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CONSTITUTION of the Hillsborough School Employees Federation

Local 4154, FEA, NEA, AFT, AFL-CIO

Revised and Approved March 31, 2007

Official Copy

Hillsborough School Employees Federation

　

ARTICLE I

NAME

This organization shall be known as the Hillsborough School Employees Federation (HSEF) Local 4154, Florida Education Association (FEA), National Education Association (NEA), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), AFL-CIO, representing all custodial, food service, maintenance, transportation and security employees, excluding confidential employees, supervisors and managers as defined by Chapter 447 of the Florida Statute, employed by the School District of Hillsborough County, Florida (HCSD).

ARTICLE II

OBJECTIVES

The purposes of this organization shall be:

Section 1. To secure full trade union rights for all employees who are eligible for membership.

Section 2. To advance the economic, social, and political well being of the membership.

Section 3. To promote the improvement of standards in the employment situation of the membership and the standards of the employer as they relate to the public we serve.

Section 4. To encourage mutual understanding and cooperation among the membership.

Section 5. To promote democracy and equality in the society at large.

Section 6. To advocate for higher standards of service in the delivery of education for the children of Hillsborough County.

Section 7. To advance cooperation, education, understanding and trust between the parents of the children attending Hillsborough County schools and HSEF.

Section 8. To participate in building a stronger labor community.

Section 9. To seek cooperative relationships with the employer built on mutual respect and trust, as long as such relationships best serve the needs of the membership.

　

ARTICLE III

MEMBERSHIP

　

Section 1. There shall be three classes of membership within HSEF. Those classes of membership shall be known as active, inactive and retired. Only current, inactive or retired employees as defined in Article I of this document are eligible to be members of HSEF. No employee that is confidential, supervisory or managerial in nature, as defined in Article I, shall be eligible for membership. Membership dues for each class of membership shall be defined within the HSEF By-Laws.

Section 2. Active members shall be employees of HCSD and whose dues are in current standing with HSEF (as defined in Section 5 below). Active members shall have the right to attend all meetings and functions of HSEF, hold elective office, fill appointive positions as described within the HSEF Constitution and/or By-Laws, and debate and/or vote on issues before the general membership.

Section 3. Inactive members shall be employees that are on approved leave of absence from HCSD and whose dues are paid to within 60 calendar days of current standing with HSEF. Such conditions being met, they would enjoy the rights and privileges accorded to active members with the following exceptions; (1) they cannot hold elective office and (2) they cannot fill appointive positions. Employees that wish to maintain active membership status must be in current standing with HSEF, as defined in Section 5 below.

Section 4. Retired members shall be former employees that have formally retired from HCSD, are receiving or are eligible to receive benefits through the Florida Retirement System and are in current standing with HSEF as defined in Section 5 below. Retired members are recognized as a vital part of the organization and are encouraged to attend and participate in the meetings and functions of HSEF. However, retired members shall not be able to do the following: (1) hold elective office, (2) fill appointive positions or (3) vote on issues before the general membership or other determinative bodies of HSEF. The Local shall take the appropriate steps to charter a retiree’s chapter, assuming sufficient interest on the part of the retiree membership.

Section 5. Current standing shall be defined as receipt of membership dues by the tenth (10th) of the month for the preceding month. Employees receiving wages from HCSD and having dues deducted simultaneously, through payroll deduction, shall be considered current for the purpose of this section. Any member that is in arrears more than sixty (60) calendar days from the tenth (10th) of each month shall be considered suspended and their membership privileges revoked. Upon non-payment of an arrearage of dues for ninety-one (91) calendar days membership will be considered cancelled and that member will be dropped from the membership rolls. The terms current standing and good standing are synonymous within the context of this constitution. Notice shall be provided to any member that fails to pay dues after the first thirty (30) days of non-payment of the terms of Article III, Section 5.

Section 6. No person shall be denied membership on the basis of sex, race, national origin, religious or political belief, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status.

ARTICLE IV

ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The organization shall hold elections for officers for a term of office of three (3) years to commence on July 1st and expire on June 30^{th
, three (3) years later. The following officers shall
be elected by the general membership:}

(a) President

(b) First Vice-President

(d) Treasurer

(e) Vice-President At-Large

(f) Vice-President for Collective Bargaining

(g) Vice-President for Communications

(h) Vice-President for Governance

(i) Vice-President for Membership Development

(j) Vice-President for Political Action

(k) Vice-President for Structure Development

In the interest of ensuring that the general classifications (custodial, food service, maintenance, transportation and security) have representation upon the Executive Board of HSEF, the following procedure shall take place should one or more classifications not be represented as a result of general or special elections; (1) the membership shall be notified of the position(s) (custodial, food service, maintenance, transportation or security) that need representation via the next months regular newsletter following the election, their eligibility prerequisites per Section 2 below and the requirements of office which shall, in this case, be the same as those of the Vice-President at Large, (2) interested and eligible members shall submit, in writing, to the President a form indicating their interest, (3) the President shall at a specially called meeting of the membership, not earlier than thirty (30) days from the date of the newsletter notifying members of the position nor later than one hundred twenty (120) days, cause those members that are interested and eligible to be nominated, (4) the membership shall then elect by secret ballot individual(s) for the position(s) needed, (5) an absentee ballot will only be permitted in those cases where the member(s) is away on union related business during the date of the vote. A majority of votes cast, as defined in Section 6 below, shall be required to fill a position. Unchallenged eligible candidates shall be elected by acclamation.

