TL;DR: Read our draft bylaws and submit amendment proposals by 3/16 to be discussed by members at our Bylaws Town Hall on 3/19 at 5 PM in Chen 100. No amendments to submit? No problem! RSVP to the Bylaws Town Hall anyway to learn more about our local structure. Don’t forget to become a member before the completed bylaws are voted in on 3/31.
As you may have heard, Graduate Student Workers (GSWs) and Postdocs are in the process of defining our union’s bylaws. Bylaws are what govern the day-to-day operations of our union – they are the rules by which the local union operates. Bylaws lay out the structure of things such as the executive board, stewards, and membership meetings, among many other things.
-
- The executive board: Postdocs and GSWs elected as leadership of our union (President, Treasurer, etc). Elections for the executive board will take place in May.
- Stewards: elected Postdocs and Grads making sure all Postdocs and GSWs know their rights, what to do when your rights have been violated, and how to enforce our contract. Stewards will self-nominate within each academic division and will be elected in May through a direct vote by the members of their respective divisions.
- Membership meetings: govern when and how GSWs and Postdocs meet to discuss the workings of our union, to ensure that all decisions are democratic and all members have a voice. Membership meetings will happen at least monthly and are open to all members.
How can I provide input on the draft bylaws?
The draft bylaws, located here, are open for amendments right now. Amendments must be submitted in writing via this town hall RSVP formbefore the end of the day on Sunday, 3/16. They will then be assessed for adherence to the UAW Constitution, before being discussed and voted on at a town hall on Wednesday, 3/19 at 5 PM in Chen 100.
How are the draft bylaws ratified?
The bylaws will be ratified in an online vote open to all 2478 members. The vote will take place on 3/31, before our contract goes into effect.
Once the bylaws are ratified, can they be amended?
Yes! The amendment procedure is one of the topics laid out in the bylaws themselves. An amendment can be proposed at any time by any member. At successive membership meetings it will be assessed for adherence to the UAW constitution, discussed, and ultimately voted on.
As usual, questions, comments, concerns, and potential violations of our new contract can be sent to organize@cgpu.org.
In solidarity,
Jack Caldwell
EAS G3