Below is the current bylaws for Soar "locals". At Soar 11-3 we have an additional "local bylaw" in addition to these. Those local bylaws are posted elsewhere in the blogs we maintain:
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SOAR CHAPTER - STANDARD BYLAWS
Amended and approved by the United Steelworkers Executive Board, December 18, 2006
Article 1. Name
This organization shall be known as: SOAR - Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, Chapter _________________.
Article 2. Purpose
1. The organization shall concern itself with and deal with the social, economic, educational, legislative, and political developments and concerns of its members and spouses, the United Steelworkers and the labor movement. In addition, the purpose of this organization is to better the communities in which said members live, to advance in every way the policies of the United Steelworkers, and to engage in political and legislative action directed at bettering our nations and safeguarding and enhancing the economic security and general wellbeing of all its members and older and retired persons in general through educational, legislative, political, civic, social, community and other activities.
2. To unite in this Chapter, regardless of race, creed, color, sex or national origin, all retired working men and women who are members of the Chapter and who are within the jurisdiction of this Chapter.
Article 3. Membership
1. Membership in the Chapter shall be open to any and all persons who meet the requirements for obtaining a retiree’s honorary membership card from the United Steelworkers and who live in the geographic area covered by the Chapter. In order to obtain a retiree's card, an individual must retire from an enterprise, public or private, or any other place within the jurisdiction of the Union, including service as an employee of the Union, and at that time be a member in good standing of the United Steelworkers. An individual who retires from a supervisory position with an employer represented by the United Steelworkers may be a member of the Chapter if that individual had been a member in good standing in the bargaining unit at any time prior to accepting a supervisory position.
2. The spouse or widow/widower of said retiree shall be eligible for full membership in the Chapter.
3. Any member who for any cause shall cease to be a member of the Chapter shall forfeit all rights and interests in the Chapter.
4. Membership can be transferred from this Chapter to another by obtaining a transfer
certificate from the International SOAR.
Article 4. Dues
1. Dues shall be as set by the Executive Board of SOAR as provided in the SOAR Bylaws and may be supplemented by dues assessed by the Chapter after notice to, and a vote by, the members of the Chapter.
2. Financial records of the Chapter shall be available for periodic review by Chapter Trustees and International SOAR.
Article 5. Executive Board
1. The government of the Chapter shall be vested in its Executive Board.
2. The Chapter Executive Board shall be composed of up to six (6) officers: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and three (3) Trustees. The Chapter may decide to add an office of Financial Secretary and/or to separate the office of Secretary and Treasurer.
3. The Chapter Executive Board may adopt rules and regulations for the proper conduct of the Chapter, provided such rules are consistent with these By-Laws.
4. The Chapter Executive Board shall provide periodic reports on the activities, condition and progress of the Chapter.
Article 6. Elective Offices
1. Elective offices of this chapter shall consist of the following: President, Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer, and three (3) Trustees and if provided for, Financial Secretary.
2. Nomination of officers shall be held at a membership meeting during the month of
October 1992 and nomination and election of officers will be held in November of 1992 and
every four years thereafter. Each term of office shall be for a period of four (4) years
commencing with the month of November, 1992. No member shall hold more than one (1) office in a Chapter however Chapter officers shall be eligible to serve on the SOAR Executive Board or as a District SOAR Coordinator.
3. Members in good standing as of the date of the nominations and election of officers shall be eligible to hold Chapter office.
4. Vacancies caused by ineligibility, death, or resignation shall be filled by appointment
by the remaining members of the Chapter Executive Board until the next election provided that if
the vacancy is in the office of the President, the Vice President shall serve as President for the
remainder of the term. In the performance of their duties all officers shall conform to the policies and directives of the International Executive Board of the United Steelworkers and the International Executive Board of SOAR.
Article 7. Duties of officers
1. The President of the Chapter shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter and the
Chapter Executive Board. The President shall perform all duties incidental to the office and
advise the Chapter Executive Board on such actions as may be deemed likely to increase the
usefulness and effectiveness of the Chapter. The President shall be ex officio member of all
committees.
2. The Vice President of the Chapter shall assist the President in the performance of the President's duties and shall work under the direction of the President.
3. (a) The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform such duties as may be assigned by the
President or the Chapter Executive Board including but not limited to, providing periodic reports
to the Executive Board of International SOAR on the financial and operational status of the
Chapter.
b) The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all monies due to the Chapter from the International SOAR, which shall provide a receipt.
(c) The Secretary-Treasurer shall make a detailed financial report at least once a month at a Chapter meeting, covering the receipts and expenditures of all funds of the Chapter.