Section 2. To be eligible for office a person must (1) be a member in good standing of the organization for a period of one year (1) prior to the date of the election, (2) have attended fifty percent (50%) of the general membership meetings for a period of one year (1) prior to the date of the election and (3) have been active in at least one (1) committee of HSEF for a period of one year (1) prior to the date of the election. Once a member accepts a nomination for an office, the member cannot be nominated again for another office.

Section 3. The Elections Committee shall conduct all general and special elections of the organization. No later than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the date of the election the Elections Committee shall notify all members, by mail at their last known address, of the opening of nominations for office and the process for nominations. Any active or inactive member in good standing can nominate an active member for elective office.

Section 4. The Elections Committee shall prepare notices of election that includes the date(s), time(s) and places of the election and cause these notices to be sent to each members home, at their last known address, no later than fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the first date of the election. These notices will also include the purpose of the election (general or special), the position(s) vacant, the duties and requirements of the position(s), the eligibility prerequisites as defined in Section 2 above and the members nominated for their respective positions. Multiple nominees for the same office will be listed in alphabetical order.

Section 5. General or special elections shall be held in six (6) locations selected by the Elections Committee. These locations must be assigned by dividing the school district into six regions (northeast, northwest, east, west, southeast and southwest) and picking one (1) location in each region to which there is major highway access.

Section 6. A majority of the ballots cast shall determine election. In the absence of a majority the Elections Committee shall conduct a run-off election among the two candidates who have received the most votes for the office in question using the procedures specified in Sections 4 and 5, above. The definition of majority for the purposes of this Constitution is fifty percent (50%) plus one (1).

Section 7. Successful candidates in a general election (regular or run-off) shall take office on July 1st Successful candidates in a special election (regular or run-off) shall take office no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of the conclusion of the election.

Section 8. With the exception of the President, or in case of a recall, all Executive Board vacancies shall be filled by the President on an interim basis and then ratified or rejected by the Stewards Council at its next regular meeting following the interim appointment.

Section 9. A petition signed by twenty-five percent (25%) of the membership and stating specific grounds shall be sufficient to require the Elections Committee to conduct a re-call election of any officer specified in the petition under the procedures in Section 6. If an officer is recalled, the Elections Committee shall hold a special election under the procedures in Sections 4 and 5, above. A Time frame of two (2) months (60 days) shall be sufficient time for the petition and the required signatures to be presented to the Executive Board.

Section 10. General elections shall be held within the last full week of April of the year in which a term expires.

ARTICLE V

DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The President shall:

(a) be the presiding officer at all meetings of the membership, the Executive Board. and the Stewards Council,

(b) be an ex-officio member of all standing committees except the Elections Committee,

(c) appoint, with the approval of the Stewards Council, the chairs of all standing and special committees, except where otherwise noted in the constitution,

(d) receive, report and respond to correspondence of the organization,

(e) be one of the responsible financial officers of the organization and shall be authorized to co-sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursements of funds,

(f) represent the organization before bodies of the employer, executive and legislative officials,

(g) represent the organization before the public, community organizations, and the news media,

(h) be, by office, a delegate to the Central Labor Council,

(i) be, by office, a delegate to the convention of the American Federation of Teachers and meetings or conventions of its affiliated subordinate bodies,

(j) make an annual report to the membership of the organization,

(k) be able to delegate the responsibilities of the office except where otherwise specified by the constitution,

(l) be responsible for the ongoing administration of the organization,

(m) supervise all employees of the organization,

(n) make hiring and firing decisions on HSEF employees subject to approval by the Executive Board,

(o) work with the treasurer to ensure accurate maintenance of all financial records of the organization,

(p) arrange for an independent audit of the finances of the organization annually and make available same to the executive board, stewards council, and membership, at regular meetings of those bodies and where otherwise directed by the executive board,

(q) file reports required by the Internal Revenue Service, Chapter 447 of the Florida Statutes and other governmental bodies as required by law,

(r) any assigned staff from the affiliates shall perform his/her duties at the direction of the President.

Section 2. The First Vice-President shall:

(a) assume the duties of the President in the event of the absence, illness, or death of the President For the purpose of this section, absence or illness shall be defined as ten (10) or more working days,

(b) coordinate the activities of the core function Vice-Presidents, in the absence or illness of the President

(d) co-sign financial instruments in the absence of the President or Treasurer.

