CONSTITUTION AND BY- LAWS
Adopted May 26, 1948
Revised to October 1, 1970
Revised to January 1, 1983
Revised to March 1, 1992
Revised to July 1, 1997
Revised to June 1, 2001
PREAMBLE
We, the teachers in the Providence Public Schools, having organized ourselves
as a labor union to utilize fully our combined strength in the cause of public education and to provide adequate, fearless representation
of our viewpoint and interests, do adopt and subscribe to this constitution, its by-laws, and rules of order.
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I - NAME
This Union shall be called THE PROVIDENCE TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 958, American
Federation of Teachers.
ARTICLE II - OBJECTIVE
The objective of this Union shall be to promote the cause of sound and democratic
education by:
- Convincing the citizens of our state and city that adequate education of
their children must be the first charge against public revenues.
- Maintaining and improving the conditions of its teachers with respect to
salaries, tenure, pensions, conditions of employment, and the right to freedom of expression in and out of the classroom.
- Promoting democratization of the school administration.
ARTICLE III - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Any certified teacher in the Providence Public Schools shall
be eligible to apply for membership. He or she shall attain "good standing" after payment of dues, subscription to this Constitution,
and election to membership as prescribed in the By-Laws.
Section 2. Requirements for election to and retention of membership not
prescribed in this Constitution shall be in accordance with Article 3 of the Constitution of the American Federation of Teachers.
Section 3. Retirees Chapter of the Providence Teachers Union, (hereinafter
referred to as the "PTU Retirees Chapter"):
- The President of the PTU Retirees Chapter shall be a member of the Executive
Board. His/her duties shall be concerned with issues of retirees and members of the Providence Teachers Union contemplating retirement.
In the event the President of the PTU Retirees Chapter is unable to carryout his/her duties for any reason, the person designated by the
Constitution of the PTU Retirees Chapter shall serve in his/her place.
- Members of the PTU Retirees Chapter may participate in Providence Teachers
Union activities but will not have the privilege of voting at membership meetings.
- The Providence Teachers Union shall pay to the PTU Retirees Chapter and to
the Rhode Island Federation of Retired Teachers the first year's dues for each of its members who retire from the Providence School Department.
Thereafter, the PTU Retirees Chapter shall forward to the Providence Teachers Union, in a reasonable and timely fashion, five dollars ($5.00)
of the annual dues it receives from each of its members except for the first year of a teacher's retirement from the Providence School Department.
- The President of the Providence Teachers Union and the President of the PTU
Retirees Chapter shall send a timely and appropriate letter to teacher retirees upon their retirement from the Providence School Department
together with an application card inviting them to join the PTU Retirees Chapter.
ARTICLE IV - OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Union shall be a President, seven Vice-Presidents
(one Vice-Presidentat- Large, three Elementary Vice-Presidents, one each from Middle Schools, Senior High, and Special Groups), a Secretary
and a Treasurer.
Section 2. The officers shall be elected at the Biennial Meeting and shall
serve until the first Wednesday in June following the next Biennial Meeting with the exception of the Treasurer who shall serve from September
1 to August 31. All officers shall serve until their successors qualify.
Section 3. When the Presidency is vacated prior to the Biennial Meeting,
the Vice-President-at-Large shall serve until the vacancy is filled by the membership.
Section 4. When an elective office other than the Presidency is vacated
prior to the Biennial Meeting, the membership shall elect a member to serve until the first Wednesday in June following the Biennial Meeting.
ARTICLE V - EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The Executive Board shall comprise the following voting members:
- The officers of the local and the chairpersons of the standing committees.
- A past President.
- The President of the PTU Retirees Chapter.
Section 2. A member who is an administrator of the Providence School Department
or a paid full-time employee of the Union shall not be qualified to be a member of the Executive Board.
Section 3. It shall be the duty of the Executive Board to:
- Carry out the directives of the membership.
- Administer the affairs of the local subject to the will of the membership.
- Recommend policies and plans to the membership
- Communicate and promote the programs, activities, and efforts of the local
to their respective groups.
- Interpret and enforce this Constitution and By-Laws.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall have the power to commit the Union
on matters of high policy or action only when an emergency precludes such commitment by the membership.
Section 5. The Executive Board shall take office on the first Wednesday
in June following the Biennial Meeting and shall serve until the first Wednesday in June following the next Biennial Meeting.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall hold monthly meetings during the
school year. A special meeting may be called by the resident. Upon petition of nine Executive Board members, the President shall call a special
meeting. The object of the special meeting shall be stated in the call.
