MEETINGS

Section 1. EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS: The Executive Board will meet at least monthly to conduct routine business of the Local and also are required to prepare the agenda for General Meetings. The Executive Board shall be comprised of the following members with full voting power: President, Executive Vice President, Second Vice President/Treasurer, Third Vice President/Secretary, Lead Advocate, Member at Large. One member from each Committee listed in Article III, section 2 are also members of the Executive Board but may not vote on the business of the Local.

The quorum for the purposes of casting a vote or transacting business by the Executive Board shall be no fewer than three (3) Elected Officers comprising the Board Meeting.

Section 2. GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS: General Membership Meetings will be held on a quarterly basis at a reasonable place and time as determined by the majority of the Executive Board. The meeting place and time will be announced prior to the meeting. Members shall be notified of each meeting by any practical means of communication, reasonably calculated to reach each member of the local.

Section 3. SPECIAL MEETINGS: Special Meetings may be called by the President, a majority of the Executive Board in session, or upon written request of at 15 members in good standing.

Section 4. QUORUM: A Quorum for the purpose of transacting business at a general or special meetings shall be five (5) members.

Section 5. CONDUCT: All procedural rules not provided for in these By-Laws or the National By-Laws will be decided in accordance with the current edition of Roberts Rules of Order.

Section 6. ORDER OF BUSINESS: The order of business shall be conducted by agenda, including but not limited to the following:

1. Call the meeting to order
2. Roll Call of Officers
3. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.
4. Old business
5. New Business
6. Report of Officers
7. Report of Committees
8. Treasurer’s Financial Report.
9. Announcements.
10. Adjournment.

Section 1. NUMBER OF DELEGATES: The number of delegates and/or alternates the Local designates to the National Convention shall be in accordance with Article VI, Section 5 of the National By-laws.

Section 2. ELIGIBILITY: A member must be in good standing in the Local to be nominated and elected as a delegate or alternate to the National Convention.

Section 3. DELEGATES: The Local Unit Officers elected by secret ballot are also the voting delegates to intermediate or national bodies including National Conventions. If the number of elected officers is less than the number of delegates allowed by Article VI, Section 5 of the National By-Laws, then arrangements shall be made for nominations and a secret ballot election. If the total number of officers is greater than the number delegates allowed, then officers shall attend as delegates in the following order:

1. President
2. Executive Vie President
3. Second Executive Vice President/ Treasurer
4. Third Executive Vice President/ Secretary
5. Lead Advocate
6. Member at Large (1)

(1) Violation of any specific provision of this constitution or of the National By-Laws;
(2) Violation of the oath of loyalty and/or their duty to the International Union, NAGE the Local Unit and/or the members thereof;
(3) Misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance such that they have breached their duty to the International, NAGE, the Local Unit and or the members thereof;
(4) Disloyalty or conduct unbecoming a member;
(5) Financial malpractice;
(6) Corrupt or unethical practices or racketeering;
(7) Advocating or participating in dual unionism or secession;
(8) Disobedience to the regulations, rules or mandates and decrees of the International Union or NAGE or the Local Unit;
(9) The wrongful taking or retaining of any money, books, papers, or any other property belonging to the International Union, NAGE or the Local Unit; or the wrongful destruction, mutilation or erasure of any books records bills receipts vouchers or other property of the National Union or the Local Unit;
(10)Working as a strike breaker or violating wage or work standards established by the international Union or NAGE or the Local Unit;
(11) The bringing of false charges against a member or officer without good faith or with malicious intent;
(12) Failing to pay his or her proper union membership dues, or failing to remit proper dues from the Local to the National;
(13) Discrimination or advocacy or forbidden discrimination against any other member on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age or disability.

Section 2. DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES: The Executive Board of the Local shall act as the Trial Body.

Charges alleging misconduct on the part of the member shall be filed in duplicate with the Secretary of the Local, who shall serve a copy thereof on the accused either personally or by registered or certified mail, directed to the last known address of the accused, at least ten (10) days before the hearing on the charges.

No charges may be filed more than six (6) months after the charging party learned or could have reasonably learned, of the act or acts which are the basis of the charges.
All members and officers accused of misconduct shall be afforded a full and fair hearing in accordance with the Local and the National Constitution and By-laws. The hearing shall be held within thirty (30) days of the issuance of notice and be held in a reasonable place and at a reasonable time. The accused may appear in person and with witnesses to answer the charges against him/her and shall be afforded a full and fair hearing. A decision shall be issued within sixty (60) days following the conclusion of the hearing.

Section 1. APPEAL OF DISCIPLINARY ORDER: Any person or body whom disciplinary action has been taken or whose charges have been dismissed in whole or in part shall have the right to appeal. An appeal to the National Executive Committee may be taken either by the accused or the member filing the charges from any decision of this Local Unit with respect to such charges provided as such decision is a final decision under the terms of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Local Unit. Any such appeal must be filed in writing with the National Executive Vice President by registered or certified mail, within fifteen (15) days after the decision. The appeal shall clearly set forth the decision being appealed from and the grounds for the appeal.