Section 3. The Secretary shall:

(a) share responsibility with the President for the maintenance of the non-financial files and records of the organization,

(b) be the custodian of the seal and charter of the organization,

(d) coordinate the work of, and receive and certify the reports of the Elections Committee,

(e) perform other duties as delegated by the President, or assigned by the Executive Board,

(f) appoint the chairperson of the Elections Committee subject to approval by the Stewards Council.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall:

(a) share responsibility with the President to receive, record, and deposit all dues monies and other income in the name of the organization,

(b) oversee the maintenance of accurate membership records, be one of the responsible financial officers of the organization and be authorized to co-sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursements of funds,

(d) ensure an audit of the finances of the organization is conducted annually and made available to the Executive Board, Stewards Council, and membership, at regular meetings of those bodies and where otherwise directed by the President or the Executive Board,

(e) transmit per capita payments on a regular basis to the Secretary-Treasurers of the American Federation of Teachers, Florida Education Association and similar officers of all other bodies with which the organization is affiliated,

(f) be an ex-officio member of the Audit and Dues Structure Committee, perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board,

(g) ensure that HSEF is in full compliance with reporting requirements required by the Internal Revenue Service, Chapter 447 of the Florida Statutes and other governmental bodies as required by law.

Section 5. The Vice-President At — Large shall:

(a) be, by office, a delegate to the Central Labor Council,

(b) coordinate, with the President the activities of the Grievance Committee, a sub-committee of the Contract Enforcement Committee, which is a part of the collective bargaining function,

Section 6. The Vice-President for Collective Bargaining shall:

(a) coordinate the work of and receive reports from the Research, Training, Proposal Writing, Uniform and Contract Enforcement Committees, as well as chairing the General Collective Bargaining Committee which will be composed of the chairpersons of the committees mentioned in this section,

(b) be responsible for the collective bargaining function and appoint the chairs of the committees above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the collective bargaining function,

(e) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the collective bargaining function,

(f) all reports made by the Vice-President for Collective Bargaining shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution.

(g) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 7. The Vice-President for Communications shall:

(a) coordinate, with the President the work of and receive reports from the Public Affairs and Internal Publications Committees, chair the General Communications Committee which will be composed of the chairpersons of the committees mentioned in this section,

(b) responsible for the communications function and appoint the chairs of the committees above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the communications function,

(e) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the communications function,

(f) all reports made by the Vice-President for Communications shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution,

(g) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 8. The Vice-President for Governance shall:

(a) coordinate, with the President the work of and receive reports from the Constitution and By-Laws, Dues Structure and Executive Board Vacancy Committees, chair the General Governance Committee which will be composed of the chairpersons of the committees mentioned in this section,

(b) be primarily responsible for the governance function and appointing the chairs of the committees above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the governance function,

(e) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the governance function,

(f) all reports made by the Vice-President for Governance shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution,

(g) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 9. The Vice-President for Membership Development shall:

(a) coordinate, with the President, the work of and receive reports from the Recruitment, Education, and Transportation Task Force Committees, as well as chairing the General Membership Development Committee which will be composed of the chairpersons of the committees mentioned in this section,

(b) share responsibility for the membership development function with the President,

(c) appoint the chairs of the committees above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make monthly reports to the Executive Board regarding the status of the membership development function,

(e) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the membership development function,

(f) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the membership development function,

(g) all reports made by the Vice-President for Membership Development shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution,

(h) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 10. The Vice-President for Political Action shall:

(a) coordinate with the President the work of and receive reports from the Education and Fund-Raising Committees, chair the General Political Action Committee which will be composed of the chairpersons of the committees mentioned in this section,

(b) responsible for the political action function and appointing the chairs of the committees above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the political action function,

(e) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the political action function,

(f) all reports made by the Vice-President for Political Action shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution,

(g) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 11. The Vice-President for Structure Development shall:

(a) coordinate, with the President, the work of and receive reports from the Area Coordinators, Stewards Council and the Steward Training Committee, as well as chairing the General Structure Development Committee which will be composed of the chairperson of the Area Coordinators, a steward from the Stewards Council appointed to coordinate the work of the council and the chairperson of the Steward Training Committee,

(b) be primarily responsible for the structure development function and appointing the chairs of the committees/functions above, subject to approval by the President and ratification by the Executive Board,

(d) make quarterly reports to the Stewards Council regarding the status of the structure development function,

(e) make a report at HSEF semi-annual meetings of the membership regarding the status of the structure development function,

(f) all reports made by the Vice-President for Structure Development shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution,

(g) perform other duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.

Section 12. All officers elected by the general membership of the organization shall serve as members of the Executive Board. Failure to attend three (3) consecutive meetings of the Executive Board without providing twenty- four (24) hours prior notice to the President or his/her designee or being involved in a bona fide emergency) or having more than five (5) absences in a year shall cause the position to be automatically declared vacant. Failure to perform the duties of office shall cause a review of the situation by the Executive Board. Should the Executive Board find sufficient evidence it may, by a vote of two-thirds of those present and voting, recommend to the Stewards Council discipline up to and including removal from office. The Stewards Council shall vote on the recommendation, without amendment. A vote of sixty (60%) percent of those present and voting shall be necessary to sustain or deny the Board's recommendation.