Section 7. A member of the Executive Board who missed a total of four
(4) regular Executive Board or regular membership meetings for reasons other than sickness or personal emergency, shall be removed from the
Executive Board and notice of such vacancy shall be made known to the Nominating Committee in the case of the elected officers, and to the
Executive Board in the case of the appointed Standing Committee Chairperson, by the Recording Secretary. The Recording Secretary shall be
responsible for keeping records of all absences of Executive Board members.
Section 8. Each appointed and elected member of the Executive Board, exclusive
of the President, shall be paid a stipend no later than June 30 of each school year for services rendered in the school year then ending,
in an amount not to exceed twice the annual dues then in effect. Members of the Executive Board shall be expected to attend a schedule of
meetings as set forth by the President.
Compensation for Executive Board members shall be determined in accordance with the following formula:
where "x" represents the number of meetings attended, "n"
represents the total number of meetings scheduled, and "d" represents the annual dues.
ARTICLE VI - STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Standing Committees shall be:
- Educational Policies
- Membership
- Welfare
- Political Education
Section 2. The Chairpersons of the Standing Committees shall be nominated
by the Executive Board and confirmed by the membership and shall serve until their successors are confirmed. The members of each Standing
Committee shall be nominated by its chairperson and confirmed by the Executive Board.
Section 3. The size of the Standing Committees shall be determined by
the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VII - SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall be a Special Standing Committee.
Its members shall be elected by the Membership at the March meeting preceding the Biennial Meeting. This committee shall elect its own chairperson.
It shall have seven members. A member of the Executive Board may not serve on the Nominating Committee. A member who is an administrator may
not serve on the Nominating Committee.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall present to the membership the
name of a candidate to fill a vacated elective position at the regular meeting next following the resignation or other notification that the
position is open. Should the Nominating Committee for any reason fail in its duty in this respect, nominations will be made from the floor
at said meeting.
Section 3. The Elections Committee shall be a Special Standing Committee.
The Elections Committee shall consist of five (5) members who shall be elected by the Membership at the March meeting preceding the Biennial
Meeting. This committee shall elect its own chairperson. A member of the Executive Board and/or a candidate for office may not serve on the
Elections Committee. A member who is an administrator may not serve on the Elections Committee.
Section 4. Other special committees may be activated by the President
with the consent of the Executive Board.
ARTICLE VIII - BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES
Section 1. The membership of each school shall elect Building Representatives
at least two weeks prior to the Biennial Meeting. The number of Building Representatives shall be determined by the Executive Board.
Section 2. Each duly-elected and serving Building Representative shall
be paid a stipend no later than June 30 of each school year for services rendered in the school year then ending, in an amount not to exceed
the annual dues then in effect. He or she shall be required to attend a schedule of meetings as set forth by the President.
Compensation for Building Representatives shall be determined in accordance with
the following formula:
where "x" represents the number of meetings attended, "n"
represents the total number of meetings scheduled, and "d" represents the annual dues.
The Area Vice-Presidents shall be responsible for keeping attendance records
of Building Representatives.
ARTICLE IX - MEETINGS
Section 1. A general meeting of the membership shall be held in October,
December, March, April and May. The Secretary shall publish the time and place of the meetings as directed by the Executive Board.
Section 2. The general meeting in May in even numbered years effective
May, 1984, shall be called the Biennial Meeting.
Section 3. A special meeting of the membership may be called by the Executive
Board. The President shall call a meeting on the petition of fifty members in good standing. The object of the meeting shall be stated in
the petition and in the call.
ARTICLE X - AFFILIATIONS
The Providence Teachers Union shall be affiliated with appropriate professional
and labor organizations as recommended by the Executive Board and approved by the membership, regardless of the changes in the names of the
affiliated organizations.
ARTICLE XI - REFERENDUM
The President shall submit any matter to a referendum vote of all the membership,
if eleven members of the Executive Board or twenty percent of the members in good standing in the local so request. The referendum shall be
initiated within two weeks after the request is received.
ARTICLE XII - RECALL
Any officer or member of the Executive Board may be recalled. A petition signed
by fifty members in good standing, or by ten voting members of the Executive Board, stating the reasons for recall, shall be sufficient for
initiating recall proceedings. The petition shall be submitted to the membership at a regular meeting and shall be placed on the order of
business for the next regular meeting. The Secretary shall notify the membership at least one week prior to the next meeting. A two-thirds
vote of the members present at the meeting shall be necessary for recall.
