Article 1: Membership
1.1 A member in good standing is one who has submitted an application for membership on a form provided by the Local and who is current with membership dues.
1.2 A member may automatically be dropped from the rolls of AFT 6286 upon being one (1) month in arrears in the payment of his/her dues except
1.2.1 a member who teaches during the fall semester or any portion thereof and who pays dues in full monthly during such semester or portion thereof and who does not teach during the winter intersession shall not be required to pay dues during the winter intersession.
1.2.2 a member who teaches during the spring semester or any portion thereof and who pays dues in full monthly during such semester or portion thereof and who does not teach summer classes shall not be required to pay dues during the summer semester.
1.2.3 If a member does not receive classes at VVC, he or she shall retain union membership for up to 365 days and shall not be required to pay dues during any semester in which he or she does not have classes.
Articles 2: Election of Officers
2.1 If only one candidate is nominated for a particular office, that office will not appear on the
ballot and the candidate will assume that office at the end of the election cycle. In the
event all offices only receive one nomination, an election will not be held and the election
cycle will end effective immediately. The office will be considered vacant if there are no
nominations and will fall under Section 6 Article 6 of the Constitution. The Election Committee
and/or President will report any such instances to membership the day after the nomination
period closes.
2.2 A candidate can run for and serve in only one position at a time.
2.3 A candidate for president must have actively served on the e-board.
2.4 In alternating years AFT 6286 shall conduct an election for the following Board
Officers:
• Even-numbered years -- President, Grievance Officer, Secretary, and two Vice Presidents-at-Large.
• Odd-numbered years -- First Vice President, Treasurer, and two Vice Presidents-at-Large.
• Each term of office shall be for a period of two years.
2.5 The President, with the advice and consent of the Executive Board, shall appoint a Nominations Committee which shall be responsible for reviewing the qualifications and activities of members and formulating a slate of candidates for office. The list of nominees shall then be forwarded to the Elections Committee.
2.6 The Elections Committee shall conduct all general and special elections. Members of this
committee will be those whose positions are not included in that election cycle.
2.7 Voting eligibility will close on the first Saturday of September.
2.8 Thirty-seven (37) days prior to the date of election, the Elections Committee shall notify all members of the opening of nominations for any elected office as well as the candidates proposed by the Nominations Committee.
2.9 Nominations will close by the end of the second week of October.
2.10 The elections committee shall prepare and send ballots in such a manner as to ensure the secrecy of the ballot no later than the end of the third week in October.
2.11 If the elections committee decides to use the US Postal Service first-class mail, returned
ballots must be postmarked the day the election closes; if electronic means are used, the vote must be sent by 11:59 pm PST on the day the election closes.
2.12 Members will have ten (10) business days to respond to the election.
2.13 The election will close the end of the first week of November.
2.14 Votes will be tallied by the end of the second week of November.
2.15 A plurality of the ballots cast shall determine election. In the event of a tie, a run-off
election will be scheduled within two weeks. The same timeline will apply as in the
initial election.
2.16 The Office Administrator and the Elections Committee or designee(s) will count the
ballots. The results of the election will be disseminated to the membership; individual
ballots will be anonymous.
2.17 Officers who are elected shall assume office at the end of the current semester. Newly
elected officers must serve for one semester before receiving released time monies.
2.18 If any member requests a recount, he or she must file a written request within seven days
following the announcement of the election results. Any member may witness this
recount, which shall be scheduled within seven days of the request.
2.19 Any vacant office shall be filled as provided in Article 6 Section 6 of the Constitution.
2.20 A petition stating specific grounds and signed by thirty per cent (30%) of the membership
in good standing shall be sufficient to require the Elections Committee to conduct a recall
election of any officer specified in the petition. The election shall be held within forty-
five (45) days of the meeting at which the petition is certified by the Executive Board as containing the signatures of the requisite number of members in good standing. The officer shall be recalled by the vote of two-thirds of the members of the Local voting at any regular or special meeting. Any vacant office shall be filled as provided in Article 6 Section 6 of the Local’s constitution.