ARTICLE VI

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board shall meet at least monthly, or at the call of the President, or at the call of four (4) or more of its members, in writing, or at the call of the Stewards Council for the purpose of initiating, overseeing, or revising the program of the organization and to conduct other business of the organization that is within its authority.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall prepare and present for approval an annual budget to the Stewards Council, at their May meeting prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, which shall run from July 1st through June 30th of each year.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall ratify the employment of all professional, technical, and support staff of the organization, at the recommendation by the President. The Executive Board can either accept or reject the Presidents proposals for employment of staff. The Executive Board must also ratify any collective bargaining agreement(s) or employment agreement(s) entered into with any personnel employed by HSEF.

Section 4. The Executive Board shall establish the salary, benefits, and expense guidelines of any general officer that is employed by the organization, except that no such person shall suffer loss of the economic status they enjoyed while a school district employee as a result of such action. The office of the President shall be a full time released position from the District and will be paid a minimum annual starting salary of $40,000, plus fringe benefits, or the employee’s current annual salary and benefits with the District, whichever is greater. Additional benefits of this position paid by HSEF will be an annual car allowance of $3000 and an annual cell allowance of $900. The Executive Board must act within the confines of the budget and with fiscal prudence. General officers that are full-time employees of HSEF shall act as salaried professionals and therefore are not eligible for compensatory time or overtime.

Section 5. Consistent with the approved budget, the Executive Board shall approve all contracts, approve all purchases in excess of three hundred ($300.00) dollars and is empowered to incur liabilities including the purchase or lease of services, equipment, and real property, to borrow money, to secure such obligations by mortgage or other instrument, and to otherwise engage in financial transactions to the extent permitted by applicable law or statute.

Section 6. Upon recommendation of the President and the Vice-President of the respective core function, the Executive Board shall approve the chairperson and membership of all special committees of the organization, except the Elections Committee, and receive regular reports from such committees. The standing committees shall be considered the core functions of the Union. Their functions are defined in Appendix B of this constitution. The Vice-President for that function will chair the standing committees. All special committees shall be designated as to which core function of HSEF (collective bargaining, communications, governance, membership development, political action or structure development) they are assigned. The appropriate Vice-President will then present or cause to be presented reports from that committee. Upon request of the President or by a majority vote of the Executive Board, a chairperson of any committee or their designee will present a report directly to the Executive Board.

Section 7. The Executive Board shall be responsible for adherence to and enforcement of the Constitution and By-Laws of the organization.

Section 8. The Executive Board shall issue regular reports, including a quarterly report, to the Stewards Council and an annual report to the membership at its semi-annual meeting in March of each year. All reports made by the Executive Board shall be provided in the format attached in Appendix A of this Constitution.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

Section 1. The standing committees of the organization shall be:

(a) Collective Bargaining

(b) Communications

(d) Membership Development

(e) Political Action

(f) Structure Development

(g) Elections

(h) Audit

(i) Grievance

These committees, except Elections and Audit, will perform the core functions as defined in Appendix B and will be coordinated by the appropriate Vice-President as described in Article V, Sections 5 through 10 of this Constitution. Further, the sub-committees defined as necessary to fulfillment of the core functions shall, upon adoption of this constitution, become special committees of HSEF.

All committees of HSEF shall have at least one representative from each of the following general work classifications; custodial, food service, maintenance, transportation and security unless granted special dispensation by a majority vote of the Stewards Council at its next regular meeting.

Section 2. The Executive Board on its own initiative, subject to the approval of the Stewards Council, or at the direction of the Stewards Council, may establish special committees. These special committees must be assigned to a core function and must not be duplicative, in the main, of currently established committees. Assignment to a core function must be with the recommendation of the President and the Vice-President of the respective core function.

Section 3. The Elections Committee shall:

(a) be composed of six (6) active members plus the chairperson for a total of seven (7) members. The Secretary, pursuant to Article V, Section 3(f), appoints the chairperson. The Stewards Council, at their quarterly meeting in February starting in the year 2001 and every other year thereafter, elects the other six (6) members. The term for the chairperson and committee members shall be two (2) years, to run from March 1st to the last day of February.

(b) ensure that should a member of the Elections Committee seek general office, they shall resign from the Committee and be replaced promptly by the Stewards Council at its next regular meeting or, if necessary, a special meeting.

(c) settle all disputes arising from elections conducted by the committee. Members shall have the right to appeal the Elections Committees decision(s) to the Steward Council.