ARTICLE XIII - AMENDMENTS
Amendments to the Constitution may be proposed by any member who shall submit
same in writing to the Secretary for transmission to the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consider the proposed amendment, and its
recommendations together with the proposed amendment, shall be announced in writing to all the membership at least one week in advance of
the next regular meeting through publication in the newsletter (the Pro-Te-Un). The proposed amendment shall become part of the Constitution
upon adoption by a two-thirds vote of the members present at said regular meeting, unless the motion to adopt specifies a time for its going
into effect.
ARTICLE XIV - AGENCY FEE
Non-union members from whose payroll monies are withheld in an amount equal to
Union dues pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Providence School Board and the Providence Teachers Union shall have
the right to object to the expenditure of their portion of such payments for activities or causes of a political nature only incidentally
related to collective bargaining. Non-union members may not object to the expenditure of their portions of such payments used for collective
bargaining including but not limited to negotiations, organizing, servicing, educational research and union administration.
Objections shall be made between January 1 and January 31, by registered/certified
mail.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE 1 - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The Membership Committee shall consider all applications for
membership. A majority vote of the committee members voting shall determine the recommendation for acceptance or rejection. A majority vote
at a regular meeting shall confirm or reject the recommendation.
Section 2. Dues shall be 7/10 of one percent of Step 10 of the Teachers
Basic Salary Schedule negotiated between the Providence School Board and the Providence Teachers Union plus the individual member's prorated
per-capita Union financial obligations to affiliated organizations. Part-time teachers, including job-sharers, shall pay a prorated amount
of said dues to the Union equal to the fractional portion of what they would be earning if they were employed full-time. Each teacher making
application for membership shall give written authorization to the Providence School Department and shall have his or her dues deducted from
his or her pay on the monthly payroll deduction plan. Teachers not on active payroll shall pay in total on or before October 15.
Section 3. An initiation fee may be imposed by a majority vote of the
membership present at a regular meeting.
Section 4. A member shall be considered as "not in good standing"
if he or she fails to pay his or her dues within thirty days after the dues date set forth in Section 2 of this Article.
Section 5. A member not in good standing shall stand suspended from all
rights and privileges of membership until all dues in arrears shall be paid. A member failing to reinstate himself or herself within ten days
after written notice from the Treasurer of his or her suspension shall be dropped from the local if no satisfactory reason is provided.
Section 6. A member not in good standing may be expelled only after written
charges of "conduct prejudicial to the good of the Providence Teachers Union" have been investigated by the Membership Committee.
The member charged shall be afforded full opportunity for defense. A majority of the Membership Committee shall report its findings and recommendations
to the membership. Punishment shall not exceed expulsion and shall be imposed by a two-thirds vote of the members present at a regular meeting.
Section 7. All resignations must be in writing and must be addressed to
the Treasurer.
Section 8.
- A member who is on leave for sickness for four months or longer will continue
to be enrolled as an active member and excused from dues payment during the period of such illness.
- A member who takes a leave of absence without pay shall not be liable for
dues. However, such teachers who wish to retain an active status may do so by paying the annual dues.
- A member who takes a leave of absence with partial or full pay shall maintain
his or her active status and be liable for dues.
ARTICLE II - OFFICERS
Section 1. The President shall execute the directives of the local and the Executive
Board. The President or the President's delegate shall be the only official spokesperson of the Union. He or she shall submit at the October
meeting a program of plans for the coming year. He or she shall cause the audit of the books of the Treasurer to be initiated within ten days
after the close of business on August 31, in each year by an accountant of a firm licensed under the laws of Rhode Island. Upon request of
any member in good standing he or she shall submit a copy of the audit report for examination. He or she shall render an Annual Report on
the state of the Local.
Section 2. Whenever the President is unable to perform his or her constitutional
duties, the Vice- President-At-Large shall take his or her place.
Section 3. The Vice-Presidents shall be responsible for the efficient
functioning of their respective Building Representatives.
Section 4. The Secretary shall announce all meetings, keep a Journal of
the Minutes and make all physical preparations for elections, referenda, and for recall when he or she is not the accused.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive and hold all monies of the Union.
He or she shall disburse budgeted funds only on signed order of the President after approval of the Executive Board. He or she shall furnish
a security bond, in an amount to be determined by the Executive Board, and such insurance as the Board may require. The cost of said bond
and insurance shall be borne by the local. He or she shall report regularly to the Membership Committee the "good standing" of members.
Section 6. Two Sergeants-at-Arms shall be appointed by the President,
subject to approval by the Executive Board, and shall act as door-keepers at the general meetings. They shall insure order and decorum of
members. They shall be at the disposal of the Chair at all times during the course of these meetings.
