CONSTITUTION
FOR
YOUTH REHABILITATIVE SERVICES EMPLOYEES
LOCAL 3884
ARTICLE I
NAME
The name of this organization shall be Delaware Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services Employees Local Number 3384 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO.
ARTICLE II
AFFILIATIONS
This local union shall be affiliated with Delaware Public Employees Council Number 81 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the Delaware State AFL-CIO.
ARTICLE III
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this local union shall be to carry out on a local basis the objectives of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP & DUES
Section 1. All employees of the Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services of the Delaware State Department of Services for Children, Youth and Their Families are eligible for membership in this local union, subject to the requirements of the Constitution of the International Union.
Section 2. Application for membership shall be made on a standard application form. Unless such form includes a valid authorization for payroll deduction of dues, the application shall be accompanied by the current month’s dues.
Section 3. The monthly membership dues of the local shall be $30.56 per member.
Section 4. Membership dues shall be payable monthly, in advance, to the local Secretary-Treasurer, and in any event, shall be paid not later than the 15th day of the month in which they become due. Any member who fails to pay dues by the 15th day of the month in which they become due shall be considered delinquent, and upon failure to pay dues for two consecutive months shall stand suspended. Provided, however, that any person who is paying dues through a system of regular payroll deduction shall, for so long as such person continues to pay through such deduction method, be considered in good standing.
Section 5. A member suspended under the above section may be reinstated to membership upon payment of all arrearages or upon payment of a reinstatement fee of $5.00 plus the current month’s dues.
ARTICLE V
MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular meetings of this local shall be held once each month, at a time and place to be fixed by the membership or the local Executive Board.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the local President, the local Executive Board, or by petition filed with the President and signed by 15 or more members of the local. Special meetings may also be called by the International President or by an authorized representative of the International President.
Section 3. The quorum for meetings of this local union shall be seven percent of the members in good standing.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS, NOMINATIONS, & ELECTIONS
Section 1. The Officers of this local shall be a President, a Executive Vice-President, a Recording Secretary, a Secretary-Treasurer, a Northern Region Vice-President, a Central Region Vice-President and a Southern Region Vice-President, and these seven shall constitute the local union Executive Board. In addition, there shall be elected three members who shall serve as Trustees. The Trustees shall be elected for three-year terms of office, except that in the initial election, one shall be elected for a one-year term, one for a two-year term, and one for a three-year term. All other officers shall be elected for a term of two years in the even-numbered years.
Section 2. To be eligible to be nominated for the office of regional Vice-President the nominee’s primary work location must be within the respective geographical area as defined below:
A. Northern Region – shall include all eligible members whose primary work location lies north of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal to include but not limited to the following facilities:
1. Ferris School
2. Elwyn Institute
3. Rosehill Probation Office
4. Barley Mills Probation Office
5. New Castle County Detention Center
6. Snowden, Grace & Mowlds Cottages
B. Central Region – shall include all eligible members whose primary work location lies between the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal and the Sussex County line to include but not limited to the following facilities:
1. Milford State Service Center
2. Stevenson House Detention Center
3. Dover Probation Office (Barrett Building)
C. Southern Region – shall include all eligible members whose primary work location lies south of the Sussex County line to include but not limited to the following facilities:
1. Georgetown State Service Center
Section 3. Nominations shall be made at a regular or special meeting of the local. At least fifteen days’ advance notice shall be given the membership prior to the nomination meeting. A nominating committee may be appointed or elected to make nominations, but whether or not such nominating committee is used, nominations shall be permitted from the floor at the nomination meeting. All regular elections shall be held in the month of October.
Section 4. To be eligible for office, a member must be in good standing for one year immediately preceding the election, except in the initial election held in this local; provided; however, that no retired member shall be a candidate for office. For a member who is transferred or promoted into this Local from another AFSCME Local, this requirement shall be satisfied if such member's combined membership in good standing in both Locals is one year at the time of election.
Section 5. Officers shall be elected by a secret ballot vote, and the balloting shall be so conducted as to afford to all members a reasonable opportunity to vote. At least fifteen days’ advance notice shall be given the membership prior to the holding of the election.
Section 6. All matters concerning nominations and elections in this local union shall be subject to the provisions of Appendix D, entitled Elections Code, of the International Union Constitution.
Section 7. Unexcused absence of an Officer from three consecutive meetings of the Executive Board shall automatically cause their removal from office.
Section 8. Vacancies in office shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by vote of the Executive Board.
Section 9. Every Officer shall, upon assuming office, subscribe to the Obligation of an Officer contained in Appendix B of the International Union Constitution.
Section 10. Any Union Officer or Shop Steward making a trip on union business, utilizing his/her own personal vehicle, shall (upon making a report of such business) be paid the sum of at least 35 cents per mile (travel to regular monthly meetings excluded).
ARTICLE VII
DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD
Section 1. The President shall:
Section 2. The Executive Vice-President shall:
Section 3. The Regional Vice-Presidents shall:
Section 4. The Recording Secretary shall:
Section 5. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:
Section 5. The Trustees shall make or cause to be made at least semi-annually an audit of the finances of the Local, including the finances concerning any health and welfare, pension, insurance or other benefit programs covering members of such Local, and shall report to the membership on the results of such audit.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall be the governing body of the local union except when meetings of the local union are in session. All matters affecting the policies, aims and means of accomplishing the purposes of the local not specifically provided for in this constitution or by action of the membership at a regular or special meeting shall be decided by the Executive Board. The board shall meet at the call of the President or of a majority of the members of the board. A report on all actions taken by the Executive Board shall be made to the membership at the next following meeting. A majority of the members of the Executive Board shall be required for a quorum.
ARTICLE VIII
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
Section 1. This local union shall at all times be subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Section 2. Except to the extent specified in this constitution, no officer of the local union shall have the power to act as agent for or otherwise bind the local union in any way whatsoever. No member or group of members or other person or persons shall have the power to act on behalf of or otherwise bind the local union except to the extent specifically authorized in writing by the President of the local union or by the Executive Board of the local union.
Section 3. Robert’s Rules of Order, Revised, shall be the guide in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the constitution and special rules of this local union or of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS
This Constitution may be amended, revised, or otherwise changed by a majority vote of the members voting on such proposed change and such change shall take effect only upon written approval of the International President. Proposed amendments to this Constitution must be read at a regular or special meeting of the local union and read and voted on at a subsequent meeting of the local union, adequate and proper notice having been given to the membership prior to the date on which the vote is taken. A written copy of the proposed amendment shall be furnished to every eligible voter at the meeting at which the vote is taken.