Dear Faculty Union Member:
This letter is to inform you of the Procedure for Nominations to begin the process of holding elections for UFCT President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. These four officers comprise the organization’s Executive Committee as specified in the Constitution or the Bylaws. For descriptions of the duties of these officers, and of the Executive Committee as a whole, please see the bottom of this document. Terms are for three years; the current term will expire on December 31, 2016.
On September 1st, you will be receiving an email from the outside organization Votenet or eBallot that will be conducting both the nominations procedure and the general elections for UFCT in 2016 in accordance with the AFT Constitution, the local Bylaws and the standards set out by the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA).The ballot they send you will enable you to write-in the name of a candidate for any of the positions listed above. Online nominations will begin September 1, and will end at 5pm on September 22, 2016.
Here are the rules for Nominations as stipulated by the bylaws:
Any member in good standing may nominate someone for office, including one’s self. [Agency payers are ineligible to vote or to have their names nominated for office]
A nominee must have been a member in good standing for at least one year prior to his or her nomination.
A nominee must receive at least four (4) supporting nominations, including self-nominations, in order to be eligible to appear on the ballot during General Election.
You are not obligated to submit a nomination for all four positions.
After reviewing the nominations, the Elections Committee will validate the eligibility of nominees. Eligible nominees will then be contacted and may either accept or deny their nomination.
Once the nominees have been established, ballots for the General Election will be prepared in accordance with our local’s bylaws and LMRDA. At that time, Final Nominees may be invited to submit a half-page statement with respect to their qualifications and beliefs regarding the office they are seeking.
Soon thereafter, rules for General Election balloting and ballots will be mailed to union members after receiving all materials from the candidates.
Again, please be on the lookout for an email from Votenet/eBallot. This email will contain a link to the Write-In Nomination ballot. All nomination ballots must be received by Votenet by September 22, 2016 at 5pm.
Thank you for your participation!
Your 2016 UFCT Elections Committee:
Luis Alonso, Linda Lauro-Lazin, and Laura Elrick
**********
Definition and Duties of our Officers, taken from our Bylaws:
Article V: Officers of the Union
5.1 The Union’s four (4) officers shall be: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. These four officers shall comprise of the organization’s Executive Committee.
5.2 All officers shall perform the customary duties and exercise the usual powers of such offices as specified in the Constitution or the Bylaws.
Article I: Duties of the Officers
1.1 President: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the the UFCT Local 1460 and shall preside at meetings of the Executive Committee and membership meetings. The President shall make decisions between meetings on the basis of organizational policy, making every effort to consult with Executive Committee, and shall have such powers as may be required for the exercise of those duties.
1.2 Vice President: The Vice President shall assist the President and assume the duties of that office in the absence of the President, and shall become President if that office is vacated.
1.3 Treasurer: The Treasurer shall be responsible for maintaining accurate financial records, the payment of all bills, the annual audit of the union’s financial status which shall be disseminated to membership, for maintaining a budget, and for reporting the dues- paying status of membership.
1.4 Secretary: The Secretary shall be responsible for the preparation of the minutes of the Executive Committee and of the membership meetings, and for their prompt dissemination to the membership, and shall maintain the non-financial records of the union.
Article II: Executive Committee
2.1 The Executive Committee shall meet monthly, or at the call of the President, or at the call of two (2) or more of its members, or at the call of the Delegates Assembly, 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. A quorum for the Executive Committee shall be a majority of its members.
2.2 The Executive Committee with the assistance of the Treasurer shall prepare, establish, and present to the Delegates Assembly and the membership an annual budget in the month prior to the beginning of the fiscal year.
2.3 The Executive Committee shall employ all professional, technical, clerical, and support staff of the organization.
2.4 The Executive Committee shall establish the salary, benefits, and expense guidelines of any general officer who is employed by the organization.
2.5 The Executive Committee shall be empowered to make contracts and incur liabilities including the purchase 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. The Executive Committee shall have the power to sue, complain, and defend on behalf of the membership.
2.6 The Executive Committee shall be responsible for adherence to and enforcement of the Constitution and Bylaws of the organization.
2.7 The Executive Committee shall issue regular reports, including an annual report, to the Delegates Assembly and the membership.