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Article 3: Duties of Officers
3.1 The President shall
3.1.1 be presiding officer at all meetings of the membership and the Executive Board,
3.1.2 be an ex-officio member of all standing committees except the Elections Committee,
3.1.3 appoint, with the approval of the Executive Board, the chairs of all standing and special committees,
3.1.4 be responsible for the ongoing administration of AFT 6286, including supervision of all employees of AFT 6286,
3.1.5 assist the First Vice President/Membership in identifying, recruiting, and organizing active members for future leadership positions on the Executive Board,
3.1.6 receive, report, and respond to correspondence of AFT 6286,
3.1.7 assign the lead negotiator with the district concerning contractual matters,
3.1.8 assign released time based on past practices and the input of the Board,
3.1.9 be one of the responsible fiduciary officers of the Organization and be authorized to sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursements of funds,
3.1.10 make an annual report to the membership of AFT 6286,
3.1.11 represent the Organization before the public, community organizations, and the news media,
3.1.12 assign delegates to the Central Labor Council,
3.1.13 be able to delegate the responsibilities of the office except where otherwise specified by
the Constitution.
3.2 The First Vice President shall
3.2.1 assume the duties of the President in the event of his/her absence, illness, or death,
3.2.2 oversee and assist the Nominations Committee in their duties,
3.2.3 notify all unit members of their AFT 6286 membership advantages,
3.2.4 be responsible, with the President, for recruiting and organizing new members,
3.2.5 oversee the mentoring of new or existing faculty members,
3.2.6 be one of the responsible fiduciary officers of the union and be authorized to sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursement of funds in the absence of one of the other fiduciary officers of the union,
3.2.7 perform other duties as delegated by the president or assigned by the executive board.
3.3 The Grievance Officer shall
3.3.1 receive, record, document, represent members, and track all grievances in coordination
with the president,
3.3.2. Serve as the chair of the grievance committee,
3.3.3. Prepare reports for the executive board,
3.3.4. perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive
Board.
3.4. The Secretary shall
3.4.1 record and keep accurate minutes of meetings of the membership and Executive Board,
3.4.2. assist the President in handling the correspondence of AFT 6286,
3.4.3. be one of the responsible fiduciary officers of the union and be authorized to sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursement of funds in the absence of one of the other fiduciary officers of the union,
3.4.4. perform duties of the office as required by the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act,
3.4.5. perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
3.5. The Treasurer shall
3.5.1 receive, record, and deposit all dues, monies, and other income in the name of AFT 6286,
3.5.2. review membership records,
3.5.3. issue notices of delinquencies,
3.5.4. be one of the responsible fiduciary officers of AFT 6286 and be authorized to sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursements of funds,
3.5.5. maintain all financial records of AFT 6286,
3.5.6. arrange for an independent audit of the finances of AFT 6286 annually and make the audit available to the Executive Board and membership,
3.5.7. transmit per capita payments on a regular basis to the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers and similar officers of all other bodies with which AFT 6286 is affiliated,
3.5.8. oversee the work of and receive reports from the Budget Committee
3.5.9. perform other duties as delegated by the President and assigned by the Executive Board,
3.5.10. perform duties of the office as required by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act.
3.6. Vice Presidents-at-Large shall be appointed to specific AFT 6286 work assignments
change as needs a rise. Typically, a Vice President-at-Large will be a committee
chairperson or a committee member.
3.7. All officers elected by the general membership of the AFT 6286 shall serve as members of the Executive Board and must attend at least two thirds of the meetings held each semester and perform duties as appointed by the president.
3.8. An Executive Board officer may request a leave of absence up to one semester. This leave of absence must be approved by the Executive Board.
