Agenda Item #13
Posted on Mar 6, 2018
ASSOCIATION OF FLIGHT ATTENDANTS-CWA, AFL-CIO
FORTY SIXTH BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING
APRIL 9 – APRIL 11, 2018
ATLANTIC CITY, NEW JERSEY
SUBJECT: Election – Nomination Process (Article VIII.C.)
STATEMENT OF QUESTION:
Should Article VIII.C. be modified so as to provide for a more cost-effective process for nomination processes?
SOURCE AND DATE SUBMITTED: Strategic Planning Committee – March 9, 2018
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The process to nominate candidates for Local Officer positions is costly and complex. Given a prospective candidate needs only one other Active Member in Good Standing to provide a nomination, the process can be made much simple and achieve this same result.
A simplified process would be for any Active Member in Good Standing to complete a Commitment to Serve as a self-nomination, and secure one other member to second the nomination. This can be achieved without the unnecessary expense of a secret ballot.
The savings for this change would be about $75,000 over the course of an election cycle.
PROPOSED RESOLUTION:
WHEREAS, significant savings can be achieved by simplifying the process to nominate candidates for Local Officer positions; and,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Article VIII.C.1. be changed as follows:
C. Local Council Officers and CWA Convention Delegates
- Nomination Procedures
a. No later than one hundred and fifty (150) days before the start of the term of office, the International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union shall cause nominating ballots, notifications of commitment to serve statements and cover letters to be mailed sent to all active members of all Local Councils within the United States scheduled for election as provided in Paragraph 3. of this Section. For all Local Councils located outside of the United States the time frame shall be two hundred and ten (210) days before the start of the term of office. The International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union shall notify the Local Council President thirty (30) days prior to distributing said nominating ballots notification. For newly organized carriers, the nominating ballots, notifications of commitment to serve statements and cover letters shall be mailed sent to all active members of Local Councils no later than sixty (60) days following the appointment of Temporary Local Council Officers.
b. Nomination procedures shall be conducted by secret ballot by self-nomination with requirement of securing the support of one additional active member in good standing.
c. (1) Each active member in good standing may nominate one (1) self-nominate her or himself to be a candidate for the office of President, Vice President and or Secretary.
(2) The member shall be responsible for determination of that member’s nominee’s commitment to serve prior to nomination prospective candidate is responsible for securing the support of at least one additional active member in good standing from their Local and identifying the member(s) on the commitment to serve statement.
(3) Any member who wishes to support a member as a candidate for office must contact that member to determine their Commitment to Serve.
d. Nominating ballots, executed by active members in good standing, Commitment to Serve statements shall be sent to the International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union prior to the count date specified on said nominating ballot and received by the announced close of nominations.
e. Nominating ballots Commitment to serve statements of active members in good standing shall be certified and tallied under the supervision of the Ballot Certification Committee at the International Office.
f. (1) The Ballot Certification Committee shall determine legitimacy of a candidate’s commitment to serve as an elected Officer supporter by any one (1) of the following:
(a) Receipt of a commitment to serve card with the nomination ballot At least one phone call and email to the supporter’s designated phone and email address.
(b) WReceipt of written notification from the supporter prior to the count election mail date.
(c) Checking the indicated block on the transmittal envelope.
(2) If a commitment to serve has not been indicated as outlined in C.1.f.(1) above, the AFA-CWA Membership Services Department will contact the nominee through email, phone call(s), and regular mail letter requesting a commitment to serve statement with the exception that no email, phone call(s), and regular mail letter will be sent to a candidate with less than two (2) nomination votes. Verbal confirmation upon receipt of email, phone call(s), and regular mail letter, confirmed in writing, may also serve as notification of a candidate’s commitment to serve.
(3) The International Secretary-Treasurer of the Union shall cause the names of all nominees who received at least two (2) one (1) nomination ballots and who have indicated their commitment to serve to be placed on the official Local Council election ballot.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Section IX.G. be changed as follows:
G. Additional Ballot Procedures for Local Council Nominations
- Ballot Construction Commitment to Serve Notification – The Committee will cause to be constructed standard self-nomination and election ballots as follows:
a. Standard nomination ballot form Commitment to Serve Notice shall include:
(1) Identification of ballot
(2) Instructions for marking and return completing and returning the self-nomination form
(3) Space for listing nominees the name of the member in support of the candidate
(4) Deadline date
2. Nominations Commitment to Serve by Mail Nominating Ballot – Notice of self-nominations, nominating ballot, commitment to serve card, and cover letter (explaining election procedures, information regarding the commitment to serve card and procedures for distribution of campaign literature) shall be sent to all active members of Local Councils scheduled for elections. Such mailing shall be made using each member’s last known address as shown on the latest membership roster. Ballots Commitment to Serve notices will be mailed in envelopes marked appropriately to identify them as containing a ballot an election notice.
a. The ballot transmittal envelope for any nominating ballots going to members who are in bad standing as of the date the nominating ballots are mailed shall have “VERIFY STANDING ON COUNT DATE” prominently displayed.
b. Active members casting nominating ballots shall return the commitment to serve card and the marked ballots in the transmittal envelope provided for that purpose. The Ballot Certification Committee shall tally and certify the results of the self-nomination ballot in accordance with Article VIII.C.1. of the Constitution and Bylaws.
Candidates receiving nominations for each office will be contacted by telephone and/or e-mail in order to seek a commitment to serve statement, in the event candidate has not already provided such a statement. A copy of the e-mail will be sent to the Local Council President. The nominee shall have fourteen (14) days to respond to indicate a commitment to serve.
3. Commitment To Serve – A commitment to serve card notice to be filled in by the member completing the nomination ballot will be included in the transmittal envelope shall include: “I recognize that in running for AFA local office, I commit to the highest ideals of the Union, its ethical practices and the AFA Constitution and Bylaws.” The order of preference may be indicated after each office.
2018 COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FORM
Agenda Item 13
Committee 4
Subject: Election – Nomination Process (Article VIII.C.)
The Committee recommends the resolution not be adopted.
Signature: Todd Failla, Committee Chairperson
Action Taken by the Board:
Voice Division of the House Roll Call X
_______Adopted Date: 4/10/18 Time: 10:02 am
_______Adopted as Amended
__X___ Not Adopted
_______Tabled
_______Recommitted to Agenda Committee
_______Withdrawn