Local Constitution
Article I: Name.
Article II: Affiliations.
Article III: Objectives.
Article IV: Membership and Dues.
Article V: Meetings.
Article VI: Officers, Nominations, and Elections.
Article VII: Duties of Officers and Terms of Office.
Article VIII: Committees.
Article IX: Referenda.
Article X: Amendments.
Article XI: Miscellany.
Article XII: Bill of Rights of Members.
Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Coalition of University
Employees at UCSC (CUE at UCSC, or Local #10 of CUE).
Article II: Affiliations
This local is unaffiliated with any other union. Affiliation can
only be approved by membership vote of statewide CUE in accordance
with the provisions of the
statewide constitution.
Article III: Objectives
The objectives of this local shall be to carry out the objectives
of statewide CUE; to secure better wages and working conditions;
to obtain participation in making decisions affecting our working
lives; and to cooperate with other locals and unions represented
on this campus to promote these goals.
Article IV: Membership and Dues
Section 1. All employees in the clerical (CX) unit at UCSC
are eligible for membership in this local union, subject to the
requirements of the Constitution of statewide CUE. Eligible members
include employees on layoff status, furlough, approved leave of
absence, and those waiting for grievance resolution.
Section 2. Application for membership shall be made on a standard
application form.
Section 3. The monthly membership dues of this local shall
be set in accordance with the statewide constitution of CUE.
Section 4. Any member who is paying his or her dues through
a system of regular payroll dues deduction, for so long as he
or she continues to pay through such deduction method, shall be
considered a member in good standing.
Article V: Meetings
Section 1. Regular meetings of this local shall be held
once a month, at a time and place to be fixed by the membership
of the local steering committee.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the local
president or steering committee, or by petition filed with the
local president and signed by 10% of the general membership at
the campus. If such a petition is filed, the steering committee
is obligated to schedule a meeting within 15 days of filing.
Section 3. The attendance at a membership meeting shall
be held to constitute a quorum of the local membership. Reasonable
attempts shall be made to notify all members of meetings.
Article VI: Officers, Nominations, and Elections
Section 1. Officers: The officers of this local of the
Coalition of University Employees at UCSC shall consist of a President,
a Vice-president, a recording secretary, a treasurer, and a Chief
Steward. All officers shall be elected for a term of two years
to begin with elections in 2006.
Section 1a. Other Members: In addition to local officers,
there shall be three (3) At large members of the Steering Committee,
three (3) representatives to the statewide Executive Committee,
and two (2) representatives to the Bargaining Committee (one primary
and one alternate.)
All
Steering Committee members/positions shall be nominated and elected
every other year, for a term of two years.
These
thirteen members shall constitute the local union steering committee.
All members of the steering committee shall be voting members.
Elections
shall be held in the month of April; nominations shall be opened
at a membership meeting held in February and shall remain open
until the close of March’s membership meeting.
Section 2. Nominations for all officers shall be made at
the February and March membership meetings. At least 15 days advance
notice shall be given the membership prior to the opening of nominations.
A nominating committee may be appointed by the steering committee
or elected by the membership to make nominations, but whether
or not such a committee is used, nominations shall be permitted
from the floor of the nominations meeting. Provisions will be
made for accepting nominations from members who are unable to
attend the February or March membership meetings; those provisions
will be announced in the notice to members about the opening of
nominations.
Section 3. Officers shall be elected by secret ballot vote,
and the balloting shall be conducted so as to afford all members
a reasonable opportunity to vote, regardless of work schedule
or location. At least 15 days’ notice shall be given to the membership
prior to the close of balloting. This notification shall be either
mailed or emailed to each member, and shall include the list of
offices to be filled, and the date, time and place of the election.
These procedures shall be worked out by the local steering committee.
An election of all officers and statewide representatives is being
held concurrently with the ratification of this constitution,
and elections thereafter will follow the procedures herein.
Section 4. Vacancies in office shall be filled in the following
manner:
- if less than 4 months remains in their term, vacancies shall
be filled by vote of the steering committee;
- if 4 months or more remain to be served, the vacancy shall
be temporarily filled as above, with new elections to be held
as soon as possible, but in no case more than 60 days after
the office is vacated. In the case of a vacancy for president,
the vacancy shall be filled in accordance with
Article VII,
Section 1b, below.
Section 5. Procedures for recall or dismissal will be in
accordance with referenda provisions.
