon
the approval of any membership committee authorized to accept or reject
membership in behalf of the Local, subject to the right of the Local to
overrule the decision of the membership Committee.
Section 3 Transfers
The transfer of membership
from this Local to the jurisdiction of another Local and from another Local to
the jurisdiction of this Local shall be made in accordance with Article V of
the Union Constitution.
ARTICLE VI LOCAL DUES &
ASSESSMENTS
Section 1 Local Membership Dues
Each member of the Local shall pay dues in compliance
with the CWA constitution. Membership
dues may be changed only by a majority of those voting on the question by
secret ballot referendum, or by a majority secret ballot vote in a meeting
where a quorum is present, if the question has been advertised on bulletin
boards at least 7 days in advance of the meeting, or by notice mailed postage
prepaid to each member at least 7 days in advance of the meeting.
ARTICLE VII GOVERNING AUTHORITY
The affairs of this Local shall be governed by its
membership in accordance with the Constitution and policies of the
a. Through action taken in membership meetings
and
by referendum of the membership
b. Through actions and decisions of the Local Officers
between
membership meetings
c. The action and decisions of the Local Officers may
be
overruled by the membership in a Local meeting
or
by referendum
ARTICLE VIII LOCAL MEETINGS
Regular meetings of this Local shall be held on the
last Tuesday of each month. Special
meetings may be called by a majority vote of the Local Officers, or by a
petition signed by ten (10) percent of the members. Upon the receipt of a proper petition the
Local Officers shall call a special meeting to be held within ten days.
ARTICLE IX LOCAL DELEGATES TO
INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
ARTICLE X LOCAL COMMITTEES
A. The Local shall have the following regular
committees:
1. Education Committee
2. Election Committee
3. Organizing Committee
4. Legislative Committee
5. Membership Committee or Committees
6. Community Services Committee
B. Members of all committees shall be appointed by a
majority vote of the Local Officers, subject to the right of the Local
membership to overrule such appointments.
C. Vacancies on committees shall be filled in the same
manner as the original appointments.
D. A member of any Local committee may be removed by a
majority vote of the Local Officers, subject to the right of the Local to
overrule the action of the Local Officers.
A committee member may also be removed by action of the Local in a
membership meeting.
E. Duties of Committees:
1. Membership Committee The Membership Committee or
Committees shall accept or reject membership application in accordance with the
By-Laws and rules of this Local and the Constitution and policies of the
2. Legislative Committee The Legislative Committee
shall assist in developing and pursuing the program of the
3. Organizing Committee The Organizing Committee shall
assist the Local Officers and Stewards in organizing all members within the
Locals jurisdiction.
4. Election Committee The Election Committee shall
conduct all nominations and elections and referenda of the Local
5. Education Committee The Education Committee shall
assist in developing the Locals educational program and, with the Local
Officers, be responsible for effectuating the
6. Community Services Committee The Community Services
Committee shall assist in developing all Community Services programs.
ARTICLE XI ORDER OF BUSINESS
A. The order of business at a Local meeting shall be as
follows:
1. Call to order
2. Roll Call (optional)
3.
4. Report of Officers
5. Report of Committees
6. Unfinished Business
7. New Business
8. Adjournment
B. The order of business may be suspended by a
two-thirds vote of the members present.
ARTICLE XII
LOCAL OFFICERS, CHIEF STEWARD, AREA
VICE-PRESIDENT, STEWARD, PARLIMENTARIAN, SERGEANT-AT-ARMS, AND THEIR DUTIES
Section 1 Local Officers
A. The Officers of the Local shall be:
1. Local President
2. Local Executive Vice-President
3. Local Secretary-Treasurer
B. The appointed officers shall be appointed by the
President and approved by the membership of the Local. The appointed officers shall be:
1. Parliamentarian Sergeant-at-Arms
2. Chief Steward
3. Area Vice-President
C. The duties of the Local Officers shall be as follows:
1. Duties of the Local President:
a. The Local President shall preside at meetings of the
Local and shall be responsible for the conduct of the Local.
b. The prosecution of grievances and appealing them to
higher levels of the Union if not satisfactorily settled.
c. The supervision of all committees of the Local.
d. The approval of all bills to be paid by the Local Secretary-Treasurer and to counter-sign checks drawn
of the treasury of the Local.
e. The Local President shall be the first delegate and
chairperson of the delegation to all CWA conventions.
f.