(d) ensure that all elections are conducted in accordance with guidelines as established in the Labor Management and Disclosure Act of 1958 (Landrum-Griffin)

Section 4. The Audit Committee shall:

(a) be composed of four (4) individuals plus the chairperson. The Treasurer shall serve in an ex-officio capacity only. The committee shall have at least one person from the custodial, food service, maintenance, transportation and security sectors of employment,

(b) cause an audit of HSEF's finances to be performed and completed by the first Friday of August of each year,

(c) report to the Executive Board and the Stewards Council at their August meeting and to the membership at its September meeting.

Section 5. The Grievance Committee shall:

(a) be assigned to the core function of collective bargaining,

(b) work with the Stewards in the resolution of contractual and non-contractual disputes in the workplace, maintain records of grievances and their disposition, be responsible for the coordination of the processing of grievances and disputes beyond the immediate work location, and,

(c) make decisions regarding disputes to be taken to arbitration or civil remedy. The grievant may appeal these last decisions to the Executive Board.

(d) The Executive Director shall serve as an ex-officio, non-voting member of the Grievance Committee.

Section 6. Upon recommendation of the President and the appropriate Vice-President of the committee's designated core function and approval by the Executive Board, committee chairs shall have one (1) month to select committee members and present their names via the appropriate Vice-President to the Executive Board for approval.

Section 7. Within two (2) months of formation each committee shall present its annual program of action to their respective Vice-President. The Vice-President and the chairperson of the committee shall brief both the Executive Board and Stewards Council. The Treasurer must review any program causing fiscal outlay. With assistance from the Executive Director the Treasurer must prepare a fiscal impact report for the Executive Board and the Steward Council. The Executive Board may approve allocation of resources as long as the request is within approved budget parameters. Approval or denial for programs exceeding approved budget guidelines must be voted on by the Stewards Council at its next regular meeting.

ARTICLE VIII

STEWARDS COUNCIL

Section 1. Subject to the final authority of the membership, the general governing body of the organization shall be the Stewards Council, consisting of members of the organization elected by the members of the organization as follows:

(a) there shall be elected one (1) Chief Steward for each specific work location and one (1) Chief Steward for each region in the transportation and maintenance departments as defined by the Structure Development committee,

(b) work sites with more than twenty-five (25) members may have an Assistant Steward with full rights and duties of Chief Stewards. One (l) Assistant Steward shall be elected for each additional fifty (50) members or major fraction thereof,

(c) transportation or maintenance regions with more than twenty-five (25) members may have an Assistant Steward with full rights and duties of Chief Stewards. One (1) Assistant Steward shall be elected for each additional fifty (50) members or major fraction thereof,

(d) for members not assigned to a specific work location, the Executive Board shall designate appropriate electoral units using the same representation formula as in (b.)

Section 2. The Stewards Council shall meet quarterly for the purpose of establishing the policies of the organization, receiving and reviewing the reports of the President, Executive Board, the Executive Director, and Committees, taking appropriate action as specified in the Constitution, initiating and taking other such actions as the body deems necessary, and otherwise communicating the wishes of the membership to the President, the Executive Board and the Committees. The Stewards Council shall have final authority on all issues arising from interpretation of the Constitution and/or By-Laws of HSEF. The Stewards Council shall have final authority on all appeals arising from decisions rendered by the Elections Committee.

Section 3. The Stewards Council shall meet minimally every three (3) months: March, June, September, and December on the second Saturday of the month. The Stewards Council shall have the power to determine more frequent meetings should it deem them necessary. Special meetings can be called by a petition of thirty (30%) percent of the Stewards Council.

Section 4. The President shall be the presiding officer of the Stewards Council, but may vote only in the event of a tie.

Section 5. Membership on the Stewards Council is subject to fulfillment of minimum requirements established in Article X, Section 1(g). Failure to fulfill those requirements shall be grounds for notifying the membership at the affected worksite or region of the need to elect a new steward.

ARTICLE IX

STEWARDS

Section 1. Chief Stewards shall:

(a) attend all regular and special meetings of the Stewards Council,

(b) hold regular meetings of the membership at the worksite, or other appropriate place, for the purpose of making reports, discussing work place and organizational concerns, receiving instruction from the membership, and other activities as may be required in the standards for Steward competency developed by the Structure Development Committee,

(d) conduct elections and referenda when so instructed by the Elections Committee,

(e) process grievances and resolve disputes at the worksite, assigned region or other appropriate location as assigned by the Structure Development Committee,

(f) consult regularly with the employer's management personnel at the worksite regarding matters of interest to the Union membership,

(g) upon election, register and receive training from the Union (HSEF) in basic steward functions and attend subsequent advanced training until fully certified. Stewards must fulfill the minimum requirements of the Stewards Program as approved by the Stewards Council at its first formal meeting and annually thereafter. Changes in the program must be made by majority vote of the Stewards present at a Council meeting. Changes can only be announced at the August meeting of each year. The Stewards will receive proposed changes from the Structure Development Committee in writing, at home at their last known address at least fifteen (15) days prior to the August meeting,

(h) upon election, serve for a minimum period of one (1) year starting from August 1st to July 31st of each year subject to maintaining the standards outlined above, receive and become familiar with a packet of information for Stewards including, but not limited to, the Steward Program and a training schedule.

