UAW LOCAL 4811 BYLAWS
Article 1, Name
Section 1. This organization shall be known as Local 4811, International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW).
Article 2, Constitution and Bylaws
Section 1. These bylaws shall in all respects be covered by and conform with the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Article 3, Fiscal Year
Section 1. The fiscal year of the Local Union shall begin on January 1 and end on December 31.
Article 4, Membership and Membership Meetings
Section 1. Membership in this Local Union shall be extended to all graduate students at the University of California and those employees in titles that come under the jurisdiction of this Local Union.
Section 2. Membership shall be defined as members in good standing as defined in the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Section 3. At least one regular statewide membership meeting shall be called yearly with additional meetings called as required, in compliance with the Constitution of the International Union, UAW. Notice of the meeting time and location shall be given to the membership by email, and by posting on the Local Union website at least fourteen (14) days in advance for special membership meetings and thirty (30) days in advance for regular membership meetings.
Section 4. A quorum for statewide membership meetings shall consist of one hundred (100) members including members from at least fifty percent (50%) of the Campuses of the Local Union.
Section 5. Special membership meetings may be called by order of the Joint Council, Executive Board, or upon written request from at least 5% of the in-unit membership from each Campus (calculated from membership during April or December, whichever was more recent). The notice provisions of Section 3 of this Article shall apply.
Section 6. The Campuses of the Local Union shall be:
Berkeley
Berkeley Lab
Davis
Irvine
Los Angeles
Merced
Riverside
San Diego
San Francisco
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz
Campuses and Bargaining Unit subsets thereof shall be used for internal organizational structure of the Local Union, such as for the apportionment of Joint Council representation.
Section 7. Members in good standing of the Local Union shall be considered members of a Campus by satisfying at least one of the following criteria:
The member is an employee at the Campus in a title that comes under the jurisdiction of this Local Union.
The member is an employee in a title that comes under the jurisdiction of this Local Union and regularly performs work at the Campus.
The member is an enrolled graduate student at the Campus.
Section 8. Campuses shall have monthly membership meetings. Campuses may request an exception from the Executive Board or Joint Council. Notice of these meetings shall be provided at least one week in advance by email and on the Local Union website.
Section 9. Union dues are payable by members who are employed in positions represented by the Local Union. Union dues shall be 1.44% of gross pay per month.
Section 10. The initiation fee shall be set at ten dollars ($10).
Section 11. Any member employed in a title that comes under the jurisdiction of the Local Union whose dues are not paid by the end of one (1) calendar month shall automatically be suspended, consistent with Article 16 of the Constitution of the International Union, UAW. Reinstatement will be granted to members in good standing and will require a reinstatement fee equivalent to the Initiation Fee.
Section 12. All members in good standing will be granted full voting privileges. Members in good standing of a particular Campus may vote in elections or other votes at that Campus.
Section 13. Disclosure of union documents will be provided to members in a timely manner upon request to the Executive Board, with the exception of some material pertaining to personnel information, membership lists, grievances and legal matters. For documents pertaining to bargaining, see Article 9, Bargaining Committee, Section 4.
Section 14. Strikes may only be called by a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those voting, per Article 50 of the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Section 15. Each member in good standing of this Local Union has the right to nominate and vote; to express opinions on all subjects before the Local Union; to attend all membership meetings and express views, arguments and opinions on all matters and business, including candidates for office, properly before the meeting; to meet and assemble freely with other members and generally, to participate in the activities of the Local Union in a responsible manner consistent with good conscience in order to present and discuss factually and honestly the issues and personalities upon which the membership must base its decisions. These rights shall at all times be subject to the rules of procedure governing meetings and other uniform rules and regulations contained in the Constitution, Bylaws and other official rules of the Local Union.
