Bylaws
BYLAWS
The Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild shall be governed by the Constitution of The Communication Workers of America, its policies adopted in International Convention, the Bylaws of the Newspaper Guild Sector and the following Bylaws which are supplementary thereto:
ARTICLE I
Governing Authority
Section 1. The affairs of this Local shall be governed by its membership in accordance with the Constitution and policies of the Union in the following manner:
- By the CWA Constitution, action of the membership at CWA Conventions and the National Executive Board.
- Through action taken in membership meetings or by referendum of the membership;
- Through actions and decisions of the Represntative Assembly (hereinafter known as the RA) between membership meetings;
- Through action and decisions of the Executive Board between membership meetings or meetings of the RA;
- Through actions and decisions of the Local officers between RA, Executive Board and membership meetings;
- The action and decisions of the RA, Executive Board and Officers of the Local between Local meetings may be overruled by the membership in a Local meeting or by referendum.
Section 2. Officers of the Local shall consist of a President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer, each of whom shall be a voting member of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE II
Local Membership Meetings
Section 1. The annual membership meeting shall be held in January. Membership meetings shall also be held in May, August and November of each year upon dates set by the Executive Board. The Executive Board may change the meetings to different months for good cause, and with proper notification to the membership. In the interim between membership meetings it shall be the duty of the Administrative Officer to inform the membership of proceedings of the Executive Board by bulletin or otherwise.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Local officers, by a majority vote of the Executive Board or by a petition signed by twenty (20) percent of the Local membership. Upon receipt of a proper petition the Local officers shall call a special meeting to be held within ten (10) days. No business shall be conducted at special meetings other than that specified in the call unless by unanimous consent.
Section 3. Notice of any special meeting shall be posted on the Local Union bulletin board and mailed to all shop stewards at least five (5) days in advance of the meeting.
Section 4. The membership may provide for suspension of the August meeting of the Local.
Section 5. At any Local meeting the presence of five (5) percent of the members of the Local in good standing shall constitute a quorum. The presence of a quorum shall be presumed unless there is a call for a quorum count.
ARTICLE III
Executive Board
Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the elected officers of the Local and elected Sector Representatives as defined in Article 8, Section 1. One board member will be elected for every 200 members in each Sector. The Administrative Officer shall be a non-voting member of the Executive Board. The retiring president shall become an ex-officio member for one (1) year.
Section 2. The Executive Board shall meet once each month except in July when there will be no meeting unless a special meeting is called.
Section 3. Any member of the Local may attend Executive Board meetings, except that the chair is empowered to decide whether such members may take part in the discussions of the board.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall supervise the handling of all Local funds. Checks shall be valid only when signed by two of the following three officers: the President, the Treasurer, and the Administrative Officer.
Section 5. The Local Executive Board shall be responsible for making decisions and taking action on behalf of the Local membership between Local meetings on all matters concerning the good and welfare of the members. The Local President shall call a meeting of the Executive Board whenever requested by a majority of the Board members to do so; cause an annual budget to be prepared and presented to the membership; and be responsible for the operation of strike action procedures as outlined in the Union Constitution. A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.
Section 6. A Finance Committee comprised of the President, Treasurer and Administrative Officer or their designated representatives shall be responsible to invest Local funds to produce the greatest yield subject to liquidity requirements and safety. The Finance Committee shall report any change of investment to the next regular monthly meeting of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IV
Representative Assembly
Section 1. The Representative Assembly shall consist of the Executive Board and the RA delegation of each unit/chapel. The retiring President shall become a member-at-large for one year.
Section 2. The presiding officer of the RA shall be the Local Vice President.
Section 3. The RA shall meet quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the President, Vice President, Administrative Officer, Executive Board or a quorum of the RA.
Section 4. The RA shall make its own rules within the provision of these bylaws.
Section 5. A quorum shall be one-third of the RA, representing not less than one-third of the Local’s units/chapels.
Section 6. Each unit/chapel shall be entitled to one delegate for each 50 (or major fraction thereof) unit members in good standing as of January 1 of each year. Unit/chapel delegates to the Assembly shall be apportioned among the major departments of each unit/chapel.
Section 7. Units/chapels with fewer than 50 members shall be represented by a unit or chapel chair. Members of the retiree unit, if one exists, may elect a single voting RA delegate.