The Local
President shall have such additional duties as assigned by the Local or
required by the Constitution or policies of the
2. Duties of the Local Executive Vice-President:
a. The Local Executive Vice-President shall work under
the direction of the Local President; and
b. Perform such duties as assigned by the Local
President, and the Local.
c. The Executive Vice-President of the Local shall be
second delegate to the Union Convention.
3. Duties of the Local Secretary-Treasurer:
a. The Local Secretary-Treasurer shall
maintain a record of the Local membership and shall keep minutes of all Local
meetings and meetings of the Local officers.
b. Furnish both the District Director and
Secretary-Treasurer of the
c. Be responsible for furnishing the Secretary-Treasurer
of the
d. The Local Secretary-Treasurer shall be
the alternate delegate to the Union Convention.
e. The Local Secretary-Treasurer and any
other person who handles Local funds for other property shall be bonded in
accordance with the CWA Constitution and any State or Federal Law.
f.
The
Local Secretary-Treasurer shall be custodian of all assets of the Local and
shall make a report to each membership meeting.
g. He or she shall cause the payment of all
bills approved by the Local President.
h. He or she shall perform such other duties
as may be assigned by the Local President of the Local.
4. Duties of the Parliamentarian Sergeant-at-Arms:
a. The Parliamentarian - Sergeant-at-Arms shall make
sure all meetings are conducted in accordance with the Union Constitution and
By-Laws or Roberts Rules of Order.
b. The Parliamentarian - Sergeant-at-Arms shall
introduce all new members and check that only members or authorized guests are
present at meetings of the Local.
Section 2 The Chief Steward
A. The Chief Steward of the Local shall:
1. Work under the direction of the Executive Board
2. Act as direct representative of the members within a
particular unit.
3. The Chief Steward is responsible for
proper handling of
grievances and keeping
his or her unit organized.
4. Train and assist his or her Job Steward(s).
5. Post
bulletin board notices and perform
such duties as assigned by the Executive Board.
Section 3 Local Stewards
A. This Local shall have as many Stewards as may be
appointed by the Executive Board
B. The duties of the Locals Stewards shall be as
follows:
1. The
Stewards shall work under the direction of the Executive
Board.
2. They shall
perform such duties and responsibilities as may be
assigned by the
Local or the Executive Board.
Section 4 Area Vice-Presidents
A. This Local shall have as many Area Vice-Presidents as
may be appointed by the Executive Board, with the approval of the membership.
B. The duties of the Area Vice-Presidents shall be as
follows:
1. The Area Vice-Presidents shall work under the
direction of the
Executive
Board.
2. They shall perform such duties and responsibilities
as may be assigned by the Local or the Executive Board.
ARTICLE XIII CONDUCT OF MEETINGS,
OTHER LOCAL BUSINESS AND QUORUM
A. Membership meetings and any other business of this
Local shall be conducted under these By-Laws and rules of the Local and in
conformity with the Union Constitution.
On questions where the Local By-Laws, the Local rules or the Union
Constitution do not clearly apply, Roberts Rules of Order shall govern.
B. The number constituting a quorum for Local meetings
shall be ten members, including two officers.
C. A majority of the Officers or a majority of the
members of a committee shall constitute a quorum for those bodies.
ARTICLE XIV NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF LOCAL
OFFICERS
Section 1 Nominations
Local Officers shall be
nominated by acclamation from the floor at a regular or special meeting in the
month of October of each election year.
Section 2 Local Elections
A. Election of Local Officers shall be by secret ballot
during the month of November of each election year. At least 15 days notice of such election must
be mailed to each member at his last known address.
B. Ballots shall specify that the vote cast shall be for
the specific office and for the same person to be a delegate to any general or
special convention of the union.
C. Secret ballots shall be cast by ballot boxes
established at special polling places or by
D. Write in votes are not permitted.
Section 3 Local Election Committee
A. The nomination and election of Local Officers shall
be conducted under the supervision of the election committee. This committee shall have the authority and
responsibility to see that nominations and elections are conducted in
accordance with the Union Constitution and these By-Laws with reasonable
opportunity for each member to vote.
