Policies

How Can Members Propose New Business 

Effective 3/28/25 

 Members in Good Standing bringing topics before the Union membership is an important tool for our democratic union. Our goal is to be as democratic as possible while also running a functional and nimble organization.  This document articulates the span of authority for the many activities of the union organization.   

  How does our organization respond to new issues/topics/business as it arises? 

  1. Our Members can! Members in Good Standing have two ways to bring new items before the membership for consideration: 
    1. Work with the Executive Board during the general meeting agenda process (via email, in person conversation, attending a Executive Board meeting etc) 
    2. During a General Membership Meeting, a member in good standing may bring any item before the membership either through agreement of the E Board during the agenda making process or by a majority vote of members in good standing during the meeting.  The detailed process for the agenda is at the end of this document.   
  1. The Executive Board may vote to bring an item before the membership at any time.   

Why Bring New Items Before the General Membership? 

    • For transparency, decisions that might be outside the general scope of the E Board can be discussed and voted on by members in good standing. 
    • To inform members about topics or actions taken on their behalf by the organization. This offers members the space to discuss how our collective liberation as workers is bound with other groups, and to have true ownership of our union positions within the broad membership. 
    • To seek the support or endorsement of the Union as an organization for a statement or message of support or opposition 

What Kinds of Issues Are Handled By the General Membership Versus the Executive Board? 

General Membership Matters 

Dues paying members of CPPW have the right to vote on union business such as: 

      1. Election of union officials and the formation of the Union itself 
      2. Ratify the initial Constitution and approve changes to the Constitution 
      3. Ratification of Collective Bargaining Agreements 
      4. Authorization of a Strike 
      5. Ratification of dues 
      6. Ratifying Affiliation with another Union 
      7. Recall of an Executive Board Member 

Executive Board Matters 

The Executive board is authorized to directly handle financial, managerial, confidential or sensitive matters.   These matters include but are not limited to: 

      1. Legal matters 
      2. Personnel decisions  
      3. Strategic Planning 
      4. Internal or board-related matters 
      5. Recommendations for modification of Dues Structure 
      6. Approve appointments made by Board President for positions on standing committees 
      7. Approve terminations of Stewards, Chief Steward, Webmaster and any other person serving administrative functions for the Union made by the Board President 
      8. Authorize actions brought forward by the Chief Steward related to grievances 
      9. Select and appoint members of Standing Committees 
      10. Deciding the duties of Stewards 
      11. Grant suspension of dues requests from members  
      12. Enforce sanctions against members for infractions 
      13. Approve minutes of Executive Board and General Membership meetings 

 What is the Process for Bringing New Business Before the General Membership? 

Option 1: Consult with the E Board about the best approach for the item.  

Email [email protected] with your request. Include in your email:  

      1. Title of request, 
      2. Primary contact,  
      3. Names and/or contacts of other members who are supporting this request,  
      4. Pertinent documents or information,  
      5. A timeline for your request, and  
      6. The specific request (to sign off, to share with members, to allocate funds, to change a process, etc).  

The E Board will help you determine if the item is best addressed by the E Board directly, the general membership, a committee, or some other body, and then connect the member with the appropriate next step, including placing items on the General Membership Meeting Agenda. 

If the item is placed on a draft agenda, the member is expected to attend the appropriate meeting to discuss the item. The item will be placed on the agenda for a date when that member or a proxy member can attend.  

Option 2: Put an item before the General Membership without consulting the E Board. 

An item may be placed on a General Meeting Agenda by vote of members in good standing at the meeting.  

      1. During the agenda adoption process, any member may request to add or move an item on the agenda.   
      2. The facilitator will ask about any documents that need to be shared with the group and have those documents emailed to a particular contact.  
      3. The facilitator will ask the member to offer a 2-minute synopsis of the item, why it has been brought to the membership rather than coordinated with the E Board, and the timeline for the item.  
      4. If necessary, the facilitator will interrupt the speaker after 2 minutes to move the agenda forward. If the member does not consent, then the facilitator will hold a vote of all the members.  
      5. Once the member has made their presentation, the President will call a vote of the general membership to approve the addition to the agenda.  If the item requires additional time for members to consider the issue, the need for additional time shall be debated and added to a motion to add the item to the agenda. 
      6. The proposal must receive a 2/3 majority or unanimous consent to be added to the agenda.  Once the vote is held, if the item receives enough votes, the proposal will be added to the draft agenda for ratification by the members. 

Approved by the E Board _3/17/25___ 

 Addendum:  

Items that typically come before the General Membership for a vote a include: 

      1. Letters or statements of support or condemnation for issues outside the direct core functions of our union.  
      2. Example: letter to council about budget matters can be sent by the E Board; a sign on letter in support of disability justice would be brought to the membership.  
      3. Opportunities for union-funded training.  
      4. Example: E Board can approve a budget for conferences; the attendees will be nominated and approved by the general membership. 
      5. Significant New Budget Allocations 
      6. Example: E Board approves monthly or annual budgets; significant new spending direction would be brought to the members such as when we wanted to hire interns this created a cost and organizational liability and was a huge shift in our direction so that went to the members for a vote.