Section 8. Nominations and elections for unit/chapel chair, unit/chapel vice chair and the RA will take place at a unit/chapel meeting to be called by the unit/chapel chairperson within twenty (20) days of the January membership meeting. In the larger units, elections shall be conducted seperately by major departments with each member voting only for the nominees for the department in which he or she is employed. If a major department does not elect its quota of delegates, nominations for the remainder of the department’s quota shall be reopened to the entire unit membership to complete the quota in an at-large election.
For the Bremerton Sun, major departments are Composing and Editorial.
For the P-I, major departments are Business, which includes Stockroom and Purchasing; and Editorial.
For the Times, the major departments are Advertising, which includes Promotion and Dispatch; Editorial, which includes the Library; Circulation; and Composing.
Section 9. RA officers shall serve terms of two years.
Section 10. The unit may elect an alternate for each elected RA delegate, the alternate to serve only in the absence of the delegate.
Section 11. The Administrative Officer shall be hired and/or discharged by the RA subject to ratification of the general membership. The Administrative Officer shall be directly responsible to the Executive Committee in the discharge of his or her duties.
ARTICLE V
Unit Officers
Section 1. Unit/chapel officers will consist of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson and a secretary. Unit/chapel officers will be elected at the January unit meeting at which RA delegates are nominated. Units with more than 400 members will elect a vice-chairperson from each major department as defined in Article IV.
Section 2. Unit/chapel office vacancies will be filled by election at the first unit/chapel meeting following the creation of the vacancy, provided that 15 days notice of the election is given. If that is not possible, the election may be at the subsequent unit/chapel meeting or a special unit/chapel meeting.
Section 3. Unit/chapel election disputes will be decided by the Local Election Committee, subject to ratification by the RA or the Local Membership.
Section 4. Unit/chapel meetings will be subject to the call of the unit/chapel chairperson. Special meetings will be called by the chair at the written request of ten percent (10%) of the unit/chapel membership.
ARTICLE VI
Duties of Officers
Section 1. The Local President shall be responsible for the conduct of Local business; preside at Local membership and Local officers’ meetings; appoint, supervise and be ex-officio member of all committees; approve all bills to be paid and countersign all checks drawn on the treasury; and perform such other additional duties as may be assigned by the Executive Board or required by the Policies or Constitution of the Union.
Section 2. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President in the latter’s absence.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of membership meetings and meetings of the Executive Board and deliver a copy to the Administrative Officer and members of the Executive Board within seven (7) days after each meeting.
Section 4. The Treasurer shall be custodian of all funds of the Local under the direction of the Executive Board. The Treasurer shall report on the Local’s finances at all regular meetings of the Local whenever called upon by the Executive Board and shall present the Treasurer’s accounts for audit at any time the Executive Board or the Local desires. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the application of the financial provisions of The Union Constitution and of these Bylaws.
Section 5. The Administrative Officer shall be custodian of the Local’s seals and records, shall conduct the correspondence of the Local and discharge those duties directed by the Executive Board. The Administrative Officer shall be a member of all committees except the Council and shall supervise the conduct of all contract negotiations and grievances in accordance with policy determined by the Executive Board, the Representative Assembly, or the membership. In all matters of Union policy not clearly defined through past practice or established precedent, the Administrative Officer shall refer all questions to the Executive Board or members for final decision. The Administrative Officer shall maintain an accurate membership list of the Local, including mailing addresses. Such mailing lists shall be the sole property of the Local and shall not be available to any affiliate of the Local or outside organization except upon specific instructions of the membership. The Administrative Officer shall be in charge of the Local’s office and the office staff. The Administrative Officer and the office staff shall keep complete and accurate records of the membership dues. The officers and office staff shall be bonded by the Union at sums to be set by the Executive Board. The Administrative Officer shall supervise the routine financial operations of the Local.
ARTICLE VII
Elections
Section 1. Officers, Delegates and Alternates of the Local will be elected for two- (2) year terms by secret ballot. The elections will take place not less than thirty (30) days after the November membership meeting, but in no event later than December 31, on a date to be set by the President.
Section 2. Voting will take place at ballot boxes located at each workplace and staffed by the election committee. A box also will be posted at the Local office for one full workday and another partial day. Absentee voting will not be allowed. Specific provisions for voting may be made by the Executive Board. Only members in good standing will be allowed to vote.
