Local 1857

CONSTITUTION FOR KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON, LIBRARY SYSTEM EMPLOYEES LOCAL 1857

ARTICLE I-NAME

The name of this organization shall be King County, Washington, Library System Employees Local 1857 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.

ARTICLE II-AFFILIATIONS

This local union shall be affiliated with the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Council 2 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees; the Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and the King County Labor Council, AFL-CIO.

ARTICLE III-OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this local union shall be to protect and advance the social and economic status of the member employees through collective bargaining and legislation in conformity with the objectives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

ARTICLE IV-MEMBERSHIP AND DUES

All employees of the King County, Washington, Library System are eligible for membership in this local union, subject to the requirements of the Constitution of the International Union.

Application for membership shall be made on the Authorization for Payroll Deduction and Representation form.

Members of locals affiliated with the State Council shall pay monthly dues of 1.4% of their base salary with a minimum of $10.48 and a maximum of $39.15 effective January 1, 2003; and each January thereafter, the minimum shall be increased by 50% of the International Constitutional formula and the maximum shall be increased by 100% of the International constitutional formula on January 1st of each year. This total amount of dues shall be deposited in the Council 2 trust Fund. Each local and chapter shall receive the constitutionally specified rate for each employee affiliated with the local or chapter. The council shall pay from the Council 2 Trust Fund all constitutionally required affiliation fees for each member.

To the extent possible, membership dues shall be payable in advance to the local secretary-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.

A member suspended under the above section may be reinstated to membership in the local on payment of all arrearages.

ARTICLE V-MEETINGS

Regular meetings of this local shall be held at least quarterly, at a time and place to be fixed by the membership or the local executive board.

Special meetings may be called by the local president, the local executive board, or by petition filed with the president and signed by ten percent (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.

The quorum for meetings of this local shall be ten percent (10%) of the membership in good standing.

ARTICLE VI-OFFICERS, NOMINATIONS, AND ELECTIONS

The officers of this local shall be a president, a vice-president, a recording secretary, a treasurer, a chief shop steward and six members at-large. These eleven shall constitute the local union executive board. The president and treasurer shall be elected to two-year terms in the odd-numbered years. The vice president, recording secretary, and chief shop steward shall be elected to two-year terms in the even-numbered years. The six members at large shall be elected to a term of one year.

In the 2009 election, the vice president, recording secretary and chief shop steward shall be elected for special terms of twelve months, expiring in December of 2010. Thereafter, the vice president, recording secretary and chief shop steward shall be elected for two-year terms.

In order to ensure that the executive board will have members from various classification groups, one at-large position will be for Librarians, one for Library Assistants/Library Technical Assistants, one for Maintenance Workers, two for Library Pages, and one for all remaining classifications. In the event that no one from a defined group chooses to run for its designated position, then nominees for that position may come from any other classification.

There shall be three members who shall serve as trustees. The trustees shall be elected to three-year terms of office, except that in the initial election, one shall be elected for a one-year term, one for a two-year term, and one for a three-year term.

Nominations shall be made at a regular or special meeting of the local. At least fifteen days' advance notice shall be given the membership prior to the nomination meeting. A nominating committee may be appointed to make nominations, but whether or not a nominating committee is used, nominations shall be permitted from the floor at the meeting at which nominations were opened. All regular elections shall be held in the month of November. Terms of office begin January 1 of the year following the November election.

To be eligible for office, a member must be in good standing for one year immediately preceding the election, except in the initial election held in this local; provided, however, that no retired member shall be a candidate for office. For a member who is transferred or promoted into this local from another AFSCME local, this requirement shall be satisfied if such member's combined membership in good standing in both locals is one year at the time of election.

Officers shall be elected by secret ballot vote, and the balloting shall be conducted so as to afford to all members in good standing a reasonable opportunity to vote. At least fifteen days' advance notice shall be given the membership prior to the holding of the election.

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.

Vacancies in office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by vote of the executive board.

Every officer shall, upon assuming office, subscribe to the Obligation of an Officer contained in Appendix B of the International Union Constitution.

ARTICLE VII-DUTIES OF OFFICERS, THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND TRUSTEES

The president shall:

1. preside at all meetings of the local union and of the executive board.
2. be a member of all standing committees except election committees.
3. countersign all checks drawn against the funds of the local.
4. appoint all standing committees and all special committees of the local, subject to the approval of the executive board.
5. report to the membership at each general membership meeting regarding the progress and standing of the local and the president's official acts.
6. be considered an automatic delegate to International and Council conventions.

The vice-president shall:

1. assist the president in the work of the president's office.
2. 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.
3. in the absence of the president or the treasurer, and with the approval of the local executive board, act as co-signer of checks drawn on the local funds.
4. perform other duties as the executive board may require.

The recording secretary shall:

1. keep a record of the proceedings of all membership meetings and of all executive board meetings.
2. carry on the official correspondence of the local, except as the executive board may direct otherwise.
3. perform such other duties as the executive board may require.

The treasurer shall:

1. receive and receipt for all monies of the local union.
2. deposit all money so received in the name of the local union in a bank(s) or credit union(s) selected by the executive board, and money so de­pos­­i­ted shall be withdrawn only by check signed by the president and the treasurer.
3. prepare and sign checks for such purposes as are required by the constitution or are authorized by the membership or the executive board.
4. prepare and submit 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.
5. keep an accurate record of receipts and dis­burse­ments and shall, once each month, submit to the membership a monthly operating statement of the financial transactions of the local for the pre­vious month.
6. act as custodian of all properties and/or assets of the local union.
7. give a surety bond for an amount to be fixed by the executive board of the local union, at the expense of the local union and through the International Union.
8. see that any financial reports required by the Inter­national Union Constitution to be submitted to the International Union are submitted in accordance with the International Union Constitution.

The Chief Shop Steward shall:

1. coordinate and preside over stewards meetings.
2. manage grievances and grievance procedures.
3. Perform other duties as the Executive Board may require.

The members at-large shall:

1. serve as liaisons to the executive board from the membership, with emphasis on communicating from and to the particular constituencies specified in their individual titles.
2. participate fully in all activities of the executive board.
3. perform other duties as the executive board may require.

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 board shall meet at the call of the president or of a majority of the members of the board. A majority of the members of the executive board shall be required for a quorum. A report on all actions taken by the executive board shall be made to the membership at each general membership meeting.

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 welfare, 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-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

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.

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.

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.

ARTICLE IX-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, or provided to the membership by mail and/or email, 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.

ARTICLE X-STANDING COMMITTEES AND THEIR DUTIES

The grievance committee shall:

1. review all grievances to ensure that they meet the requirements established by the collective bargaining agreement.
2. evaluate all grievances and make recommendations to the executive board and Council 2 as to whether or not they should proceed to arbitration.

The nomination and election committees shall:

1. conduct the nominations and election process.
2. recruit candidates to run for office if so directed by the executive board.