bylaws
Solidarity Committee Bylaws 09.25.22
1. NAME
2. PURPOSE
3. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP
4. LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVE
5. MEETINGS
6. WORKING GROUPS
7. FUNDS
8. GENERAL RULES
9. NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND VOTER QUALIFICATIONS
10. AMENDMENTS
Article 1: NAME
1. This Organization shall be known as the IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee (hereinafter the "Solidarity Committee"). It is a voluntary collective to be conducted solely in the recruitment, retention, advancement and benefit of its members and not for profit.
2. The account created by the Solidarity Committee shall be named IBEW LOCAL 11 Solidarity Committee Fund (hereinafter the "Fund"). The Fund shall be operated, managed, and administered by a working group to be known as the “Solidarity Executive Committee,” also known as "Solidarity Leadership Collective" (hereinafter “Solidarity Leadership Collective”).
3. The Leadership Collective will be held responsible for the enforcement of these Bylaws and shall be under the direction and supervision of the Business Manager/Financial Secretary International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 11 (hereinafter “IBEW Local 11”).
4. The fiscal year of the Solidarity Committee shall be from July 1 through June 30.
Article 2: PURPOSE
The Solidarity Committee shall foster comradery in support of the major purpose of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers -- "to elevate the moral, intellectual and social conditions of our members" -- by unfettering our members from gender-based inequity in the electrical industry and beyond. It shall function as a catalyst for liberation through its work with governing bodies and rank-and-file workers.
The Solidarity Committee will undertake the:
● compilation of information and documentation concerning the status of,
● development of policies and mechanisms to increase the recruitment, retention, and participation of,
● collaboration with other bodies regarding the support of women, the gendered minority, and those who endure the various ways gender and gender identity intersect with other forms of power and marginalization so that all life may be fully actualized and honored.
Article 3: ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP AND BENEFITS
1. Membership Eligibility: Any and all women or gendered minority members of IBEW Local 11 who are in good standing shall be eligible for membership in the Solidarity Committee.
2. Ally Membership: Any brother or applicant who supports the purpose of the Solidarity Committee in word and deed shall be eligible for ally membership, provided they are
nominated by one member and seconded by another member of the Solidarity Committee. A nomination for membership, signed by the two endorsers, shall be sent to the Secretary, who shall report it, together with the names of the sponsors, at the next regular meeting of the Solidarity Committee. Voting upon the admission of ally members shall take place at the next regular meeting thereafter. A 2/3 vote shall elect an ally to membership. An ally member in good standing, with the Solidarity Committee, shall have meeting voting rights after attendance of 6 Solidarity Committee meetings after being approved for ally membership.
3. Dues: The annual dues shall be $35, payable in advance on or before the first Solidarity Committee meeting of the year. A person shall not be declared a member of the Solidarity Committee until payment of dues. The Treasurer shall notify members of 2 months in arrears, and those whose dues are not paid within 2 months after notice from the Treasurer shall be automatically dropped from membership of the Solidarity Committee.
Article 4: LEADERSHIP COLLECTIVE
1. The management of the affairs of the Solidarity Committee, as well as its funds, shall be vested in the Leadership Collective, under the direction and supervision of the IBEW Local 11 Business Manager/Financial Secretary.
2. Any member of the Solidarity Committee who has been a member in good standing of IBEW Local 11 and the Solidarity Committee for one (1) year shall be eligible to be a member of the Leadership Collective. In the event of the Solidarity Committee needing to fill a vacancy in the Leadership Collective, the requirement of a member to be a (1) year member of the Solidarity Committee may be waived.
3. The Leadership Collective shall consist of up to nine (9) members whose term of office shall be for two (2) years. Nominations and Elections for office shall be at the regular June Solidarity Committee meeting. At the Leadership Collective's June membership meeting, the Leadership Collective shall nominate and elect its own Secretary and Treasurer, who shall serve for a term of twelve (12) months.
4. Secretary: The Secretary will take and read minutes of regular meetings and be responsible for the correspondence to and from the Solidarity Committee.
5. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for the deposits of funds and all assets of the Fund. The Treasurer shall keep an accurate and full accounting of such Fund and give full financial report at each meeting. The Treasurer may request that the Leadership Collective appoint such members deemed necessary to assist the Treasurer in the proper performance of their duties.
