ATU757 BYLAW CHANGES

I don't have any time or energy to get involved with any of the ATU activities but this change makes a lot of sense to me. If a candidate for office does not have 50% or more of the vote a runoff election will be required. Good idea!

PROPOSED BYLAWS CHANGES

Section 13 –Nominations

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Nominations shall be held at the first regular Union meeting in May April every three (3) years. They shall be held at the 3:00 pm Charter meeting as set forth by the Financial Secretary-Treasurer.

Names of nominated members shall be recorded at the time of nomination by the Financial Secretary-Treasurer/Recording Secretary and shall be placed on the ballot in alphabetical order.

The President-Business Representative, Vice President-Assistant Business Representative, and Financial Secretary-Treasurer/Recording Secretary shall be nominated at large.

Line Officers shall be nominated by their respective departments. There shall be one Executive Board Officer from Tri-Met Transportation (Center Street, Powell, Merlo and Light Rail); Tri-Met Maintenance (Center Street, Powell, Merlo and Light Rail); Tri-Met Appointive (Monthly) Positions; Lane Transit District; Portland Public Schools; First Student Education Services; Salem Area Mass Transit District; and one from C-TRAN.

Liaison Officers shall be nominated by their respective departments. There shall be one Liaison Officer from each of the following properties: TriMet Extra Board (Center Street, Powell, Merlo); Ruby Junction Transportation, Elmonica Transportation, TriMet Ruby Junction Maintenance, Elmonica Maintenance; Portland Streetcar; Rogue Valley Transportation District; Lane Transit District (Secretary, Extra Board, Fleet Services); Valley Transit Association; Salem Area Mass Transit District Maintenance; First Student Education Services (Portland Public Schools); C-TRAN; C-TRAN Represented Staff; C-VAN; MV Transportation, Inc.; First Transit Services, Inc. (TriMet Lift); First Student Education Services (Corvallis Schools, Corvallis City Transit); and Tillamook County Transportation District. All will be elected in the manner provided in the Constitution and these Bylaws, as amended.

In order to qualify and run for Executive Board Officer as a Line Officer or as a Liaison Officer of a particular department, a nominee must be working in that department at the time of nomination.
To serve as a Line Officer or as a Liaison Officer at any of the departments or properties, a nominee must be working at that respective division or property throughout the term of office.

The eligibility and qualifications of officers and delegates shall be in compliance with the Constitution and General Laws. The person must be on the payroll and drawing wages from a job covered by a Local Division collective bargaining agreement, or employed by the Division, sickness excepted.

No member is eligible to hold office in the Division who has not been a member in good standing for at least two (2) years as of the date of the month in which the nomination meeting is held.

If only one candidate is nominated for any office, the Financial Secretary-Treasurer/ Recording Secretary shall be instructed to cast a unanimous ballot for the candidate. The President-Business Representative shall then declare him or her duly and legally elected, and the name shall also appear upon the ballot. No member's name shall be placed on the ballot unless the member was in attendance at the meeting in person when the member was nominated or has signified in writing willingness to accept the nomination for the position for which nominated.

Section 14 –Elections

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Election ballots are to be counted no sooner than 20 days nor later than 30 days from the meeting at which nominations were made.

Voting shall be by mail. The three envelope system shall be used. Ballots shall be sent by U.S. mail to each member’s home address, and a post office box shall be rented in Portland, Oregon, for the return of the ballots. To be valid, ballots must be received by 9:00 am at the post office box on the day specified for the counting of ballots. Only those ballots returned by U.S. mail will be valid.

All votes that are accepted must be clear and in compliance with the Bylaws of the Division. Any blank or mutilated ballots shall be challenged. Any vote cast for any member who was not nominated as these laws herein provide shall not be counted. The ballots shall be preserved according to the International Constitution and General Laws, as amended.

When two (2) or more members are nominated for an office, the member receiving the most votes 50% + 1 votes shall be declared elected. If no candidate receives 50% + 1 votes, the two (2) candidates receiving the most votes in the office he or she was nominated for shall be placed on a ballot for a run-off of that position. When two (2) or more offices are to be filled, such as members of the Executive Board, each office shall be contested separately.

The run-off election ballots shall be mailed within five (5) business days of the vote count of the election.

Election ballots for the run-off election are to be counted no sooner than 20 days nor later than 30 days from the date of the mailing of the run-off election ballots.

Any candidate may witness the counting of ballots in person or by a representative.