Amendment # 2 (continued later)
4. No organization shall be permitted as an affiliated if the at affiliate is controlled or dominated by persons whose policies and activities are consistently directed toward the achievement of the program or purposes of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, terrorism or other force that suppress individual liberties and freedom of association fascism, racism, discrimination, or authoritarianism. This organization shall not affiliate or retain as an affiliate any organization not affiliated with the AFL-CIO or with an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, or any organization that has been suspended or expelled by a parent body affiliated with the AFL-CIO or by the AF'L-CIO.
Amendment #3
4. To encourage all workers without regard to race, creed, color, sex, age, orientation, or national origin to share in the full benefits of union organizations.
5. To secure legislation which will safeguard and promote the principle of free collective bargaining, the rights of working people and consumers, and the security and welfare of all people.
Amendment #4
6. To protect and strengthen our democratic institutions, to secure full recognition and enjoyment of the rights and liberties to which we are justly entitled, and to preserve and perpetuate the cherished traditions of our democracy, and to expand democracy throughout society in participatory ways.
Amendment #2 (from before – continued later)
10. To protect the labor movement from any and all corrupt influences and from the undermining efforts of communist agencies fascist and racist organizations and ideologies and all others who are opposed to the basic principles of our democracy and free and democratic unionism. Any affiliated organization or officer thereof, which engages in any activity which tends to bring the Vermont Labor movement into disrepute may be suspended or expelled as provided in Article VII.
Amendment #2 (conclusion of this amendment)
1. No individual shall be eligible to serve as an officer, member of the executive board or committee or the governing body of, or any other committed of, or as a delegate from, or as a representative, agent or employee of this central body who consistently pursues policies and activities directed toward the achievement of the program or purposes of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, terrorismfascism, racism and other forces that suppress individual libertiesclass solidarity, liberty, and freedom of association or who holds a salaried position or any other position of administrative or executive authority in a union, or any subordinate branch of a union, that is unaffiliated with, or is suspended from the AFL-CIO.
Amendment #5
2. The officers of the Vermont State Labor Council shall be: President, Executive Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, one Vice President for every affiliated union with 1,000 members or more and additional Vice Presidents for every thousand members, one Vice President for the building trades to be elected from delegates of building trades affiliates by delegates of building trades affiliates, one Vice President for the postal unions to be elected from postal union affiliates by delegates from postal union affiliates, one Vice President for federal government affiliates to be elected from delegates of federal government affiliates by delegates from federal government affiliates, and one Vice President at large elected by delegates from affiliates not already represented. Additionally, in areas with one or more viable AFL-CIO constituency groups, the combined constituency groups affiliated with the labor council shall be entitled to one voting seat (or more, if the labor council’s constitution so provides) on the Executive BoardOne District Vice President shall be elected for Franklin & Grand Isle Counties, Chittenden County, Rutland County, Lamoille County, Washington & Orange Counties, Rutland & Addison Counties, Bennington County, Windham & Windsor Counties, The Northeast Kingdom (Essex, Orleans, & Caledonia Counties).
Amendment #6 (continued later)
The Vermont Workers Center will have one board seatAt the discretion of the Executive Board, allied social justice and political organizations shall be allowed to affiliate for the Vermont State Labor Council. An annual affiliation fee of $1000 a year shall typically be required, but the Executive Board may deem in advisable to require a lesser or greater amount on a case by case basis. Uupon affiliating with the State Labor Council these allied organizations will have one Executive Board seat each, and may elect one Delegate and Alternate each to attend Vermont State Labor Council Conventions.
Amendment #7
9. The Executive Board shall transact such business of the Council as may come before it between Conventions. There shall be at least three meetings of the Executive Board during the year at the discretion of the President or upon the petition of five members of the Executive Board. Two weeks’ notice of Board meetings shall be given when possible. Executive Boards are encouraged to meet monthly.
Amendment #8
17. If any officer of this Council is absent from two consecutive Board meetings without good cause, the office shallmay be declared vacant and shall be filled as provided in Sections 13, 14, 15 & 16.
Amendment #9
2. The president shall preside and preserve order at the annual Convention and all meetings of the Executive Board. The President, with consultation from the Executive Board and other appropriate bodies, shall appoint all committees not otherwise provided for and shall transact any other business as may of right appertain to the office. The President shall be the Executive Officer of this Council and shall be an Ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall perform such duties as are necessary or that may be assigned by the Executive Board. For services rendered, the President shall be remunerated as the Executive Board may direct.
Amendment #10
If 30% of the total membership of affiliates in good standing sign a petition stating that they no longer have confidence in any officer serving on the Executive Committee, and after such a petition is presented to the Executive Board, and after the Executive Board confirms that the
30% threshold has been met, the Executive Board will organize a special re-call Convention. This Convention shall otherwise follow the same rules and procedures as a regular Convention, but shall include a vote of as to whether or not the officer in question should be removed from office. This recall vote shall follow the same procedures provided for regular elections. If a majority votes to remove the officer in question from office, the Convention will immediately commence with the nomination and election procedures to seat a new officer in that role. An officer removed from office by this process shall be ineligible to serve as a Vermont State Labor Council officer position until the next regular election.