6. Responsibilities: Members of the Leadership Collective shall attend all regular meetings unless they have notified the Secretary and provided a reason. A member of the Leadership Collective may be removed from their position by the Solidarity Committee’s membership with a 2/3 vote at a regular membership meeting for any of the following reasons:
i) being absent from three (3) consecutive meetings without a reason.
ii) any intentional violation of these Bylaws or governing legal regulations.
iii) engaging in any act of dishonesty relating to the Solidarity Committee funds.
7. Vacancy: In the event of a vacancy within the Leadership Collective:
i) The vacancy shall be announced at the subsequent regular meeting
ii) At the following regular meeting, any eligible member of the Solidarity Committee in good standing may be nominated to fill the duration of the vacancy.
iii) If less than three are nominated, the election process shall follow that which is outlined in Article 9.2.3 – Article 9.12. In the event that three or more members are nominated, ranked-choice voting will be used.
Article 5: MEETINGS
1. Regular meetings: Meetings will be held on the last Friday of the month at 4 pm in person or via Zoom and will adjourn no later than 10:00 P.M. Notice will be given before every regular meeting. Prior to the start of regular meetings, the Leadership Collective shall elect a Chair.
2. Regularly scheduled meetings will be open to the membership of IBEW Local 11 with the understanding that the Solidarity Committee centers and is led by women and gender non-conforming members.
3. All attendees of the Solidarity Committee meeting will treat each other with mutual respect.
4. Agenda: Participants build an agenda of items to process within the meeting. Each participant may add as many agenda items as desired by providing a short label for each without needing an explanation. Discussion of said agenda item shall take place when the item comes up on the agenda. Participants may add more agenda items after this step, between processing any existing agenda items.
5. Minutes: The Secretary will take the minutes of the regular membership meeting. The secretary will then read them for approval by the membership at the end of the same meeting and send the approved minutes to the membership of the Solidarity Committee.
Article 6: WORKING GROUPS
1. A “Working Group” is a group of individual members of
the Solidarity Committee that are organizing around a common purpose or project.
2. Any member of the Solidarity Committee can propose forming a Working Group.
3. A motion to form a Working Group shall be made during a regular Solidarity Committee meeting. Said motion will need a majority vote of Solidarity Committee members in attendance to pass.
4. The person(s) proposing the Working Group agree to take responsibility for organizing it before approval.
5. Working Groups shall follow procedures for handling funds outlined in Article 7.
6. Working Groups shall choose the time and place of their meeting.
7. Working Groups shall elect a Chair and Recorder at the start of their meetings. The Recorder of the Working Group shall record minutes and send them to the Solidarity Committee Secretary. Minutes shall be made available to the membership upon request.
8. Working Groups shall “progress report” at regularly scheduled Solidarity Committee meetings.
Article 7: FUNDS
1. All financial transactions of The Solidarity Committee shall be conducted through a checking account and such savings accounts as established at the Leadership Collective's discretion. Said checking and savings account(s) shall be taken out under the name of the IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee. A member receiving reimbursement for supplies or provisions shall not sign that check. All checks, withdrawals, and other financial
transactions must be approved, authorized, and bear the individual signatures of the two of the following:
i) An appointed signer of the Leadership Collective
ii) The Treasurer
iii) IBEW Local 11 Business Representative appointed by the IBEW Local 11 Business Manager.
2. When the balance of the checking account exceeds ten thousand dollars ($10,000.00) such excess shall be deposited into the savings account.
3. All checks require two (2) signatures.
4. Each checking account(s) and savings account(s) shall, in the discretion of the Leadership Collective, be drawn on either:
i) federally insured Bank
ii) a federally insured Savings and Loan Association
iii) the Los Angeles Electrical Workers Credit Union
5. Each signer of the Solidarity Committee fund shall be bonded by a state-licensed bonding agency for not less than the total amount of the fund. The bonding fee shall be paid by IBEW Local 11.
6. The books and financial affairs of the Solidarity Committee shall be audited annually at the beginning of the fiscal year by a certified public accountant approved by the IBEW Local 11 Business Manager/Financial Secretary and to be paid for by IBEW Local 11. All financial records and reports shall be made available to any member of the Solidarity Committee upon request.
