Local 800 Constitution

Constitution and By-Laws of Local 800

Article I Name

The name of this organization shall be Jewish Communal and Social Agency Employees Local Number 800 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.

Article II Affiliations

This local union shall be affiliated with California District Council Number 36 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the California Labor Federation AFL-CIO; and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO.

Article III Objectives

The objectives of the local union shall be:

  1. To carry out on a local basis the objectives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.

  2. To unite into one local union all workers eligible for membership in Local 800.

  3. To promote the welfare of the membership and to provide a voice in determining 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 as citizens, we shall also employ available legislative and political action.

  4. To resolve disputes between employees and management whenever possible, by conciliation, mediation, grievance or arbitration.

  5. To work with other labor organizations in particular and other social movements in general to promote improved conditions for all and expand democracy in every area of American society.

  6. To cooperate with our brothers and sisters in other lands to oppose tyranny, to advance free and independent trade unionism, to improve conditions of life and work and to foster democracy everywhere.

Article IV Membership and Dues

Section 1. All employees of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles and signatory agencies in California are eligible for membership in this local union, subject to the requirements of the constitution of the International Union. Membership in Local 800 shall not be denied by reason of sex, race, creed, color, religion or national origin.

Section 2. Application for membership shall be made on a standard application form. Unless such form includes a valid authorization for payroll deduction of dues, the application shall be accompanied by the current month's dues.

Section 3.  Starting in January 2015, dues of 1% of gross wages, with a minimum of $25.00 and a maximum cap of $52.70 monthly; will be changed in each bargaining unit once a cumulative union-negotiated wage increase of at least 4% in the period following June 2013 has been reached in that bargaining unit. Local union dues shall go from 1% to 1.1% of each member's monthly gross wages. Minimum dues shall remain $25.00 per month. The maximum cap shall be increased by $5.27, to $57.97 per month. The practice shall continue in which any mandatory  International dues increase shall cause the cap to be increased by the same amount.

Section 4. Membership dues shall be payable monthly in advance to the local treasurer and in any event shall be paid not later than the 15th day of the month in which they become due. Any member who fails to pay dues by the 15th 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 dues through a system of regular payroll deduction shall for so long as such person continues to pay 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 on payment of all arrears or upon payment of a reinstatement fee of $25.00 plus the current month's dues.

Article V Meetings

Section 1. General membership meetings of this local shall be held quarterly, at times and places to be fixed by the membership or the local union executive board. Location shall alternate between the city and the San Fernando Valley.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the local president, the local executive board, or by petition filed with the president and signed by 10% of the members of the local. Special meetings may also be called by the International President or by an authorized representative of the International President.

Section 3. The quorum for general membership meetings of this local shall be 5% of the membership in good standing.

Article VI Officers, Nominations, and Elections

Section 1a. The officers of this local shall be a president, vice-president, a chief steward, a recording secretary, a corresponding secretary, and a treasurer.

There shall also be elected one (1) professional and one (1) support staff representative from the Federation and each agency: Bureau of Jewish Education (BJE); Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters (JBBBS); the Jewish Community Centers (JCCs); Jewish Community Foundation (JCF); Jewish Family Service (JFS); and Jewish Vocational Service (JVS). These officers and Federation and agency representatives shall constitute the local union executive board.

Any agency or Federation exceeding 100 members shall elect one (1) additional professional and one (1) additional support staff representative.

Section 1b. There shall also be elected three members who shall serve as trustees. The trustees shall be elected to staggered three-year (3) terms of office with one trustee elected each year.

Section 2. A nominations-elections committee, including a chairperson shall be appointed by the president with the approval of the executive board. The committee shall consist of the chair and no fewer than three members, and shall be representative of the general membership. The committee shall accept nominations, confirm acceptance or denial in writing by the nominees, and prepare ballots for mailing.

The committee shall have the responsibility of preparing a list of nominees. Members of this committee shall be ineligible to run. There shall be a meeting held prior to the close of nominations at which nominations shall be received from the floor.

Section 3. To be eligible for office, a member must be and remain in good standing for one year immediately preceding the election. No retired member shall be a candidate for office.

Section 4. Members shall be notified by mail of candidates standing for election at least fifteen (15) days and no more than thirty (30) days prior to the election.

Section 5. The nomination-election committee shall have the general responsibility for the conduct of the preparation of the ballots and for the mailing of such ballots to the members in good standing at their address on record. Balloting shall be secret and at no cost to members. The nomination-election committee shall be responsible for receiving the return ballots and for the counting of the votes. Reasonable rules and safeguards shall be established by the nomination-election committee. The nomination-election committee shall be responsible for announcing the results of the election expeditiously.

Section 6. Any office for which there is only one candidate for office, that candidate shall be declared elected. The election procedure shall fully comply with the provisions of the International Constitution.

Section 7. The president, vice-president, chief steward, recording secretary, corresponding secretary and treasurer shall be elected in January of the odd-numbered years. The agency and federation representatives shall be elected in February of the odd-numbered years. All officers shall be installed immediately upon acceptance of the Election Committee's general report.

Section 8. All matters concerning nominations and elections in this local union shall be subject to the provisions of Appendix D, entitled Elections Code, of the International Union Constitution.

Section 9. The executive board shall declare any office vacant in the event that the person holding such office resigns, fails to attend three consecutive regular executive board meetings without being excused by the executive board or is removed from office in accordance with the trial procedure specified in the International Constitution, Article X.  Vacancies in the office of any officer shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by vote of the executive board. The executive board shall inform agency and federation support and professional members of any vacancies in the office of chapter representatives. Such agency and federation representative vacancies shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by vote of the respective agency and federation support and professional membership no later than 30 days from the date of notice. If the vacancy has not been filled by the respective agency and federation membership within 30 days, the local executive board shall vote to fill the vacancy after 30 days.