Section 3. At least fifteen (15) days’ notice of the election, including a list of candidates, will be given in the Local Bulletin.
Section 4. The election will be supervised by an election committee of three (3) or more members, who will be appointed by the President subject to ratification by the membership. Election disputes will be decided in accordance with Article XV of the CWA Constitution.
Section 5. Nominations for officers will be received at the November membership meeting. They also may be made by a signed petition of twenty-five (25) members in good standing. Petitions must be delivered to the Administrative Officer within five (5) days following the November meeting.
Section 6. In the event that no candidate in a contested race receives a plurality of votes, a runoff election will be held between the two leading candidates within thirty (30) days. Voting will follow the same procedure as in the regular election.
Section 7. CWA Convention delegates shall be nominated and elected annually by the procedures set forth in Article VII, Bylaws. In the event the Local elects more than one (1) delegate to the Union Convention, the Local shall determine the convention votes to be assigned to each delegate in accordance with Article VIII of the Union Constitution. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Local to certify the delegates to the Union Convention to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Union within the time limits specified in Article VIII of the Union Constitution. Expenses of delegates shall be paid by the local, subject to limitations set by the Executive Board.
Section 8. Election of delegates to other bodies will take place as determined by the Executive Board.
Section 9. A vacancy in the office of Local President shall be filled by the Local Vice President. Vacancies in other offices shall be filled by appointment of the governing body of the Local. Subject to approval of the appointment by the Local membership within sixty (60) days.
Section 10. Nominees for Local offices and for convention delegates may accept nomination in person at the nominating meeting or by submitting written acceptance before or at the meeting.
Section 11. Officers will take office on January 1st.
ARTICLE VIII
Sectors
Section 1. The Sector Representatives will reflect the membership percentage of the Local from each sector identified as Newspaper; Printing, Publishing, and Media, and General Communications. In addition, any other sectors as determined by the Executive Board and membership. All Sector Officers will be elected in accordance with Article VII.
Section 2. Each Sector Chair will file promptly after each meeting a copy of the minutes of the sector meeting with the Local Administrative Officer, who within seven (7) days will furnish a copy to officers of the Local.
Section 3. Sector meetings will be subject to call of the Sector Chairperson. Special meetings of the sector will be called by the Sector Chairperson upon written request of twenty (20) percent of the sector membership.
ARTICLE IX
Membership
Section 1. -Eligibility
(a) All persons engaged in the communications field and other fields of endeavor, both public and private sectors, excepting those excluded by law, shall be eligible for membership in the Union.
(b) All persons who are officers of labor organizations representing workers within the jurisdiction of the Union shall be eligible for membership in the Union.
(c) Members of the Union who are on leaves of absence from their employment or who are employed on a full-time or part-time basis by the Union or a Local or who are or may be retired for any reason may continue to be active members.
(d) No person, otherwise eligible for membership, shall be denied membership in the Union because of sex, race, creed or nationality.
(e) No person, otherwise eligible for membership in this Union, shall be admitted to membership if the person has been fined, suspended or expelled by a Local of this Union, until the person has complied with the terms of such fine, suspension or expulsion.
Section 2. -Applications
(a) Membership in the Union shall be obtained and maintained through membership in a chartered Local of the Union.
(b) Each application for membership shall be accompanied by the initiation fee established by the Local which shall be not less than two dollars ($2) nor more than five dollars ($5), without approval of the Executive Board.
(c) The Union’s portion of an initiation fee shall be one dollar ($1). Each Local shall pay the Union its portion of the initiation fees in such a manner as required by the Convention or the Executive Board.
(d) The Executive Board may waive the Union’s portion of the initiation fee. A Local may waive its portion of the initiation fee with approval of the Executive Board.
(d) In the event an application for membership is denied, the initiation fee shall be refunded to the applicant.
(e) Each Local shall establish a membership committee or membership committees which shall act upon applications for membership. Membership committees shall accept or reject such applications subject to the right of the Local to overrule the committee.
(f) A Local shall not establish qualifications for membership which contravene qualifications set forth in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE X
Collective Bargaining
Section 1. The calling, conduct and termination of strikes affecting this Local shall at all times be carried out in compliance with the Rules prescribed by the Union and Article XVIII of the Union Constitution.