7. The funds shall be built up and sustained by voluntary donations from members and from member fundraising projects. All monies derived and generated through the activities of the Solidarity Committee and its membership in excess of $200, to be kept in the cash box, shall be deposited into the Solidarity Committee account. In no event shall the Solidarity Committee receive donations or other contributions from employers employing IBEW Local 11 members. Any such contributions received shall be returned immediately. Violation of this requirement shall be grounds for immediate removal from the Leadership Collective.
8. In handling the expenditures from any account or funds, all members of the Solidarity Committee shall use their best judgment and discretion, just as they would in the handling of their own funds. The expenditure of funds shall be limited to the purposes for which the Solidarity Committee was established.
Article 8: GENERAL RULES
1. IBEW Solidarity Committee shall be chartered by IBEW Local 11.
2. Transparency: You have the duty to provide transparency to members.
3. Should any grievance or dispute arise within the Solidarity Committee, that grievance shall be referred to the Leadership Collective and Solidarity Committee membership for resolution at the next regularly scheduled meeting.
4. All members agree to support the purpose of the Solidarity Committee in word and in deed. Any member who fails to respect the purpose of the Solidarity Committee in word or deed may have their membership in the Solidarity Committee revoked. A member who fails to respect the purpose of the Solidarity Committee shall be reported to the Leadership Collective. If the majority of the Leadership Collective believes that revocation may be appropriate, it shall:
i) Introduce the issue for discussion at the following regular meeting, and ii) Bring the matter of revocation for a vote at the subsequent regular meeting. Revocation of the membership shall require ⅔ of the vote. Voting procedures on revocation of membership shall follow the process outlined in Articles 9.8, 9.10, and 9.12.
5. Anything not outlined in these bylaws, the IBEW Local 11 bylaws or the IBEW Constitution shall follow Roberts Rules of Order newly revised.
Article 9: NOMINATIONS, ELECTIONS AND VOTER QUALIFICATIONS
1. Nominations: Leadership Collective nominations will occur at the June 2023 meeting of the Solidarity Committee and every 2 years thereafter.
2. Nominee Qualifications: To be nominated for the Leadership Collective, a member must be:
i) Must have attended twelve (12) IBEW LU 11 Solidarity meetings in the two years. The nomination meeting may count towards the attended meetings.
ii) A current, dues-paying member in good standing with IBEW Local 11; and.
iii) A current, dues-paying member in good standing with IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee.
3. Nominator Qualifications: To nominate a member for the Leadership Collective, a member must be:
i) A current dues-paying member, in good standing with IBEW Local 11; and. ii) A current dues-paying member, in good standing with IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee; or.
4. Persons nominated must be present or have sent a letter or email to the Election Judge stating their acceptance for an IBEW LU 11 Solidarity Committee Leadership Collective nomination.
5. Elections: Regular elections will occur at the January meeting of IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee. Vacancy Elections will take place as necessary to fill a vacancy.
6. The Leadership Collective of the IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee shall be elected to serve for a two-year term.
7. Elections shall be by secret ballot.
8. Elections of the Leadership Collective shall be the top nine (9) vote-getters of votes cast.
9. The Leadership Collective shall appoint an election judge a month prior to the nomination meeting.
10. The Election Judge and tellers shall not be running for office. The Election Judge shall select a teller to assist in counting the votes. The Election Judge and the Teller, if eligible, shall be allowed to vote. The election judge shall secure all election results and materials for at least 30 (thirty) days.
11. The Nominees shall be allowed to witness the counting of the votes.
12. Voting: Qualifications to vote a member must be:
i) A current dues paying member, in good standing with IBEW
Local 11; and.
ii) A current dues paying member, in good standing with IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee.
iii) Ally members that are not IBEW Local 11 members in good standing and IBEW Local 11 Solidarity Committee members in good standing shall not have election voting rights.
Article 10: AMENDMENTS OF THESE BY-LAWS
1. Proposed Amendments or changes to these Bylaws shall be submitted in writing to the Secretary prior to the start of the regular meeting. The Chair of that meeting shall read such proposal at the meeting and re-read such proposal at the following month’s meeting immediately after when it shall be voted upon. Should such proposal be approved by a majority of the Solidarity Committee members in attendance, and the IBEW Local 11 Business Manager/Financial Secretary, it shall be effective immediately.
2. No amendment that conflicts with the IBEW Constitution shall be allowed.
Solidarity Committee Bylaws 09.25.22