A member in exercising the foregoing rights and privileges shall not take any irresponsible action which would tend to jeopardize or destroy, or be detrimental to, either the Local or International Unions as organizations, or their free democratic heritage, or which would interfere with the performance by this Local Union or the International Union of its legal or contractual obligations as a collective bargaining agent, or interfere with the legal or contractual obligations of this Local Union as an affiliate of the International Union. Violation or abuse of these rights and privileges of membership, or engaging in conduct prohibited by this section, shall be considered conduct unbecoming a union member.
The membership shall strive to obtain the objectives set forth in the International Constitution and additional objectives as established as the policy of the International Union; to maintain free relations with other organizations; to do all in its power to strengthen and promote the labor movement; to cooperate with its Regional Director, International Representatives and help promote organizational activities.
Article 5, Powers of Administration
Section 1. The membership is the highest authority of this Local Union and shall be empowered to take or direct any action not inconsistent with the Constitution of the International Union, UAW or Local Union Bylaws.
Section 2. Between membership meetings or membership votes, the Joint Council shall be the highest authority of the Local Union and shall be empowered to act on behalf of the membership.
Section 3. Between meetings and votes of the Joint Council, the Executive Board shall exercise general administrative authority and shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Joint Council subject to subsequent approval of the Joint Council.
Section 4. Between meetings and votes of the Executive Board, the President, in consultation with the appropriate Officers and staff, shall exercise general administrative authority and shall be empowered to act on behalf of the Executive Board. All decisions taken by the President shall be subject to subsequent approval of the Joint Council or the Executive Board.
Article 6, Local Union Officers
Section 1. The elected Executive Officers of the Local Union consist of the following: President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Financial Secretary, Sergeant at Arms, Guide, and three (3) Trustees. The Executive Officers shall be elected by a simple majority of votes cast, for three year terms. The Executive Officers shall be elected at large statewide.
Section 2. It shall be the duty of each elected Local Union official to fulfill their various duties faithfully as provided in the Constitution of the International Union, UAW, and Local Union Bylaws, and in implementation of Campus and Local Union plans.
Section 3. The President or elected designee is responsible for the supervision of all staff and shall be empowered to delegate whatever authority is necessary for efficient operation of the Local Union, not inconsistent with the Constitution or UAW policy.
Section 4. In case of removal or resignation of the President, the Vice President will succeed to the Presidency in accordance with Article 38, Section 14 of the International Constitution.
Article 7, Executive Board
Section 1. The Local Union Executive Board shall consist of the elected Local Union Executive Officers as well as two (2) Members-At-Large, called the Academic Student Employee Statewide Chair and the Postdoctoral Scholar and Academic Researcher Statewide Chair.
Section 2. The Executive Board Members-At-Large shall be elected for three year terms. One member in good standing from the Academic Student Employee Unit shall be elected to the office of Academic Student Employee Statewide Chair by a simple majority vote of the Academic Student Employee Unit members in good standing. One member in good standing from either the Postdoctoral Scholar Unit or the Academic Researcher Unit shall be elected to the office of Postdoctoral Scholar and Academic Researcher Statewide Chair by a simple majority vote of the Postdoctoral Scholar Unit members in good standing and Academic Researcher Unit members in good standing.
Section 3. The Executive Board shall hold regular monthly meetings. Additional meetings shall be held upon request of three (3) or more members of the Executive Board. Except in emergency situations seven (7) calendar days notice of the meeting shall be posted on the Local Union website.
Section 4. A simple majority of the Local Union Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5. Minutes will be taken of all Executive Board Meetings by the Local Union Recording Secretary and shall be available to the Joint Council and the membership upon request.
Section 6. All decisions and recommendations of the Executive Board are subject to approval at the next Joint Council meeting.
Section 7. It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to see to it that all policies formulated by the membership, Joint Council or the Executive Board are duly executed.
Section 8. The Executive Board shall decide upon request whether to advance a grievance to arbitration.
Section 8. Every member in good standing shall be permitted to be present and observe Executive Board meetings, except the portions of those meetings regarding confidential personnel information, membership lists, grievances, and legal matters. Attendees who are not elected members of the Executive Board shall not be entitled to vote and shall have a voice only when called upon.
