ARTICLE II - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active Membership.
(a) Every active member has all rights of Union membership and has equal rights and privileges within the Union. These rights include, but are not limited to, the right to nominate candidates, to vote in elections or referendums of the Union, to hold office at all levels of the Union, to attend membership meetings, and to participate in the deliberations and voting upon the business of such meetings, subject to reasonable rules and regulations of the Union for the conduct of such meetings.
(b) Every active member of the Union has the right to meet and assemble freely with other active or retired members; to express any views, arguments, or opinions; and to express at meetings of the Union such member's views upon candidates in an election of the Union or upon any business properly before the meeting, subject to the Union's established and reasonable rules pertaining to the conduct of meetings. However, nothing in subsection (a) or (b) of this Section shall be construed to impair the right of the Union to adopt and enforce reasonable rules as to the responsibility of every member toward the Union as an institution and to such member's refraining from conduct that would interfere with the Union's performance of its legal or contractual obligations.
(c) A member's right to attend meetings shall not be limited to those of his/her local, the Board or its committees, but shall apply to meetings of any local although the member's right to vote at such meeting shall be governed by the established policies of such meeting group. The visiting member should be identified as a guest.
(d) Locals and the Board will still be allowed to go into Executive Session for cause.
Section 2. Semi-Active Membership. A semi-active member may hold any office, provided that they remain members in good standing and pay dues at the associate member rate while in semi-active status. Semi-active members shall receive all general publications sent to active members.
Section 3. Associate Membership. An associate member of the Union may not vote, may not nominate candidates, may not hold any office in the Union, may not attend or speak at membership meetings of the Union except by invitation of the officer or officers in charge of the meeting, may not participate in deliberations on Union business.
Section 4. Retiree Membership.
(a) Except as provided in the Constitution, retired members belonging to the Retiree Local have all the rights of Union membership except those rights excluded herein, and that the President of the Retiree Local 001, or in his/her absence, the Vice President of the Retiree Local 001, shall have voting rights as a member of the Board. Delegates to General Council shall have the same voting rights as other General Council delegates.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, no retired member, including any retired Past President, who immediately prior to retirement was prohibited from being an active member, under Section 2, Active Membership, of Article IV, MEMBERSHIP, of the Constitution, shall have any membership rights other than the right to participate in programs made especially available for retired persons, the right to meet and assemble with other retired members for the purpose of dealing with matters or concerns relating only to retired members, and the right to express views and vote at such meetings on such matters or concerns. Exceptions to this policy may be granted to former active members of the Union who spent the majority of their employment in the bargaining unit. This action requires a unanimous vote of the Board. A retired person granted this exception by the Board has the same membership rights as other retired members who retired in active member status. This action may be revoked by a majority vote of the Board.
(c) All retired members are placed in one statewide Retiree Local under a statewide, elected Retiree Members' Council of the SEIU Local 503, OPEU. Said Council's policies to be in accord with SEIU Local 503, OPEU Constitution and Bylaws, Administrative Policies and Procedures, and approved by the Board; and that the retired members shall form a sub-unit called a Chapter. They shall do so by petitioning the Retiree Member Council. The Retiree Member Council shall have approval over Constitution and Bylaws of the Chapter. Any action by the Retiree Member Council may be appealed to the Board, and their argument may be presented at a regularly scheduled Board of Directors meeting.
(d) The Retiree Member Council will consist of: Chapter directors elected from the Chapters; a President, Vice President, and Secretary-Treasurer, each elected at large within the local; the President of the Union or designee as an ex-officio member.
(1) Terms of each office will be for a two (2)-year period.
Section 5. Staff Membership. A staff member of the SEIU Local 503, OPEU has membership rights, which include:
(a) Submitting resolutions to General Council, voting on dues increases and other union governance issues, including economic and social policy positions, but not on issues specific to bargaining units.
(b) Being an SEIU Local 503, OPEU representative, with full voting rights on all issues, to any labor board, conference, convention, or other function, if elected by the membership or designated to do so by the Board.
(c) Nominating candidates and voting in statewide Union elections.
(d) Running for the office of Executive Director.
Section 6. All active members of the Union shall belong to a local. An active member may hold membership in more than one local at a given time, if employed by more than one employer with SEIU Local 503, OPEU bargaining unit members. In such cases, the member holds full membership rights in each of the locals where they have membership, but may only have one vote in statewide issues. In order to be able to cast one vote for industry representation in the statewide Board election, a dual local member shall have a primary industry seat determined by where the longest membership status exists. For purposes of this Article, "statewide" shall also include one representational vote at such events as General Council, bargaining conferences, SEIU conventions, etc.
Section 7. Membership is contingent upon payment of dues as provided in these Bylaws.
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Scott
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"An intractable problem can only be resolved by stepping beyond conventional solutions." — Ozymandias