Article VII: Duties of Officers and Terms of Office
Section 1. Duties of officers:
- President: The president of the local is the chief executive
officer of this union and is charged with administering the
affairs and executing the policies of the union, as determined
by the general membership and the steering committee. S/he shall
preside at all meetings of the general membership and of the
steering committee or delegate that duty. S/he shall report
periodically to the membership regarding the progress and standing
of the union and her/his official acts, shall be an ex-officio
member of all committees, except as disallowed elsewhere in
this constitution, and may co-sign checks.
- Vice-President: The vice-president shall assist the president
in execution of his/her duties and serve as acting president
during the absence or disability of the president. In the event
that a vacancy in the office of president occurs with less than
180 days left in the term, the vice-president shall fill the
office of president until the next regularly scheduled election
of officers. The vice-president shall discharge such other duties
as may be assigned.
- Treasurer: The treasurer shall keep an accurate account of
all receipts and disbursements of all money of the local union,
maintaining financial records. The treasurer shall deposit all
money received by the local in a bank account selected by the
steering committee. Money so deposited shall be withdrawn only
by countersigned check. (Officers with signatory power shall
be the president, vice-president, and treasurer.) S/he shall
provide members access to financial records; the steering committee
shall adopt reasonable procedures for this process that shall
not abridge this membership right nor unduly burden the treasurer.
The treasurer shall report on financial matters to the president
and steering committee regularly, and shall prepare a detailed
financial report annually for the membership. The treasurer
shall prepare all checks for signature, as authorized by the
membership or the steering committee. The treasurer retains
responsibility for any duties delegated to another member.
- Secretary: The secretary shall record, compile and maintain
all minutes of meetings of the general membership and steering
committee. The secretary shall promptly transmit copies of the
minutes to the steering committee, and make them available to
all members promptly upon request. The secretary shall carry
on all official correspondence of the union, except as the steering
committee may direct otherwise. The secretary retains responsibility
for any duties delegated to another member.
Section 2. Terms of office: The term of office for officers after the initial elections is two years.
Section 3. Term limits: There are no term limits.
Article VIII: Committees
Standing committees shall be established, as needed, by the general membership, or by the steering
committee subject to the approval of the general membership at a regular or special meeting. The
chairs of standing committees shall be ex-officio consultants of the steering committee. At any time
the union is in, or is about to begin, bargaining with the University, the steering committee shall
establish a bargaining advisory committee.
Article IX: Referenda
Section 1. A referendum may be called by a vote of a majority of the steering committee or
by a petition supported by 10% of the members.
Section 2. Once a referendum has been successfully called for, the steering committee shall
refer the matter to vote to be called within 30 days. The steering committee shall send notification
to all members and it shall include the referendum and the arguments representing different points
of view.
Section 3. The results of a referendum shall be considered valid if 30% of the members have
voted, and will be determined by a simple majority of votes cast.
Section 4. Matters not subject to referendum are employment, assignment, promotion,
discharge or compensation of staff.
Article X: Amendments
This constitution may be amended, revised, or otherwise changed by a vote of two-thirds (2/3)
of the members voting on such proposed change and such change shall take effect only upon
written approval of the statewide steering committee. Proposed amendments to this constitution
must be read at a regular or special meeting of the local union and read and voted on at a
subsequent meeting of the local union at which a quorum shall consist of 30% of the membership
at the campus. This quorum may be achieved through inclusion of paper vote. At least fifteen
days prior to the date on which the vote is taken, a written notice of the vote, a copy of the
proposed amendment, and a copy of the original language (where applicable) shall be furnished to
each eligible voter.
Article XI: Miscellany
Section 1.
This local shall be bound by all provisions of the
statewide constitution
which are not herein promulgated. The local constitution will be revised to remain consistent with the
state constitution when the state constitution changes.
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 extent specifically authorized in writing by the President of the local
union or by the local steering committee.
Section 3. The local steering committee can establish procedures whereby electronic mail or
other technologies can be utilized to carry out the business of the local union as specified in this
constitution. Members who do not have access or choose not to use electronic mail or other
technologies have the right to be informed of union business and to be given the opportunity for timely
participation in union decision making and elections, but it is the responsibility of the member to notify
the union of accurate contact information.
Section 4. The steering committee of the local is authorized to make endorsements, join
coalitions, and work with other unions and other organizations to accomplish the objectives of the local.
Whenever possible, such endorsements and actions shall be made in concert with the general membership.
All endorsements, affiliations and actions made by the local steering committee must be reported to the
general membership, and are subject to approval.
Section 5. Robert’s
Rules of Order, latest edition, shall be the guide in all cases to which they are applicable and in which
they are not inconsistent with the local’s constitution or with any legally adopted special rules of the
Coalition of University Employees.
ARTICLE XII: BILL OF RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
(See statewide CUE
Constitution.)