Section 9. The Executive Board shall review each communication issued on behalf of the Union, and the Local Union website, and where necessary shall take steps to bring the contents and policy of the messages and website into conformity with the policy of the International and Local Union, as per Article 29, Section 7 of the UAW Constitution.
Article 8, Joint Council
Section 1. The Local Union Joint Council shall consist of the Executive Board members of this Local Union, as well as the Head Stewards elected from each Campus.
Section 2. Each Campus Academic Student Employee Unit will elect one (1) more than one (1) Head Steward for each three hundred (300) in-unit members in good standing in the Campus Academic Student Employee Unit, or major fraction thereof, with a maximum of the number of Head Stewards to which the Campus Academic Student Employee Unit would be entitled if all individuals employed at the Campus in Academic Student Employee titles that come under the jurisdiction of the Local Union were members in good standing, and a minimum of two. Each Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit will elect one (1) more than one (1) Head Steward for each one hundred fifty (150) in-unit members in good standing in the Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit, or major fraction thereof, with a maximum of the number of Head Stewards to which the Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit would be entitled if all individuals employed at the Campus in Postdoctoral Scholar titles that come under the jurisdiction of the Local Union were members in good standing, and a minimum of two. Each Campus Academic Researcher Unit will elect one (1) more than one (1) Head Steward for each one hundred fifty (150) in-unit members in good standing in the Campus Academic Researcher Unit, or major fraction thereof, with a maximum of the number of Head Stewards to which the Campus Academic Researcher Unit would be entitled if all individuals employed at the Campus in Academic Researcher titles that come under the jurisdiction of the Local Union were members in good standing, and a minimum of two. These apportionments will go into effect for the 2024 Triennial Election, until which the Head Stewards of UAW Locals 2865 and 5810 at the time of amalgamation shall be the Head Stewards of the Local Union.
Each Campus Academic Student Employee Unit will elect a Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Chair and a Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Recording Secretary, who will serve as Joint Council Officers and shall count towards the Head Steward apportionment for that Campus Academic Student Employee Unit. Each Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit will elect a Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit Chair and a Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit Recording Secretary, who will serve as Joint Council Officers and shall count towards the Head Steward apportionment for that Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit. Each Campus Academic Researcher Unit will elect a Campus Academic Researcher Unit Chair and a Campus Academic Researcher Unit Recording Secretary who will serve as Joint Council Officers and shall count towards the Head Steward apportionment for that Campus Academic Researcher Unit.
Head Stewards will be elected by a simple majority of votes cast in each Campus Academic Student Employee Unit, Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit, and Campus Academic Researcher Unit. Head Stewards will serve as Joint Council representatives for the Campus.
Section 3. The Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Chair and Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Recording Secretary will be the first two Joint Council representatives for the Campus Academic Student Employee Unit. The Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit Chair and Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit Recording Secretary will be the first two Joint Council representatives for the Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit. The Campus Academic Researcher Unit Chair and Campus Academic Researcher Unit Recording Secretary will be the first two Joint Council representatives for the Campus Academic Researcher Unit. In addition to the duties of a Head Steward, the Campus Unit Chairs shall have general administrative responsibility for the Campus. In addition to the duties of a Head Steward, the Campus Unit Recording Secretaries shall take minutes at Campus meetings.
Section 4. Campus Unit Chairs, Campus Unit Recording Secretaries, and other Head Stewards will serve three (3) year terms.
Section 5. The membership of each unit shall be computed twice a year during the months of December and April. This computation is for the purpose of determining Campus representation to the Joint Council and apportionment of Stewards. In the event that the computation would reduce the number of Joint Council representatives from a Campus, that reduction will not take place until there is a Joint Council vacancy from that Campus.
Section 6. The Officers of the Joint Council shall be the regularly elected Officers of the Local Union.
Section 7. It shall be the duty of each member of the Joint Council to fulfill their various duties faithfully as provided in the Constitution of the International Union, UAW and Local Union Bylaws, and in implementation of Campus and Local Union plans.