B. The election committee shall also conduct any
referenda submitted to the Membership.
The committee shall preserve the ballots and other election records for
one year.
C. A member shall not be permitted to serve on the
election committee if a candidate for any office of the Local.
D. All questions concerning the conduct and challenges
of elections shall be determined by the election committee, subject to the
right of appeal to the Officers or membership of the Local.
Section 4 General Provisions
A. The nominee in an election receiving the majority of
the votes cast shall be declared elected.
If no one nominee has a majority on the first ballot, the vote shall be
taken again and the two nominees having the greatest number of votes on the
first ballot shall be nominees on the second ballot.
B. Only members of the Local in good standing shall be
eligible to vote or hold office.
C. No elected officer of the Local shall be qualified to
take office unless and until he or she meets the qualifications and
requirements set forth in these By-Laws, and CWA Constitution, or any State or
Federal Law.
D. The term of office shall be 3 years.
E. The officers shall take office on the first day of
December in each election year.
Section 5 Vacancies
Vacancy in the office of the
Local President shall be filled by the Local Executive Vice-President. Vacancies in other offices shall be filled in
the same manner as that required for regular elections within 60 days following
the vacancy.
ARTICLE XV STRIKES
The calling, conduct and
termination of strikes affecting this Local shall at all times be carried on in
compliance with the rules prescribed by the
ARTICLE XVI CHARGES, TRIALS AND
APPEALS
Section 1 Charges
Members of this Local may be
fined, suspended or expelled for any of the acts enumerated in Article XIX of
the Union Constitution.
Section 2 Trials
Any accused person shall be
tried under the provisions of Article XXI of the Union Constitution.
Section 3 Appeals
Any member or Officer of the
Local, upon being found guilty by a Local trial court, may appeal as provided
in Article XXI of the Union Constitution.
Section 4 Local Trial Court
A. A trial court of this Local shall be composed of 3
persons who are members of this Local and not parties to the proceedings.
B. Members of the trial court shall be selected by the
members in a membership meeting of the Local.
ARTICLE XVII RECALL OF LOCAL OFFICERS
An elected Officer of this
Local may be recalled in conformity with the provisions of Article XX and
Article XXII of the Union Constitution.
ARTICLE XVIII AMENDMENTS TO LOCAL
BY-LAWS
After adoption, these
By-Laws may be amended by either of the following methods:
A. By a majority of the members present in a Local
meeting if the proposed amendment has been introduced at a previous membership
meeting or has been advertised to the membership by use of Bulletin Boards or
U.S. Mail postage pre-paid at least twenty-one days in advance of the meeting.
B. By referendum of the membership.
ARTICLE XIX REFERENDUM OF THE LOCAL
A. The Local election committee shall submit any
questions to a referendum of the membership, when directed to do so by action
of a regular or special membership meeting.
B. Questions submitted in a referendum shall be
determined by a majority vote of those voting on the question.
ARTICLE XX FISCAL YEAR AUDIT
A. The fiscal year of this Local shall be from October 1st
to and including September 30th of the succeeding year.
B. The financial records of this Local shall be audited
by a registered Certified Accountant selected by the Executive Board at the end
of each fiscal year. The results of such
Audit shall be available for the inspection of any member.
ARTICLE XXI OATH OF OFFICE
A person elected to an
office of the Local after meeting all other qualifications, shall be duly
installed upon taking the following oath:
I (give name) hereby accept the office of (name of
office) of Local 4818, Communications Workers of America, with full knowledge
of the responsibilities and duties of such office.
I promise to faithfully discharge my duties according to
the By-Laws and rules of the Local and the Constitution and policies of the
I further promise to give my successor in office all
books and records in my possession. I
shall at all time endeavor to serve my Local and the
ARTICLE XXII - ADOPTION
These By-Laws were adopted
Revised By-Laws adopted
Revised By-Laws adopted
Revised By-Laws adopted
Amended By-Laws
Amended By-Laws
Amended By-Laws
Revised By-Laws adopted
Amended By-Laws
Revised By-Laws adopted
Revised By-Laws adopted