ARTICLE III - EXECUTIVE BOARD
The Executive Board shall consist of the officers of the local and the Chairpersons
of Standing Committees.
ARTICLE IV - COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Educational Policies Committee shall be concerned with
educational trends, teacher-pupil relations, curriculum revision, and other matters which affect the membership.
Section 2. The Committee on Political Education (COPE) shall be concerned
with active research into legislative matters which concern teachers, education, taxation, school finance, and salaries, and maintain current
voting lists of school department employees, evaluate the performance of candidates for public office as it affects teachers and public employees,
and make recommendations of endorsements to the membership for November and special elections as well as referenda, and make recommendations
of endorsements to the Executive Board for the September primaries and special elections or referenda held during the summer recess. The President
shall be an ex-officio member of this committee. The President, together with this committee, shall be responsible for campaigning for passage
of legislation of benefit to teachers and public employees and for elections of candidates for public office who support the causes of teachers
and public employees.
Section 3. The Membership Committee shall resolve all questions pertaining
to recruitment, eligibility, rights and privileges of members.
Section 4. The Welfare Committee shall be concerned with general matters
of bereavement, extended illnesses, and appropriate remembrances.
ARTICLE V - BUILDING REPRESENTATIVES
Building Representatives shall serve as liaison personnel for the President in
their respective schools. They shall report directly to their respective Area Vice-Presidents unless otherwise directed by the President.
They shall communicate and promote the programs, activities, and efforts of the local to their respective faculties or groups.
ARTICLE VI - ELECTIONS
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall recommend to the membership
at the regular meeting in April preceding the Biennial Meeting a slate of candidates for all elective positions save its own. Other candidates
may be nominated from the floor.
Section 2. The Secretary shall publish a list of all the nominees at least
two weeks before the Biennial Meeting, listing the nominees alphabetically under each office.
Section 3. The Secretary shall provide sufficient suitable ballots with
the names of the candidates inscribed thereon.
Section 4. The Elections Committee shall be responsible for all elections.
When there is more than one candidate for any office, the Elections Committee shall hire the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to conduct
and supervise the election held during the Biennial Meeting. When one candidate only is nominated, he or she shall be declared elected without
use of the ballot. It shall be the responsibility of the Elections Committee to announce to the membership the official results of the election
as certified by AAA.
Section 5. A majority of votes cast shall be sufficient to elect.
Section 6. Special elections shall be conducted generally as described
in the preceding sections of this Article.
Section 7. The election of delegates to conventions of affiliated organizations
shall be held in sufficient time for accreditation and instructions. Procedure shall follow in general the provisions of Section 1 of this
Article. Method of balloting shall be determined by the Election Committee. A member who is an administrator shall be ineligible for election
as a delegate to affiliated organizations or conference meetings.
Section 8. The membership shall designate those delegates who will attend
conventions at the expense of the local. In any case, the President shall be ex-officio chairperson of the delegations.
Section 9. Delegates to the National Convention of the American Federation
of Teachers shall be elected by secret ballot.
ARTICLE VII - QUORUMS
Section 1. A quorum of membership at all meetings shall be 50 of the members
in good standing.
Section 2. A quorum of the Executive Board and all committees shall be
a majority of the full voting membership thereof.
ARTICLE VIII - FISCAL
Section 1. The fiscal year shall end August 31.
Section 2. Authority to impose assessments for special purposes is vested
in two-thirds of the members present at any regular meeting. Due notice of the proposed assessment shall be given all the membership prior
to the meeting at which the assessment is to be voted.
Section 3. Obligations to Providence Teachers Union employees, negotiations,
and contract enforcement shall have priority in the budget. Legitimate expenses of delegates to conventions shall be a charge against the
fund of the local.
Section 4. Nothing in this Constitution or By-Laws shall be construed
as forbidding remuneration of members of the Executive Board and Building Representatives where the will of the membership and condition of
the treasury permit.
ARTICLE IX - AMENDMENTS
Amendments to these By-Laws may be made in the same manner as for the Constitution
except that adoption shall require a majority vote of the members present at a regular meeting.
ARTICLE X - RULES OF ORDER
The rules of Parliamentary practice contained in Robert's "Rules of Order"
shall govern the proceedings of this local, provided that they do not conflict with the intent of the Constitution, the By-Laws, or Rules
of Order adopted or to be adopted. Adopted May 26, 1948
Revised to October 1, 1970
Revised to January I, 1983
Revised to March 1, 1992
Revised to July 1, 1997
Revised to June 1, 2001
|