Section 8. The Joint Council shall call a regular quarterly meeting in October, January, April, and July at a location to be determined by the Joint Council at the previous meeting and posted on the Local Union website.
In order to initiate the meeting, at least 40% of all elected Officers, not counting vacancies, must be in attendance, without regard to whether absences are excused.
Quorum for Joint Council meetings shall be defined as two-thirds of elected Officers present at the meeting, or 40% of all elected Officers, whichever is lower. Elected Officers who arrive late and are recorded as being present shall be included in computing quorum.
Section 9. The Local Union membership is guaranteed the right to appeal any decision of the Joint Council by a referendum vote of the membership. See Article 16, Referendum.
Section 10. Minutes will be taken of all Joint Council meetings by the Local Union Recording Secretary and shall be available to the Joint Council and the membership upon request.
Section 11. Following the setting of the time, place, and manner of an election by the Joint Council or Executive Board, the Chair of the Election Committee shall convene a meeting of all Election Committee members not less than ten (10) days before any union election. At this meeting the Election Committee will implement election procedures for the upcoming vote, to be decided by a majority vote. Any subsequent change to these procedures must be approved by a two thirds (⅔) vote of the Election Committee. The Election Committee, in conjunction with Campus leadership, is responsible to make sure all polling locations are staffed.
Section 12. In no case shall any member of the Joint Council cast more than one vote.
Section 13. Specific updates will be provided to the membership following Joint Council meetings. Such updates shall include a summary of resolutions, issues, campaigns, or other affairs relevant to the interests of the membership that were discussed at the associated Joint Council meeting. These updates shall be prepared and/or reviewed by the Local Union Recording Secretary and/or designees of their choosing who were in attendance.
Section 14. Every member in good standing shall be permitted to be present and observe Joint Council meetings, except the portions of those meetings regarding confidential personnel information, membership lists, grievances and legal matters. Attendees who are not elected members of the Joint Council shall not be entitled to vote and shall have a voice only when called upon.
Article 9, Bargaining Committees
Section 1. The Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Chairs, the Campus Academic Student Employee Unit Recording Secretaries, the Local Union President, and the Academic Student Employee Statewide Chair will constitute the Local Union’s Academic Student Employee Bargaining Committee. The Campus Postdoctoral Scholar Unit Chairs, the Local Union President, and the Postdoctoral Scholar and Academic Researcher Statewide Chair will constitute the Local Union’s Postdoctoral Scholar Bargaining Committee. The Campus Academic Researcher Unit Chairs, the Local Union President, and the Postdoctoral Scholar and Academic Researcher Statewide Chair will constitute the Local Union’s Academic Researcher Bargaining Committee.
Section 2. The Bargaining Committee for a Bargaining Unit must present initial bargaining demands and the final contract to the Bargaining Unit’s membership for ratification.
Section 3. Specific bargaining updates will be provided to the membership of a Bargaining Unit by the Bargaining Committee for that Bargaining Unit following bargaining sessions. Such updates shall include a summary of any tentative agreements and issues still outstanding.
Section 4. Upon request, the Bargaining Committee for a Bargaining Unit will decide by majority vote whether to release additional information and documents pertaining to bargaining for that Bargaining Unit.
Section 5. In the event that a Bargaining Committee member resigns from their position or is on a defined long-term leave (i.e., a minimum of one month) which prevents them from discharging their duties as a Bargaining Committee member, their Campus shall hold a special election to select a member in good standing from the appropriate Bargaining Unit to serve as the Bargaining Committee Alternate until the vacancy is filled at the next regularly scheduled or vacancy election, or the Bargaining Committee member’s long term leave is elapsed. The special election will be held according to the terms of Article 14 (Local Union Elections), except that the election shall be held no sooner than seven (7) days after the close of nominations.
Article 10, Stewards
Section 1. All members in good standing under the jurisdiction to be represented by the Steward shall be eligible to vote for the Steward.