Section 10. Executive board members shall, upon assuming office, subscribe to the Obligation of an Officer contained in Appendix B of the International Union Constitution Oath of office).

Article VII Duties of Officers and Executive Board

Section 1. The president shall:

a. preside at all meetings of the local union and of the executive board;

b. be a member of all committees except the elections and nominating
committees;

c. countersign all checks property authorized and drawn against the funds of the local;

d. appoint all standing committees and all special committees of the local not otherwise provided for, subject to the approval of the executive board;
e. report periodically to the membership regarding the progress and standing of the local and regarding the president's official acts.

Section 2. The vice-president shall:

a. assist the president in the work of the president's office;

b. in the absence of the president or in the president's inability to serve, preside at all meetings and perform all duties otherwise performed by the president;

c. upon approval by the local executive board, be authorized to act as co-signer of checks drawn on the local funds in place of either the president or the treasurer.

Section 3. The chief steward shall:

a. Coordinate, monitor and see to the training of worksite stewards;

b. Maintain records of all grievances;

c. Chair grievance committee.

Section 4. The recording secretary shall:

a. keep the minutes of all membership meetings and executive board meetings;

b. receive and keep all correspondence requiring reading at membership meetings submitted to the secretary by the officers and be responsible for all notices and materials as requested by the officers and agency and federation representatives;

c. upon approval by the executive board, act as second signature in the absence
of the vice-president.

Section 5. The corresponding secretary shall:

a. maintain the mailing list;

b. maintain a roster of members in good standing;

c. be responsible for mailing of meeting notices to members;

d. take and keep the record of attendance at membership meetings.

Section 6. The treasurer shall:

a. receive and receipt for all monies due to Local 800;

b. deposit all money received in the name of the local union in a bank or banks selected by the executive board. The Local 800 savings account must be insured. Money so deposited shall be withdrawn only by checks signed by the president and treasurer. In the absence of either the president or the treasurer, the second signature may be provided by the vice-president. In the absence of the vice-president, the second signature may be provided by the recording secretary. At all times two authorized signatures shall be required;

c. prepare and sign checks for such purposes as are required by the constitution or are authorized by the membership or the executive board;

d. be responsible for 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 Secretary-Treasurer;

e. keep an accurate record of receipts and disbursements and shall, once each month, prepare an operating statement of the financial transactions of the local and submit them to the membership at the quarterly meeting;

f. submit a financial operating statement monthly to the executive board;

g. act as custodian of all properties of Local 800;

h. maintain a surety bond for an amount to be f1Xed by the executive board of Local 800, at the expense of the local union and through the International Union;

i. see that any financial reports required by the International Union Constitution be submitted in accordance with the lnternational Union Consfitution; that any forms required by the local, state and federal governments are submitted to these bodies in a timely manner.


Section 7. The agency and federation representative shall:

a. represent the interests of their constituency at all executive board meetings;

b. communicate union activities, executive board actions, bargaining issues, and pertinent information to their constituency by utilizing the union website, newsletter, correspondence, etc.;

c. under the direction of the executive board, secure the enforcement of the collective bargaining agreement as it applies to their constituency federation members or agency members;

d. keep a record of all grievance procedures in process and/or completed;

e. furnish all such records to the next succeeding federation or agency
representative;

f. when appropriate, convene and chair meetings of the federation or agency
constituency which elected the federation or agency representative.

Section 8. The executive board shall be the governing body of the local union except when 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 at a regular or special meeting shall be decided by the executive board. The executive board shall meet once each month or more frequently at the discretion of the president or of a majority of the members of the executive board. A report on all actions taken by the executive board shall be made to the membership at the next following meeting. A majority of the members of the executive board shall be required for a quorum.

Section 9. The trustees shall make or cause to be made at least annually an audit of the finances of the local, including the finances concerning any health and we are, pension, insurance or other benefit programs covering members of such local, and shall report to the membership on the results of such audit.

Article VIII Negotiating Committee

Section 1. For multi-agency and federation contracts, the president, vice-president, chief steward, and one professional and one support representative from each of the agencies and federation covered by the contract shall constitute the negotiating committee.

Section 2. For single agency and federation contracts, the president, chief steward, and one professional and one support representative from the agency or federation covered by the contract shall constitute the negotiating committee.

Section 3. Each agency's and federation's support and professional members respectively, shall elect their representatives to their negotiating committee.

Article IX Miscellaneous Provisions

Section 1. This 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 extent specifically authorized in writing by the president of the local union or by the executive board of the local union.

Section 3. The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this local union in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with this constitution and special rules of this local union or of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Section 4. Any single allocation greater than $1,000 (one thousand dollars) must be authorized and approved by the general membership.

Section 5. There shall be an annual independent audit of the union finances conducted by an outside auditing firm.

Article X Amendments

This constitution may be amended, revised, or otherwise changed by a majority vote of the members 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 the local union and read and voted on at a subsequent 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. A written copy of the proposed amendment shall be furnished to every eligible voter at the meeting at which the vote is taken. A written copy of the proposed amendment(s) shall be furnished to every eligible voter at the meeting at which the amendments are proposed and at the meeting at which the vote is taken.

Approved by:

LEE SAUNDERS
President

Approval date: April 27, 2015