Section 2. Assistant Stewards shall:

(a) attend all regular and special meeting of the Stewards Council,

(b) assist the Chief Steward in the conduct of all duties,

(d) meet all other requirements as defined in Article IX, Section 1(g) and 1(h) above,

(e) work at the direction of the Chief Steward with regard to Article IX Sections 1(b) through 1(f) above, except in the absence of the Chief Steward where the Assistant Steward shall be self-determinative.

ARTICLE X

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

Section 1. The membership shall meet four (4) times per year. It shall meet in the months of March, June, September, and December on the second Saturday of the month.

Section 2. Special meetings of the membership may be called by:

(a) the Executive Board,

(b) the Stewards Council,

Section 3. The membership meeting shall be the supreme policy making body of the organization.

Section 4. The membership meeting shall have the right to initiate referenda, which shall be conducted by the Elections Committee.

ARTICLE XI

REVENUES

Section 1. The dues of this organization shall be as determined by the HSEF By-Laws. The dues of the organization shall reflect, at all times, the ability to pay affiliation fees in a current manner, salaries, benefits and expenses of officers and/or staff and maintain a program budget that advances the interests of the members of HSEF. HSEF membership dues will automatically increase to reflect increases in affiliation fees passed by either AFT, NEA, or FEA or other affiliated bodies.

Section 2. Special assessments for specific purposes may be levied by the Stewards Council provided that the membership has been apprised of the assessment and its purpose at least sixty 60 days prior to the meeting of the Stewards Council meeting at which the levy will be implemented and has not availed itself of its' right to call a special meeting, pursuant to Article X, Section 2c to deal with the issue.

ARTICLE XII

AFFILIATIONS

HSEF shall maintain affiliation with the following organizations:

(a) The American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO, its' heirs, successors or assigns,

(b) The National Education Association, its’ heirs, successors or assigns,

(d) The Florida American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations

(e) The Hillsborough County Central Labor Council

ARTICLE XIII

RULES OF ORDER

Section 1. Robert's Rules of Order. Newly Revised shall govern this organization and all of its subordinate bodies in all matters not covered by this Constitution or the By-Laws of this organization.

Section 2. All meetings of the Executive Board, Stewards Council, standing or special committees and the membership will use prepared agendas as attached in Appendix C of this Constitution.

Section 3. A quorum for the purpose of conducting business at a membership meeting is ten percent (10%) of the membership or 30 (thirty) members, whichever is less. A quorum for conducting business at a Stewards Council meeting is ten percent (10%) of the Council's membership or 10 (ten) members, whichever is greater. A quorum for conducting business for the Executive Board is sixty percent (60%) of the Board's membership or 7 (seven) members, whichever is greater.

　

ARTICLE XIV

AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Any member of the organization may present a proposed amendment to the Constitution and By-Laws Committee. The committee will review the proposed amendment and make recommendations to the Executive Board and the Stewards Council in writing as to whether the membership should accept or reject the amendment and its reasons for such recommendation. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall report its findings directly to the membership for action at the March or September membership meetings. Any party (Executive Board, Stewards Council or member) that wishes to present an opposing view may do so at the March or September meetings. The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall notify the membership of the proposed amendment by mail no later than fifteen (15) calendar days, at their last known address, prior to the semi-annual membership meetings in the Month of March and September. Notifications by the committee shall be in both English and Spanish. Amendments shall only be considered at the March and September meetings of the membership.

Section 2. Proposed amendments must be presented in writing to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee not more than seventy-five (75) calendar days or less than forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the March or September membership meetings. Proposed amendments shall state the wording of the amendment, the Article(s) and Section(s) that the proposed amendment would replace as well as the impact of the change on the Constitution as written prior to the amendment.

Section 3. Two-thirds (2/3) of those members present and voting at the March or September membership meetings shall be required for passage of the amendment. The Secretary shall review the membership sign-in list prior to each vote to ensure that only current members vote. Vote shall be by secret ballot after the amendment has been explained by the chairperson of the meeting and had that explanation translated into Spanish. Prior to voting each member that desires to do so must be given the opportunity to speak to the proposed amendment at least once. Only then can a motion to close debate be entertained.

ARTICLE XV

AVAILABILITY OF CONSTITUTION

Section 1. Three copies of this Constitution and all subsequent amendments shall be submitted to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers, its' heirs successors or assigns.

Section 2. Three copies of this Constitution and all subsequent amendments shall be submitted to the office of the Secretary-Treasurer of the Florida Education Association, its' heirs successors or assigns.

Section 3. The Secretary shall make available, upon request, a copy of the Constitution and/or By-Laws to any member in good standing of the organization.

ARTICLE XVI

APPENDICES

Section 1. The appendices aforementioned in this Constitution are hereby made part of the Constitution and as such are subject to amendment only through procedures outlined in Article XV.