Article 4: Executive Board
The Executive Board shall:
4.1.1. meet at least monthly (year-round) at the call of the President or at the call of three (3) or more of its members for the purpose of initiating, overseeing, or revising the program of AFT 6286 and conducting other business of AFT 6286 that is within its authority,
4.1.2. prepare and present for approval to the membership an annual budget in the month prior to the beginning of the fiscal year. The fiscal year shall begin in January and end in December of each year,
4.1.3. employ all professional, technical, clerical, and support staff of AFT 6286;
4.1.4. establish the salary, benefits, and expense guidelines of any general officer or staff who is employed by AFT 6286, except that no such person shall suffer loss of economic status as a result of such action,
4.1.5. make contracts and incur liabilities including, 1) the purchase of services, equipment, and real property, 2) borrowing money, 3) securing such obligations by mortgage or other instrument, and 4) engaging in financial transactions to the extent permitted by applicable law or statute,
4.1.6. approve the chairperson and membership of all standing and special committees of AFT 6286 and receive regular reports from such committees,
4.1.7. adhere to and enforce the Constitution and Bylaws of AFT 6286,
4.1.8. issue regular reports, including an annual report, to the membership,
4.1.9. initiate special elections and notify via e-mail at least fourteen (14) days prior to these elections, including but not limited to election of delegates for conventions and ratifying Tentative Agreements.
Article 5: Committees
5.1. The standing committees of AFT 6286 shall be Research, Bylaws, Elections, Budget, Grievance, Membership, Negotiations, Public Relations, and Social.
5.2. The Executive Board, on its own initiative or at the direction of the President, may establish other committees.
5.3. Should a member of the Elections Committee seek general office, he or she shall resign from the Elections Committee and be replaced promptly by the Executive Board.
5.4. Upon appointment by the President and approval by the Executive Board, committee chairpersons shall have one (1) month to select committee members and present their names to the executive Board for approval.
5.5. Within one (1) month of formation, each committee shall present its annual program of action to the Executive Board.
5.6. Committee responsibilities are as follows:
5.6.1. The Research Committee shall identify contractual issues in addition to compensation and benefits; it shall conduct research, surveys, hearings, and other activities that will assist the Negotiations Committee in its collective bargaining.
5.6.2. The Elections Committee shall conduct and supervise all elections and referenda of AFT 6286.
5.6.3. The Budget Committee and the Treasurer shall create an annual budget and submit it to the Executive Board. The committee is also responsible for identifying, implementing, and administering insurance and other programs that are beneficial to the membership.
5.6.4. The Grievance Committee shall work with the Grievance Officer to resolve contractual and non-contractual disputes in the workplace.
5.6.5. The Membership Committee shall assist the Executive Board in developing programs and activities that will encourage all eligible bargaining unit members to join and participate in AFT 6286.
5.6.6. The Negotiations Committee shall use the data gathered by the Research Committee to develop a strategy and tactics for negotiating the contract with the District
5.6.7. The Public Relations Committee shall present the views of AFT 6286 on both a regular and special basis to the print and electronic media, other labor and community organizations, and the general public.
5.6.8. The Social Committee shall conduct activities that promote the social well-being of the membership and are attractive to potential members.
Article 6: Membership Meetings
6.1. The Executive Board shall determine the time and place and give forty-five (45) days’ notice of the Annual Membership meeting. This meeting should be held during the fall semester.
6.2. Special meetings of the membership may be called by the Executive Board or a petition signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the members. Seven (7) days’ notice shall be given in advance of any specially called meeting.
6.3. At the Annual Meeting, members shall have the right to propose actions, and, with a majority vote of the membership, those actions shall be implemented by the Executive Board.
Article 7: Revenues
7.1. The dues of AFT 6286 shall be $30.00 per pay period for each regular member. The Executive Board may establish reduced membership fees for retired members and other categories of union members who are not currently members of the bargaining unit.
7.2. The Executive Board may increase dues to equal any increase in per capita payments that are required to be made to the American Federation of Teachers, the national affiliate, or to California Federation of Teachers, the state affiliate.
Article 8: Whistleblower and Conflict of Interest Policy
AFT Part-Time Faculty United, Local 6286, requires officers to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. All officers must report ethics violations or suspected ethics violations in accordance with this Whistleblower Policy.
Conflict of Interest Statement: We, the members of AFT Part-time Faculty United, resolve that no member of the Executive Board shall participate in any discussion or vote on any matter in which he or she or a member of his or her immediate family has potential conflict of interest due to having material economic involvement regarding the matter being discussed. When such a situation presents itself, the board member must announce his or her potential conflict, disqualify himself or herself, and be excused from the meeting until discussion is over on the matter involved. The President of the meeting is expected to make inquiry if such conflict appears to exist and the board member has not made it known. Any member of the Executive Board may bring to light the possible conflict. Any dispute will be resolved by the e-board excluding the accused member’s vote. In the event of unresolved disputes, the e-board shall seek the guidance and expertise of CFT leadership.