Section 2. Each Campus shall elect at least one Steward for each relevant program or department. Each Campus will determine the apportionment of its Stewards.
Section 3. The membership at each Campus may determine its own election procedures for Stewards, consistent with the elections rules established by these bylaws and the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Section 4. It shall be the duty of each elected Steward to fulfill their various duties faithfully as provided in the Constitution of the International Union, UAW and Local Union Bylaws, and in implementation of Campus and Local Union plans. Stewards will be coordinated by Head Stewards.
Article 11, Standing Committees
Section 1. The Local Union shall have the following standing committees:
Constitution and Bylaws Committee
Citizenship and Legislative Committee
Civil Rights and Human Rights Committee
Community Services Committee
Conservation and Recreation Committee
Consumer Affairs Committee
Union Label Committee
Education Committee
Health and Safety Committee
Women’s Committee
Veterans Committee
Organizing Committee
Personnel Committee
Contract Enforcement Committee
Other Committees shall be established as needed by the Joint Council.
Section 2. Except for the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, the Chairs of the Committees are elected by the members of the Committee. Committee meetings are open to all members, with the exception of committee meetings involving confidential personnel information, membership lists, grievances and legal matters.
Section 3. These committees shall perform all duties assigned to them by the Constitution of the International Union, UAW, Local Union Bylaws, and such additional duties pertinent to the Committee as they may be directed to perform by the Joint Council.
Section 4. All Committees shall have attendance records and written minutes.
Section 5. Each Campus may establish Campus committees as needed.
Article 12, Attendance
Section 1. Any member of the Joint Council, Executive Board, Bargaining Committee, Stewards or any Committees of the Local Union will be removed from office if they miss two (2) of three (3) consecutive meetings of the same body, unless excused for cause by the Local Union. The terms for cause will be determined by the Local Union. Where a member is removed from office for failure to comply with the established attendance rules, they shall not be eligible to run for any elective position from which they were so removed for the remainder of the term of office except as a delegate to the International Constitutional Convention; if that decision is overturned through the appeals process, the Officer shall be reinstated.
Article 13, Election Committee
Section 1. All Local Union elections, strike votes, and contract ratification votes shall be held under the supervision of a democratically elected Election Committee. The Election Committee shall be responsible for the publication of notice for nominations and elections, the verification of eligibility for candidates, the organization and supervision of election proceedings, and the counting of ballots.
Section 2. The Election Committee shall consist of one (1) member in good standing elected from each Campus. The term of office for the Election Committee shall be one (1) year. The Chair of the Election Committee is elected by the members of the committee.
Section 3. A meeting of the general membership of each Campus shall be called for the purpose of nominating and electing Local Union Election Committee members. Notice of these meetings shall be distributed at least seven (7) days in advance by email, and by posting on the Local Union website.
Section 4. All members in good standing shall be nominated automatically for the Election Committee. Any member in good standing may accept nomination at a Campus membership meeting called for the purpose.
Section 5. The election of Election Committee members at each Campus shall be held immediately on the close of nominations. One (1) Election Committee member from each Campus and one (1) alternate Election Committee member may be elected by plurality within that Campus.
Section 6. A vacancy on the Election Committee shall be filled by the alternate member of the Election Committee from that Campus.
Section 7. Alternate members of the Election Committee shall assist in the conduct of the election as needed. The Election Committee may also recruit and supervise volunteers as needed to assist in the conduct of the election, including overseeing ballot boxes, conveying ballots from the polling place to the location where the ballot count is held, and counting ballots for Campus Elections. In no case shall such volunteers be candidates for office in the election.
Section 8. No member or alternate member of the Election Committee shall be eligible to run for any office in any election that the committee supervises. In the event that a person serving as a member or alternate member of the Election Committee seeks an office, they are automatically resigned from the position on the Election Committee when accepting nomination for that office.
Article 14, Local Union Elections
Section 1. In accordance with the UAW International policies and practices, the time, place, and manner of all membership votes shall be determined by the membership or membership body.