ARTICLE XVII

DEFINITIONS

Section 1. This section shall define terms whose meanings are not readily apparent within the context of this Constitution:

(a) Core Functions: the major functions (collective bargaining, communications, governance, membership development, political action and structure development) which HSEF must perform effectively in order to adequately represent its membership.

(b) Appendices: documents that are attached to the back of the constitution and are typically informational in nature.

　

　

APPENDIX A

format for reports

　

Report of the _____________________________________________ of HSEF

(fill in Executive Board, Standing or Special Committee Name)

The following report is delivered to the ________________________________ on ______________

(fill in Executive Board. Stewards Council, Membership) (fill in date)

at ___________________________________________________________________________

(fill in location)

The purpose of this report is to update you on the activities of the ___________________________

__________________________. The __________________________ ,met on _________________

(fill in appropriate body) (fill in appropriate body) (fill in date(s))

and discussed the following issue(s): (fill in the line(s) with a brief description of each issue) (print or type)

(a) _________________________________________________________________________________________________

(b) __________________________________________________________________________________

(d) ______________________________________________________________________________________

The following recommendations are hereby issued to the ___________________________________

(fill in Executive Board. Stewards Council, Membership)

to be acted upon at today's meeting: (list recommendations, if any are necessary) (print or type)

1)____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

2)___________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

3)____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

If extra space is needed for any section, please use the back of this sheet

　

APPENDIX B

CORE FUNCTIONS COMMITTEES AND THEIR SUB-COMMITTEES

(1) Communications - including publications to bargaining unit employees (except recruitment material) and public affairs activities (e.g. press releases, fact sheets for school board, etc.).

(a) Public affairs - Handles the press, creating media events and facilitating outreach to the external media, both voice and electronic.

(b) Internal Publications - Handles all internal publications, except membership recruitment materials, disseminated to bargaining unit employees.

(2) Collective Bargaining - researching contract proposals, providing for bargaining team training, writing proposals, dealing with uniform issues and identifying contract enforcement issues and monitoring their results.

(a) Research - Gather comparables of public and, where applicable, private sector contracts, and identify areas of comparison for proposal writing. Comparables for the purpose of statute (FS 447) are as follows:

a) Adjacent districts: Pinellas, Pasco, Manatee, Polk and Hardee

b) Similar-size districts: Pinellas, Orange, DuVal and Broward.

(b) Training - Identify training needs, e.g., basic bargaining, impasse resolution and resources. (FEA, AFT, AFL-CIO) Schedule and implement training.

(c) Proposal Writing - Design, distribute and tally bargaining survey. Take research and survey results and write contract proposals.

(d) Uniforms - Interview uniform providers, provide specifications for uniforms and get quotes from vendors. Review information provided by School Board. Advise the proposal writing team of recommendations. Develop position for presentation to School Board and management team.

(e) Contract Enforcement - Identify areas of contract where enforcement has been an issue. Develop recommendations for enforcement. The Grievance Committee serves as a subset of the Contract Enforcement Committee and performs the following functions:

a) the Grievance Committee shall work with the Stewards and assigned officers and/or staff in the resolution of contractual and non-contractual disputes in the workplace,

b) shall maintain records of grievances and their disposition,

c) shall be responsible for overseeing the staff and/or officers responsible for processing of grievances and disputes beyond the immediate work location,

d) shall make decisions regarding disputes to be taken to arbitration or civil remedy. The grievant may appeal these last decisions to the Executive Board.

(3) Governance - reviews all proposed amendments to the Constitution and/or By-Laws and provides an annual review of both documents for needed changes and report findings to the Executive Board, Membership and the Stewards Council. Analyze and review dues structure for fiscal soundness and report findings to the Executive Board, Membership and the Stewards Council. Recommend a process for interviewing prospective appointees for vacant board positions for adoption by the Stewards Council that will help ensure that the best candidates receive the appointment.

(a) Constitution and Bylaws - receive and process proposed amendments pursuant to procedures outlined in Article XIV of the Constitution. Perform a review of the Constitution (annually) and recommend amendments, if necessary, for proposal by the Executive Board to the membership at the membership's March meeting. Report finding of review to the Stewards Council at their February meeting annually.

(b) Dues Structure - developing a fair dues structure that will ensure future fiscal viability of HSEF and provide funding for programs of substance to its membership for the foreseeable future. Provides for annual review of the dues structure as it relates to membership program needs and the ability to fund those needs and to keep all other obligations currant. Recommends changes to the membership at their September meeting. This recommendation does not change the Executive Board's authority to set dues structures on an interim basis, subject to the ratification of the membership.

(c) Executive Board Vacancies - design and implement a recruitment and selection process to fill interim board vacancies. Conduct solicitation and interviews of prospective candidates. Recommend the candidate(s) scoring highest in the process to the President for appointment to the Executive Board.