ARTICLE XI
Discipline
Section 1. - Specifications of Offenses - Locals
Members may be fined, suspended and/or expelled by Locals in the manner provided in the Constitution for any of the following acts:
(a) Making false material statements or withholding material information when applying for membership; (b) Willfully refusing to pay dues or assessments properly established or fines properly imposed or other valid financial obligations to the Union or Local; (c) Willfully violating the Constitution of the Union, Local Bylaws or Rules; (d) Disobeying or willfully failing to comply with any lawful decision or order of the Union or Local; (e) Working without proper Union authorization, during the period of a properly approved strike in or for an establishment which is being struck by the Union or Local; (f) Instigating or knowingly participating in an unauthorized strike or slowdown; (g) Willfully violating the adopted standards as to wages, hours, or working conditions; (h) Misappropriating money or property of the Union or Local; (i) For such other offenses, equally serious, which tend to bring the Union or Local thereof into disrepute.
Section 2. Specification of Offenses - Union
Members may be fined, suspended and/or expelled by trial courts selected by the Executive Board of the Union in the manner provided in the Constitution for any of the following acts:
(a) Willfully supporting or assisting other labor organizations in connection with a claim of jurisdiction in conflict with the jurisdiction of the Union; (b) Willfully supporting or assisting any person, group of persons, or organization in any activity for purposes of seeking or obtaining the replacement of the Union as the collective bargaining representative.
Section 3. Suspension Pending Trial
An officer of the union, member of the Executive Board, Local officer or other elected official against whom charges have been filed for conduct set forth in Paragraphs (a) or (b) of Section 2 of this Article may be suspended from office by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Executive Board pending the final determination of the charges by a trial court or any appeal resulting from such trial, where such suspension is determined by the Executive Board to be in the best interest of the Union.
ARTICLE XII
Dues
Section 1. Dues shall be 1.5% of each bargaining unit members’ gross weekly straight-time salary.
Section 2. Dues for associate members shall be $1 per month.
Section 3. Any additional dues required by the application of Article XVII, Section 2(d) and (e) of TNG’s Constitution shall be a dues obligation of Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild membership of this Local at time of merger with CWA Local 14761.
Section 4. Any additional dues required by Article VII, Section 1 (d), Bylaws (Strike Fund), of the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers Sector of the CWA shall be a dues obligation of the former CWA Local 14761 membership of this Local at time of merger with PNNG.
Section 5. Monthly dues remitted to CWA (.46% Per Capita; 15% Member’s Relief Fund (except for public employees); 50 cents Defense Fund; $1 Mortuary Fund of the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers Sector shall be a dues obligation of the former CWA Local membership of this Local at the time of the merger with PNNG, such amounts to be paid by PNNG out of the monthly dues of 1.5%.
Section 6. Retirees may elect to continue membership in the Printing, Publishing and Media Workers Sector of the CWA by remitting monthly dues of $1. Membership may be continued in the PPMWS and the Communications Workers of America by remittance of $2 monthly dues.
ARTICLE XIII
Referendum
Section 1. Any matter to be decided by the Local may be submitted to a referendum of the membership by either the Local or the Executive Board and shall be submitted to such a referendum upon a petition signed by not less than twenty (20) percent of the membership in good standing at the time of the filing of the petition.
Section 2. Machinery for the holding of a referendum shall be outlined by the Executive Board and may take the form of a vote by mail or in person at designated polling places or a combination of both. Disputes shall be decided by the Election Committee subject to ratification by the next meeting of the Executive Board or Local membership.
ARTICLE XIV
Official Publication
Section 1. The official publication of the Local shall be the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild Bulletin which shall be published at least once a month under supervision of the Executive Board. Whenever notice to the membership is required by these Bylaws, publication on either page one or the address page of the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild Bulletin shall constitute compliance.
ARTICLE XV
Amendments
Section 1. All bylaw changes of the local must be submitted by referendum to the membership for ratification.
ARTICLE XVI
Interpretations
Section 1. The Bylaws shall be interpreted by the presiding officer subject to appeal to the membership meeting, to the International Executive Board and the next International Convention. Questions of procedure not covered by the Union’s Constitution, Convention decision, or these Bylaws shall be governed by Robert’s Rules of Order.