Section 2. Elections for Local Union Officers, including the Officers of the Executive Board and the Joint Council, shall take place in May. Installation shall take place at the next Joint Council or Executive Board meeting following the election, except as otherwise authorized by the UAW International Executive Board.
Section 3. The members of the Local Union shall be notified promptly for nomination and election of Local Union Officers. The notice shall be announced at Campus membership meetings and shall be distributed by email, and by posting on the Local Union website. The notice shall include the dates, times, and places of the election and possible run-off elections, the date and time of the close of the nomination period, and instructions for accepting nomination as described in this Article.
Section 4. All members shall be nominated automatically for all Local Union offices. Any member may accept nomination by submitting in writing a statement of acceptance according to the policies approved by the Election Committee. The statement of acceptance shall state how their name should appear on the ballot. Each member accepting nomination may also submit a candidate statement of up to five hundred (500) words. The deadline for statements of acceptance and candidate statements shall be no sooner than seven (7) days after the notice for nomination. After the deadline on accepting nominations has expired, no election of write-in candidates shall be accepted. Election of all Local Union Officers shall require a majority of the votes cast for the office.
Section 5. Candidate statements and sample ballots of eligible candidates shall be distributed simultaneously no later than seven (7) days before the election, by posting on the Local Union website. Candidate statements shall be made available during the election at each polling place.
Section 6. Apart from the resources described in this Article that are to be provided equally to all candidates, no other Local Union resources may be used by any candidate to campaign for Local Union office.
Section 7. The election shall be held no sooner than fourteen (14) days after the close of nominations. It shall be conducted by secret ballot, and balloting shall be conducted so as to afford all members a reasonable opportunity to vote. Every member must personally cast their vote.
Section 8. Upon the close of the polls, all ballots shall be conveyed promptly to one location for the ballot count. The Election Committee shall count the ballots.
Section 9. Each candidate may designate one (1) member of the Local Union to be present at the ballot count as a challenger.
Section 10. Following each election, the Election Committee shall report in writing a canvas of the results of the election. Results shall be released electronically. No protests to an election shall be considered unless raised within seven (7) days of the closing of the polls or at the next Joint Council meeting or Campus membership meeting, whichever is later. A protest must either be in writing or made at the Joint Council meeting. If written, the protest must be actually received by the Local Union Election Committee before the deadline.
Section 11. The membership may order a new election, either in acting upon a protest or in ratification of a recommendation of the Election Committee. In the event the membership should order a new election of an Executive Board member, the matter shall be submitted to the President of the International Union, UAW, in accord with the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Section 12. A special election shall take place in the months of October or April, as warranted by vacant positions. If any elected position other than President becomes vacant between September 16 and March 15, that office shall be filled in an April vacancy election. If any elected office other than President becomes vacant between March 16 and September 15, that office shall be filled in an October vacancy election. In those years with regularly scheduled elections, no April special election shall be held, and in those years any elected office other than President that becomes vacant after September 15 of the previous year shall remain vacant until the regularly scheduled election. The same policies and procedures shall apply to special elections and regularly scheduled elections.
Section 13. No one may hold more than one Joint Council position, including Campus Unit Chair and Campus Unit Recording Secretary, simultaneously. This does not apply to positions that can be concurrently held. The only positions which can be concurrently held are:
An Officer position and a position on a Committee
An Officer position and a paid organizing or clerical position within the Local Union.
Section 14. Officers shall be sworn in at the bodies at which they serve. For example, Joint Council members shall be sworn in at either the Joint Council or Campus membership meetings. Executive Board members shall be sworn in at Executive Board meetings or Joint Count meetings. Stewards shall be sworn in at the Campus membership meetings. Any Officer can be sworn in at the statewide membership meetings.
Section 15. For regularly scheduled elections, Officers shall assume their roles and responsibilities at their installation ceremonies (pursuant to Article 14, Sections 1 and 14). For special elections, Officers shall assume their roles immediately following the results of the election.