(4) Membership Development - recruiting new members, identifying activists and secondary leadership (including stewards). Developing and implementing educational programs for members and potential members on issues of importance. Coordinating joint training with the local NEA affiliate. Using the Transportation Task Force to promote the needs of transportation employees and to develop alternative (non-bargaining) strategies for resolving problems in transportation.

(a) Recruitment - primary responsibility of recruiting new members and identifying secondary leadership (e.g., volunteers, committee persons, stewards, etc). Responsibility for developing membership recruitment incentive programs and coordinating existing membership benefit programs. Creation of local membership benefits that are relevant to HSEF members (e.g., store discounts). Ensuring that every new member gets a new membership packet and making sure that the packet is germane to the new member. Responsibility of designing, staffing and oversight of membership drives, subject to the review and approval of the Executive Board.

(b) Education - assess the needs for job-related training (e.g., student management for bus drivers, health and safety for food service, etc.) of our membership. Design and implement programs to meet these needs, where possible, using existing or anticipated employer training programs. Where possible conduct these classes in cooperative partnership with the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA).Assess the need for leadership development training (except for Stewards and Area Coordinators). Design and implement programs to meet these needs. Where possible conduct these seminars in cooperative partnership with the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association (HCTA).

(c) Transportation Task Force - define the issues of priority importance to our members in transportation. Develop and implement strategies, both bargaining and political, to resolve problems within the transportation department.

(5) Political Action - design and implement a political education program for the HSEF membership, including screening for school board and state legislature candidates. Establish, within the guidelines of state and national affiliates as well as local, state and national laws, a political action fund. Implement fundraising for political activities, with primary focus on political check-off. Ensure that HSEF has an ongoing voter registration program and that its' database is current regarding registration and all the information pertaining thereto.

(a) Education - design and implement a political education program that focuses on the direct impact of the political process on our members. This program should include, but not be limited to, the impact of current events (e.g., vouchers a.k.a. "opportunity scholarships") on our member’s jobs. The program should also include information about candidates for school board, state legislature and Congress that support or oppose HSEF positions.

(b) Fund Raising - develop a fund raising campaign that focuses on political action check-off, as provided in the contract, as the primary source of HSEF's political action funds.

(6) Structure - developing and implementing Steward and Area Coordinator structures. Identifying, recruiting and training Stewards and Area Coordinators. Oversight of all programs for Stewards, including minimum requirements, certification process and incentives.

(a) Area Coordinators - handle the coordination of communication with Stewards and serve as a direct link to the Executive Board, Leadership Council, President and Project Director for information to and from the worksites. Communicate with Stewards within their assigned areas. Design a phone tree for quick two-way communication from leadership to Stewards.

(b) Stewards Council - provides policy guidance and direction to the Executive Board. Serves as the representative body of the Union on behalf of the membership (similar to a county commissioner). Designs and implements training and incentive programs for Stewards and Area Coordinators. These programs are subject to approval by the HSEF Executive Board for fiscal purposes only.

(c) Steward Training - coordinates and implements Steward and Area Coordinator training program(s). Handles logistics and interfaces with affiliate resources. Solicits attendees and coordinates with the Chairperson of Internal Publications to advertise training sessions. Evaluates program(s) and revises as needed.

　

Appendix C

sample meeting agenda

1. Call To Order by President / Chairperson

2. Approval of the Minutes (minutes must be distributed at the meeting and preferably prior to the meeting).

3. Approval / Modification of the Agenda

4. Treasurer's Report (if appropriate)

5. President or Chairperson's Report

6. Committee Reports (if appropriate)

7. Old Business Items (issues left unresolved from last meeting of the group)

A. B. C.

8. New Business Items (issues to be discussed at this meeting)

A. B. C.

9. Good and Welfare (items of information relevant to the membership)

10. Next meeting date and location

11. Adjournment

　

　

　

　

By-Laws

of the

Hillsborough School Employees Federation (HSEF)

Section 1. The Executive Board shall set dues after the annual review by the Dues Structure Committee of the HSEF dues system. This review must be provided to the Executive Board and the Stewards Council no later than their February meeting.

Section 2. No dues structure may be passed or maintained that fails to fully fund the locals ability to pay wages and benefits to staff/officers, affiliation fees and continued adequate funding of the core functions of the Union as defined in Article XVI and Appendix B of the HSEF Constitution.

Section 3. There shall be established a Social Committee, assigned to the core function of Membership Development, that will seek to find ways to gather the membership in a social environment that will promote goodwill and harmony. The activities of the Social Committee will be subject to the same scrutiny and protocols set for the standing committees and their sub-committees as defined in the Constitution.

Section 4. These By-Laws may be amended pursuant to the same procedures provided in the HSEF Constitution (Article XIV) except that only 50% plus one (1) of the membership present and voting shall be required to amend the By-Laws.

Section 5. Where a conflict exists between these By-Laws and the HSEF Constitution, the HSEF Constitution shall be the controlling document.