Amendment #6 (continued from earlier)
1. This Council shall be composed of accredited delegates from local unions, local central bodies, district and trade councils and joint boards, affiliated allied organizations, and a State Retirees Council that are legally affiliated with the AFL-CIO meet the requirements of Article II, Section 2.
Amendment #11
10. Local unions shall be entitled to twofive delegates for the first one hundred members or fraction thereof, and an additional two delegates for each fifty members or major fraction thereof.
Amendment #6 (continued from earlier – end of this amendment)
11. Local central bodies, district and trade councils and joint boards and affiliated allied organizations shall be entitled to one delegate and one alternate and shall have one vote.
Amendment #12
2. A roll call vote shall be held on any pending question, including election of officers, upon demand of twenty percent (20%)thirty percent (30%) or more of the delegates present. A roll call may be conducted orally, or it may be conducted by written or printed ballots were deemed desirable to expedite the vote, provided that each ballot clearly shows the name, organization and number of votes of the delegate casting a ballot. Such ballots shall become part of the records of the state central body and shall be preserved and available for examination by any delegate or officer of an affiliated organization for a period of not less than six months.
Amendment #13
7. Beginning in 2021, all officer positions shall be elected on a one member one vote basis. Here, EVERY member of an affiliated Vermont State Labor Council union whose percapita dues are up to date in accordance with this article, regardless of delegate status, shall be eligible to directly elect the officers within their jurisdiction. To facilitate a free and fair democratic election, the Executive Board, 60 days before a regular election, shall announce to all affiliates the time and place, at a duly warned convention, where a ballot box will be available for members to vote. Members who participate in such an election, shall only vote after their membership status in an eligible affiliate union has been shown to before a member of the Credentials Committee. Names of voters shall be documented by the credentials committee and shall be retained for a period of time in order to allow for challenges to the election process (as previously stipulated in this document). This paragraph shall supersede any other language in this constitution on regards to the internal election process.
Amendment #14
“As a Vermont State Labor Council officer to pledge to fight for the betterment of organized labor and the working class as a whole in order to realize a more democratic society whereby working people not only achieve high and secure standards of living, but also whereby working people achieve the social and political power necessary to transform society as our dreams, desires, needs, and demands dictate.”
Amendment #15
Section 1: The Council shall not take part in any collective bargaining activities or in any dispute, including economic strikes aimed at specific employers, except upon the request or consent of the aggrieved union or organizing committee or in the case of a local union directly affiliated to the AFL-CIO, except upon the request or consent of the AFL-CIO President.
Amendment #16
Section 2: The Council shall have no power or authority to initiate a boycott. The Council can endorse and provide support for a boycott campaign of an affiliate. The Council can place an employer on an “unfair” or “do not patronize” list, if the proper conditions apply as outlined in the regulations below, and that all such action be taken only on written request of the aggrieved union or in response to an action of the AFL-CIO.
When such action is requested by an aggrieved union, the Council shall be governed by the following regulations:
(a) The Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, or her/his designated agent, shall be notified in writing of all boycott requests, whether local, regional or national in scope.
(b) Disputes affecting contractual interests of other unions--If the requested action is directed against an employer which has a contract or working agreement with any union or unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO, other than the aggrieved union, then the written consent of such other union or unions shall be required. If such consent is not given, no further action shall be taken by the Council except as authorized by the President or by the Executive Council of the AFL-CIO.
(c) Local Disputes--If the requested action is directed against an employer for a dispute arising within the area of jurisdiction of the Council which does not involve the contractual interest of other AFL-CIO unions, the Council may take the requested action if, in its judgment, such action is warranted and shall provide written notice to Secretary- Treasurer of the AFL-CIO of such action. The Council will notify the Secretary- Treasurer of the AFL-CIO when a boycott is terminated.
(d) Disputes in areas of other area labor councils or central councils--If the requested action is directed against an employer for a dispute arising wholly outside the area of jurisdiction of the Council, no action shall be taken unless the AFL-CIO and the area labor council, central labor council or state central council in whose area the dispute arose has first acted favorably on the request of the aggrieved union in keeping with applicable rules.
(e) National and regional disputes--If the requested action is directed against an employer for a dispute which is national or regional in scope, no action shall be taken by the Council unless the affiliated national or international union involved has first secured approval of the AFL-CIO.
Amendment #17
Chapters Area Central Labor Councils
Chapters of the Council, also known as Central Labor Councils, may be created if the Council determines an organizational presence is needed in a specific geographic area within its jurisdiction. Chapters shall have no right of representation or involvement in the affairs of the Council. Chapters may be authorized to enact bylaws consistent with the Council’s constitution; elect a chapter president and secretary-treasurer, hold meetings of delegates from local unions within the chapter's geographic jurisdiction and make recommendations to the Council for its consideration. Chapters may not assess a per capita or membership fee. In accordance with the endorsement procedure for this Council, the chapter may endorse candidates running for local public office within the chapter’s geographic jurisdiction, if such endorsements do not contradict the endorsement policies of the Executive Committee, and may screen, interview and recommend to Council candidates for state and federal legislative office but such recommendation is not binding on the Council.