Article 15, Eligibility for Elected Office
Section 1. All candidates standing for elected office of the Executive Officers of the Local Union must be members and have been in continuous good standing for one (1) year prior to accepting a nomination.
Section 2. All other candidates standing for elected office of the Local Union or a Campus must be members and have been in continuous good standing for forty-five (45) days prior to accepting a nomination. All candidates standing for elected office from or of a Campus must be members of the Campus.
Section 3. All candidates who were elected for office must, if applicable, follow the resignation procedures for positions which can not be held concurrently.
Section 4. A Local Union Officer against whom charges have been filed in accordance with the trial procedure established by the Constitution of the International Union, UAW may be suspended from office pending the outcome of the trial, by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Joint Council.
Article 16, Referendum
Section 1. A referendum vote of the membership may be held on any action the Joint Council. Such a referendum vote shall be scheduled within thirty (30) days from the presentation to the Local Union Recording Secretary of a valid referendum petition. The members shall be properly notified of the place, date, and time for any referendum vote at least fifteen (15) days prior to the vote.
Section 2. A valid referendum petition must clearly and specifically describe the action of the Joint Council that is in question, and must be signed by twenty percent (20%) of the in-unit members in good standing, including members from at least fifty percent (50%) of the Campus Units.
Section 3. The referendum vote shall be by secret ballot. In order to repeal the action on which the referendum is held, at least thirty percent (30%) of in-unit members in good standing must participate in the election, including members from at least fifty percent (50%) of the Campus Units. A two-thirds majority of ballots cast shall then suffice to repeal the action on which the referendum is held.
Article 17, Recall
Section 1. A Steward or Campus representative to the Joint Council may be recalled by the members they represent for failure to perform the duties of the office. In order to recall a Steward or Campus Joint Council representative, at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the in-unit members they represent must sign a valid recall petition, setting forth specific complaints of the Steward’s or Campus Joint Council representative’s failure to perform the duties of the office, and must file such petition with the Local Union Recording Secretary.
Section 2. A special meeting for recall shall be held within thirty (30) days of the filing of such a petition, except that no such special meeting for recall shall be held in the months of June, July, August, or September. If a valid recall petition is presented after May 1 but before September 2, then the special meeting for recall shall be scheduled for the month of October. The members shall be properly notified of the place, date, and time of any special meeting for recall at least fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting.
Section 3. A two-thirds (2/3) vote of the members present at such a special meeting for recall shall be required to recall. Quorum for such a meeting shall be twenty-five percent (25%) of in-unit members in good standing eligible to vote for the office in question.
Article 18, Appeals
Section 1. Consistent with the Constitution of the International Union, UAW, a member feeling themself aggrieved by any action, inaction or decision of the Local Union, Campus, or one of its representatives must initiate their complaint or appeal within sixty (60) days of the time they were aware, or reasonably should have been aware of the action, inaction or decision. This appeal shall be made to the membership or delegate body immediately responsible for the official, Officer action or decision under challenge.
Section 2. A member who files an appeal at the Campus shall be able to appeal to the Local Union within thirty (30) days of the response of the Campus.
Section 3. The Executive Board or Joint Council shall refer the matter to the Bargaining Committee if it involves collective bargaining. Otherwise, the Executive Board or Joint Council shall, themselves, consider the matter.
Section 4. Whichever of these bodies the matter is referred to shall consult with the grievant and permit their full opportunity to be heard prior to making a decision.
Section 5. Within thirty (30) days of receiving notice of such decision, the grievant may appeal further by submitting their appeal to the Local Union Recording Secretary in writing for consideration by the membership at the next statewide membership meeting or Joint Council meeting, whichever is sooner.
Section 6. An appeal from the decision of the Local Union may be made to the International Executive Board of the UAW.
Article 19, Budgets and Finances
Section 1. The Joint Council shall decide budgets for the Local Union.
Section 2. The Joint Council shall issue budgetary guidelines for Campuses.