(d) The Secretary-Treasurer shall examine all bills presented for payment and all claims and determine that they are satisfactorily established.
(e) The Secretary-Treasurer shall record the proceedings of the Chapter in a book kept for that purpose, read all papers, and perform such other duties as required by the International SOAR and as the Chapter may assign.
(f) The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive all communications and issue all notices and correspondence pertaining to the function of the Chapter and present same to the Executive Board of the Chapter for action.
(g) The Secretary-Treasurer must be present and record minutes of all regular meetings or special meetings called for the entire membership by the President of the Chapter and render copy of same to the President within reasonable time after such meeting.
4. (a) The Trustees shall be in charge of all property of the Chapter, subject to the
direction of the Chapter membership, and perform such other duties as the Chapter may assign.
(b) The Trustees shall audit the Chapter books and records of account quarterly. They shall make an audit report to the membership for each quarter of the calendar year at the meeting following the completion of their audit.
(c) The Trustees shall be solely responsible for the membership attendance book at regular and special meetings. They shall sign the book, noting the number of members attending the meetings.
(d) The Trustees shall assist the Chairman in preserving order at meetings.
Article 8. Committees
l. Each Chapter shall have a Pension and Insurance Committee, and a Legislative and Political Action Committee with at least the following responsibilities:
(a) The Pension and Insurance Committee
(i) It shall generally be comprised of not less than three (3) members appointed by the President and approved by the membership. The members of the committee shall select a Chairman of this committee. A majority of members of this committee present at a meeting shall constitute a quorum.
(ii) The committee shall meet at least monthly and at the request of the Executive Board, the President, or the membership to deal with any matters relating to the pension and insurance programs and problems of the members.
(b) The Legislative and Political Action Committee
(i) The Committee shall consist of the three (3) members appointed by the President and approved by the membership.
(ii) The Committee shall recommend for endorsement to the membership, candidates for city, county, state or national office.
(iii) Under no circumstances shall the Committee endorse a candidate for public office without the approval of the membership.
(iv) A candidate for public office shall be permitted to address the membership at a regular meeting, if it has been requested in writing, requested by the Legislative and Political Action Committee, or approved by the membership at a regular monthly meeting.
2. Other Committees
Each Chapter may have such other Committees as it deems necessary such as a Health and Welfare Committee, and a Civil Rights Committee appointed by the President and approved by the membership.
Article 9. Compensation for services
1. Salaries and/or expenses for officers, committee members and employees of the Chapter shall be as follows:
In no event shall the reimbursement for expenses be in excess of the standards used by the International SOAR.
2. All tax requirements in connection with the above payments shall be complied with.
Article 10. Meetings
1. The Chapter shall hold a general membership meeting at least once every month unless the Chapter Executive Board with approval of the membership had adopted another schedule. Regular meetings shall be held on the ___________________of each month unless holidays or other matters of vital importance to the Chapter would necessitate a change in the meeting date. Regular monthly meetings shall be called to order at ___________________.
2. The meeting place will be at ________________________________________.
3. The President of the Chapter shall have the right to call the Executive Board for emergency meetings on instant notice.
4. ''Roberts Rules of Order" for parliamentary procedure shall govern the conduct of all meetings.
Article 11. Amendments
1. Proposed amendments to the By-Laws must be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer, in writing. The Secretary-Treasurer shall submit such proposals to the membership for approval. The proposals must be presented at two (2) consecutive Chapter regular meetings and passed by a two-thirds majority vote of the membership at the next regular meeting.
2. Amendments to these By-laws by Chapters must not conflict with such standard By-
laws and must be submitted to the International SOAR for approval before being placed in effect.
Article 12. Agenda
1. Call meeting to order
2. Roll call of officers by the Recording Secretary
3. Reading of the minutes of the previous meeting
4. Reading of Communications
5. Report of Officers
6. Report on SOAR activities
7. Report of Special Committees
8. Reports of Standing (or Permanent) Committees
9. Unfinished Business
10. New Business
11. Good and Welfare
12. Adjournment
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Note: I am the vice president and chair of the political action committee. We will be having another meeting shortly (after some of the politics shake out in Missouri).
So far, we have endorsed Carnahan for Senate. Blunt is a bozo and has so seldomly voted for something we believe it is a media event when he does.
We need members of the "insurance committee". Ralph cannot do all the work himself
Yes, we do have the problem of "multiple" insurances and since some of the insurance companies refuse to send us data; our members are denied benefits.