Section 2. APPEAL OF ELECTION: Any member of the Local may use the following procedure to appeal the results of an election for the Local Officers and delegates to the National Convention. Within fifteen (15) calendar days after the tally of ballots has been furnished to the members of the Local, any member of that Local may file an objection to the Executive Board. Objections must be made in writing and must contain specific reasons in support thereof.

Section 1. GRIEVANT’S RIGHTS: Any person employed by the bargaining unit represented by a local of the National Association of Government Employees (hereinafter the “Grievant”) shall have the following rights and shall employ the following remedies under the provisions of this Constitution and By-Laws if he or she believes that the Local Grievance Committee has acted improperly in handling his/her grievance under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Section 2. PROCEDURE: The Grievant, upon receiving notification from the Local Grievance Committee, whether verbal or written, that the Committee has determined either to (1) reject his grievance (2) settle his grievance or (3) decline further process of the grievance to the next step of the grievance procedure shall take the following action to protect his rights:

STEP ONE: The Grievant shall within seventy-two (72) hours of notification of the Local Committee’s action complained of, notify the Secretary of the Local in writing that the grievant appeals the Committee’s decision to the Local Membership.

(a) The Local shall, if possible immediately take the required action to protect the Grievant’s rights under the Collective Bargaining Agreement by proceeding to the next step of the Grievance Procedure
(b) The Grievant’s appeal will be scheduled for hearing at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Local Unit’s Membership. If no regularly scheduled meeting of the Local will occur before the next step of the grievance procedure expires, the Local Unit Grievance Committee shall continue to protect the Grievant’s rights by proceeding to the next further step of the grievance procedure, PROVIDED that the obligation of the Local Unit Grievance Committee to protect the Grievant’s rights by proceeding to the next step of the grievance procedure shall not include the obligation to proceed to arbitration. At such hearing before the Local Unit Membership, the Grievant and the Local Unit Grievance Committee will each be permitted a reasonable amount of time to present their respective positions. Thereafter, the matter shall be voted on by the members in good standing attending the Local Unit Membership meeting and the decision by a majority vote shall constitute a final determination as to whether or not to endorse the Unit Grievance Committee’s Decision complained of.
(c) Subject to the order of the National, if the membership of the Local supports the Local Unit Grievance Committee’s decision, the Local Unit Grievance Committee shall not be required to take any further affirmative action to advance the grievance and said grievance will be processed in accordance with the Grievance Committee’s initial decision.
(d) If the Grievant is not satisfied with the decision of the Local Unit’s membership he or she may appeal to the National under Step Two.

STEP TWO: The Grievant must notify the National Office in writing within three (3) business days following the decision of the Local Unit’s Membership, that he or she appeals the Local Units decision.

(a) Such appeal shall set forth a complete narrative as to the facts in support of the Appeal and whatever documents are reasonably necessary for an understanding of the case.
(b) The Appeal will be decided by a National Officer duly designated to act by the National President. Such National Officer may at any time (1) order the Local Grievance Committee to take all steps necessary to protect the Grievant’s rights under the grievance Procedure pending the decision of the National Officers under STEP TWO (b) or (2) if the final decision under STEP TWO (b) is in favor of the Grievant, Such National Officer shall order the Local Unit to take whatever actions she/he deems necessary to resolve the Grievant’s Complaint and to protect his/her rights under the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Section 3. APPEAL OF GREIVANCE: Any member of a NAGE Bargaining Unit who believes that his or her grievance has been improperly handled by the Local Unit Grievance Committee or other authorized local bargaining agent shall, without exception, employ the remedies and procedures contained herein. No complainant shall be entitled to enforce or present his or her claim against NAGE or its Local subordinate in any Court or other administrative body without first exhausting these internal procedures.

Section 1. AMENDMENTS: Amendments to this Constitution and By-Laws shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting of the Local. The amendment shall be read by the presiding Officer under the heading of new business. All proposed Bylaw changes will be review by the Bylaws Committee for adhere to existing Constitutions. After such notice, the proposed amendment shall become a part of the Constitution and By-Laws, at the next meeting, if it is approved by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. Such amendments must be signed by three (3) active members of the Local.

Section 1. EXPENDITURES: All expenditures and/or appropriations under $250.00 must be audited and approved in advance by the Executive Board. All expenditures and/or appropriations over $250.00 must be audited and approved by the Finance Committee. Payment shall be made by check and signed by the Treasurer and President. There shall be no disposal of property without a majority vote of the members present and voting at a regular meeting

Section 1. FINANCIAL RECORDS: Financial records of the Local Unit shall be kept on a fiscal year basis. The Fiscal year shall begin September first (1st) and end on August thirty-first (31st).

Section 2. FINANCIAL REVIEW: The Local Units shall conduct an audit on an annual basis. A copy of such financial review shall be furnished to the National Chief Financial Officer no later than forty-five (45) days after the fiscal year as defined.

Section 1. CONFLICTS: In the event that these Local By-Laws conflict with the National By-Laws and/or are silent regarding a situation or circumstance facing the Local, the National By-Laws will supersede and control.