Section 3. No agent or official of the Local Union or Campus is authorized to execute a real estate lease, deed, service or maintenance contract or other long-term agreement unless the proposed agreement has been reviewed by an outside expert or attorney and has been approved by the Executive Board.
Section 4. The Joint Council has the power to direct the Executive Board to implement a travel policy not inconsistent with UAW International policy. This policy shall be posted on the Local Union website.
Section 5. The Joint Council may allocate a budget for Officer pay. Such an allocation shall be implemented by the Executive Board, unless otherwise stipulated. Officer pay is equivalent to the rate of a Teaching Fellow at the officer's campus. Collecting Officer pay alone does not constitute employment as Local Union staff.
Article 20, Local Union Employees
Section 1. The Personnel Committee shall be composed of the President, the Financial Secretary, and at least one other Executive Officer to be selected by a simple majority vote of the Executive Board. This committee shall be empowered to hire, terminate, supervise, and otherwise manage Local Union staff (in accordance with collectively bargained agreements for represented employees). No member of the committee shall be a member of the staff union. All Local Union staff must be UAW members.
Section 2. Requests for additional staff shall be made to the Executive Board. Appeals of Executive Board decisions about staffing shall be made to the Joint Council.
Section 3. Pay and working conditions for represented Local Union staff shall be set by the agreement collectively bargained by the Local Union Personnel Committee and the staff union.
Article 21, Delegates From Local Union
Section 1. All delegates to conventions of the International Union, UAW shall be chosen pursuant to Article 8 of the Constitution of the International Union, UAW.
Section 2. The Joint Council shall appoint delegates to Community Action Program state, county or city councils.
Article 22, Amendments
Section 1. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall consist of one (1) member from each Campus who shall be elected by the members of their Campus for a term of one (1) year.
Section 2. Members may introduce amendments to the bylaws at a Joint Council meeting. The amendment must be presented in writing at least seven (7) days prior to said Joint Council meeting and must clearly set forth the specific change(s) sought. After all other discussion and motions pertaining to the amendment, it shall be motioned for a referral to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee by a simple majority.
Section 3. The Local Union Recording Secretary, or their designee, shall promptly inform the Constitution and Bylaws Committee of all proposed amendments. The committee will arrange a meeting at least seven (7) days before the next Joint Council meeting, and circulate information about this meeting on the Local Union website.
Section 4. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall create a report, in writing, for the Joint Council. The committee’s task is not to evaluate the merits of the amendment, but simply to determine if it conflicts with any other existing bylaws or the UAW Constitution. Accordingly, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee may suggest changes to the amendment such that the amendment better comports with those documents. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee, after reviewing the amendment, shall automatically refer it back to the Joint Council.
Reports of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee do not need to be unanimous and can reflect divergent views. Individual members are also welcome to provide their own individual written reports to the Joint Council.
Section 5. The proposed amendment shall be automatically added to the agenda of the Joint Council meeting following its initial proposal. Notice of that meeting must contain a notice of the particular Bylaw amendments that will be considered. At that meeting, the Constitution and Bylaws Committee report shall be read to the Joint Council for consideration.
Section 6. Any changes to the amendment that were suggested by any member of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee may be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Joint Council. No changes to the amendment except those suggested by the Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall be considered at this succeeding meeting. The final amendment shall be considered adopted after an approval by two-thirds (2/3) of those voting.
Article 23, Meeting Procedures
Section 1. Per Article 42 of the International Constitution, questions of a parliamentary nature shall be decided by Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 2. The following Order of Business is suggested, but it may be altered:
Roll call of Officers
Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting
Report of Financial Secretary
Reports of Officers, committees and delegates
General announcements and communications
Unfinished business
Good and Welfare
Does anyone know of a member out of work or in distress
New business
Closing
Article 24, General
Section 1. All Local Union Officers, Committees, Stewards and other members handling funds or other property of the Union shall, at the completion of their duties, turn over all papers, documents, funds, and/or other union property to the properly constituted Local Union Officers.