8.1
8.1 No Retaliation – no officer who, in good faith, reports an ethics violation shall suffer
harassment or retaliation.
8.2 If two or more members of the Executive Board have personal or union-related conflicts, they should attempt to work matters out between themselves or with a mediator, such as the president or the office manager, before discussing the matter with the Executive Board either individually or as a whole.
8.3 Reporting Violations – AFT Part-Time Faculty United has an open-door policy and requires that officers share their questions, concerns, suggestions, and complaints with other members of the Executive Board before alleging an ethics violation to CFT.
8.4 If any criminal activities are suspected concerning union business, the Executive Board shall notify the proper authorities as well as informing CFT.
8.5 Acting in Good Faith – anyone filing a complaint concerning a violation or suspected violation must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing that the information disclosed indicates a violation. Any unsubstantiated allegations shall be dismissed.
8.6 The Executive board will appoint a committee to receive, investigate, and resolve all reported complaints and allegations.
8.7 The chair of the committee will notify the complainant and acknowledge receipt of the reported suspected violation within five (5) business days. The chair of the committee shall then report the committee’s conclusions and recommendations to the Executive Board for action to be taken by the Board and/or CFT.
8.8 After the Executive Board reviews the findings of the committee, if it determines that there is merit to the accusation, the Board will then initiate a recall vote from the general membership as referenced in Section VII Article 7 of the Constitution. This voting will follow the same procedures as the vote for a general election.
8.9 If two-thirds of the votes cast are for the recall of the officer in question, he or she will be removed from office.
Article 9: Financial Transactions
9.1 In situations where an officer or member is traveling pursuant to business, the Treasurer will reimburse the member after he/she files an Expense Report Form and submits receipts for the specific and allowable charges incurred.
9.2 Expenditures over $250.00 must be approved by the Executive Board.
9.3 AFT 6286 shall reimburse officers for expenses pre-approved and incurred while doing specific AFT 6286 business in these categories:
9.3.1 Supplies for the office and special events should be reimbursed.
9.3.2 Travel – The union will reimburse transportation costs according to CFT guidelines well as overnight accommodations and parking for conventions, trainings, and conferences. Internet and mail expenses.
9.3.3 Meals for Executive Board meetings and food for special events should be reimbursed.
9.3.4 The union credit card may be used only with the Board’s approval. The Treasurer may give the card to an officer for use for a 24-hour period, but the card must be returned with receipts to the Treasurer after that time.
9.4 Members receiving AFT Part-time Faculty United Local 6286 equipment shall abide
by the signed equipment agreement (see attachment). No equipment shall be issued
without this signed agreement.
Article 10: For the Good of the Order
The principles of transparency and accountability are fundamental to maintaining a reputation for honesty and fair dealing in all AFT 6286 activities. To ensure that the public perception of AFT 6286 is a positive one, the Executive Board shall take any actions necessary to protect that reputation.
10.1 If any officer acts in a manner detrimental to the public reputation of the AFT 6286, the Board shall follow the recommendations in Article 8 of the Bylaws.
10.2 If an officer for any reason cannot complete his/her release time obligation, the Executive Board may demand a payback of all or a portion of such release time pay.
10.3 Stipends will be paid for completion of special duties as assigned by the Executive Board. Hudson reports are required for stipends to be paid.
10.4 The Union shall not pay for alcohol.
Article 11: Amendments and Copies
11.1. Any member of AFT 6286 may present a proposed amendment of the Bylaws to the
Bylaws committee. The Bylaws committee will then present the proposed amendment to
the Executive Board. Upon approval by the Board, each proposed amendment will be
communicated to the voting membership who will then be given two weeks to respond,
and the amendment will be adopted.
11.2. A copy of these Bylaws and any subsequent amendments shall be submitted to the office
of the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers.
11.3. One copy of these Bylaws and any subsequent amendment(s) shall also be sent to other
officers of organizations with which this Local is affiliated.
11.4. The Bylaws will be available on the AFT 6286 website (aft6286.org)
11.5. The Bylaws shall be reviewed at least every other year.