AFT Local 2121 By-Laws
Article I Membership Meetings
Section 1. Unless otherwise ordered by the membership or the Executive Board, regular membership meetings shall be held once every semester. The membership shall be notified by mail two weeks in advance of the General Membership meetings. The notice shall include the agenda for the meeting.
Section 2. Special membership meetings may be called by the President on his/her own initiative, by direction of the Executive Board, by direction of the Delegate Assembly, by direction of a membership meeting or by direction of a petition signed by twenty-five members in good standing.
Section 3. Notice of special membership meetings must be initiated by the President within twenty-four hours after receiving the direction to call such a meeting. This notice and the agenda for the special meeting must be sent to the membership at least seven days prior to the meeting date.
Section 4. Twenty-five members present at any regular meeting or a special meeting shall constitute a quorum.
Article II Delegate Assembly Meetings
Section 1. The quorum for the Assembly shall be one-half of the filled Precinct representatives' seats. To determine this quorum, both Executive Board members and Precinct representative delegates present shall be counted. The Executive Board shall set the times and dates for meetings.
Article III Executive Board Meetings
Section 1. Unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Board or the President, regular Executive Board meetings shall be held at least once each month. The time and place of such meetings shall be set by the Executive Board. Special Executive Board meetings may be called by the President, or by the President at the direction of one-third of the members of the Board. One-half of the membership of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
Article IV Nominations and Elections for Executive Board
Section 1. Regular biennial elections shall be by ballots mailed first class to the membership within six weeks following the March membership meeting. For special elections, a three-week time limit shall apply. Results shall be mailed in along with the minutes of the March meeting. Ballots shall be accepted up to at least fourteen calendar days after ballot mailing. Any member in good standing at the time of the membership meeting preceding the mailing of ballots is eligible to vote.
Section 2. Any member eligible to hold office may be nominated. Prospective candidates must file a statement of intent to serve with the Secretary five days prior to the March membership meeting. Statements of purpose must be signed by five members in good standing. Forms for this purpose will be distributed to all members three weeks before the election. Additional nominations may be made from the floor of the March membership meeting.
Section 3. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. In the event of a tie, the newly elected Executive Board shall resolve the tie prior to the seating of any of the candidates involved in the tie.
Section 4. All candidates shall be guaranteed equal access to the membership in electioneering. Each candidate who so requests shall receive one set of mailing labels and the phone numbers of all Union members except those who indicate they do not want their phone numbers released to candidates for Union office. It will be the responsibility of candidates receiving the above information to assure that the information is used only for Union election purposes.
Section 5. No organizational funds shall be used in behalf of any candidate or group of candidates, except for a single pre-election statement of all candidates. Paid staff members, non-elected officials, shall not take part in campaigning for any candidate.
Section 6. In the event of the receipt of a petition to recall any officer or other member of the Executive Board, the signatures will be considered as qualified if not disqualified by the Membership Committee within one week and a special election shall be completed within three weeks of said qualification in accordance with Section 1 of this article.
Article V Duties of Officers
Section 1. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the organization and shall be responsible for executing the policies of the Union. He/She shall appoint the chairpersons of all committees with the approval of the Executive Board. He/She shall have the power to remove committee chairpersons subject to the approval of the Executive Board. He/She shall have direct supervision of the staff and employees of the Union. He/She, or a designee, shall preside at all meetings of the membership, the Delegate Assembly and the Executive Board, shall be ex-officio member of all committees, shall sign all necessary papers and documents, shall administer all obligations, and shall be responsible for the representation of the Union whenever and wherever required. He/She, or a designee with the approval of the Executive Board, shall be chairperson of all negotiating and bargaining committees. He/She shall be an ex-officio member and chairperson of all delegates of the Union to the San Francisco Labor Council and conventions of the California Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers.
Section 1, Sub-Section 1. The President of Local 2121, AFT, shall be empowered to request half-time or full-time leave from the District (San Francisco Community College District) during his/her term of office.
Section 2. The Executive Vice-President shall perform such duties as the President may direct.
Section 3. The Secretary shall be the custodian of the Union seal and shall be responsible for recording the minutes of all General Membership, Delegate Assembly, and Executive Board meetings. He/She shall issue all notices as directed by the membership, the Delegate Assembly, or the Executive Board and shall prepare a correspondence digest for each membership, Delegate Assembly, and Executive Board meeting. He/She shall maintain office files, except financial and membership files.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys from all sources, issue all receipts, deposit in the name of the Union all moneys in a bank or banks and/or in the San Francisco Federated Teachers Credit Union, make all expenditures of Union funds by checks issued jointly with the President, Vice-President or Secretary, or Executive Director, pay all obligated fixed expenses provided for in the budget when and as they become regularly due, issue checks ordered paid by members duly assembled at any membership, District Assembly, or Executive Board meeting, present a financial report at each regular General Membership meeting or whenever requested by the President, and maintain the financial records. The Treasurer shall be responsible for preparing all tax reports. The Treasurer shall be chairperson of the Budget Committee.
Article VI Committees
Section 1. There shall be the following Special Committees of the Union: Grievance, Budget and Membership. Members of these committees and any other committees shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board, with the exception of the Election Committee and the Part-timer Committee.
Section 2. The Delegate Assembly shall elect a three-member Election Commission, the top vote-getter being the chair, and a fourth vote-getter being the alternate. No Executive Board member or Delegate Assembly member or candidate for these positions shall be a member of the Commission. After the first election of the Commission, elections of Commission members shall take place in the first Delegate Assembly meeting after a General Election. Terms will be two years. The Commission will handle all elections, recalls, and referendums. The Commission will determine eligibility of voters and candidates.
Section 3. There shall be a standing Part-timer Committee. Membership is open to any Union members in good standing.
Article VII Dues
Section 1. Effective July 1, 1988, dues of this Federation shall be equal to .8 of 1% of annual District earnings plus mandated increases in required affiliation fees and insurance premiums.
Section 2. Dues for associate members shall be $2.00 per pay period.
Section 3. Dues may be changed only by a majority vote of all members voting in a referendum.
Section 4. Any member more than six biweekly pay periods in arrears shall not be in good standing. After notification sent by first class mail, investigation by the Membership Committee, and confirmation by the Executive Board, he/she shall forfeit membership.
Section 5. Members of Local 2121 on unpaid leave who wish to retain benefits of membership may pay $2.50 per biweekly pay period for full timers or $2.00 per biweekly pay period for part timers.
Section 6. Dues for members not covered by payroll deduction shall be one total of 12 months' dues at the applicable rate as specified in this article, payable in advance.
Section 7. Special Retiree Dues shall be $6.00 per year, payable annually.
Article VIII Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order (latest revision) shall govern this organization in all cases in which they are applicable, and in which they are not inconsistent with the Constitution, By-Laws, or Rules adopted by the Union.
Article IX Amendments
Section 1. Amendments to the By-Laws, except for changes in dues structure, must be presented in writing to the Secretary in time for the membership to receive a copy of the proposed amendments one week prior to the first General Membership meeting or Delegate Assembly at which the amendment is to be proposed. In order for the amendment to be adopted, it must be approved by a majority of those voting at two General Membership meetings or at one General Membership meeting and one Delegate Assembly meeting within six months of presentation.
Revised 2002