CONSTITUTION OF THE RIDGELAND COUNCIL OF

THE SOUTHWEST SUBURBAN FEDERATION

LOCAL 943
Article I Name
The name of this organization shall be the Ridgeland Council of the
Southwest Suburban Federation, Local 943, AFL -CIO.

Article II Membership
Section 1. Membership is defi ned as; full time and par t time employees of
t he public school distr ict except as defi ned in Ar ticle I of t he bargaining
unit agreement.
Section 2. No discr imination shall ever be shown toward individual
applications for membership because of race, creed, national or igin, sex,
mar ital status, age, political activities or beliefs, or disability.
Section 3. A member may be expelled for acts of detr imental to t he
Council upon presentation of wr itten charges signed by at least of t he
total membership and approved by at least of t he Executive Council.
The member shall have t he r ight to appeal t he decision to t he membership
at t he following membership meeting and shall be reinstated wit h full
r ights if t he major ity of t he members vote to reinstate. (If t he Union is t he
collective bargaining agent, removal of an employee may result in ser ious
legal complications. Removal shall be done only after legal consultation.)
Section 4. The regular dues of t he Council will be paid to t he treasurer by
payroll deduction over 22 pay per iods. Dues shall be paid to t he treasurer
by payroll deduction. The dues shall be increased by an amount equal to
t he total annual increase in AFT, IFT, ISFL -CIO and CFL -CIO per capita
dues plus t he total annual increase in AFT liability and accident insurance
premiums.
Section 5. Retired teachers who wish to retain membership shall pay dues
in accordance wit h Local 943 guidelines. Dues may be paid directly to t he
treasurer or by payroll deduction.
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Article III Offi cers

Section 1. The following offi cers shall be elected for a 2-year ter m:
1.
President
2.
Vice-President (1 cer tifi ed)
3.
Treasurer
4.
Secretar y
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Senator(s) to t he Federation
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Building Representatives (Only members in good
standing in each building shall vote for
representative(s) of t heir building)
7.
Custodial Representative
8.
Secretar ial Representative
9.
Teacher Assistant Representative
Section 2. To hold an offi ce, membership in good standing for at least
one year is required. No individual will be eligible to r un for offi ce wit hin
six (6) mont hs of retirement. Stated expense reimbursement.
Section 3. Nominations for t hese offi cers shall be made at t he regular
Januar y executive board meetings . Notice shall be provided for each
member at least one working week pr ior to t he meeting t hat nominations
will be in order. Petitions containing at least ten (10) signatures of
members shall accompany nominations.
Section 4. Ballots will be prepared and distr ibuted to each member in
good standing after t he regular Januar y meeting. The election shall take
place on t he fi rst Tuesday of Febr uar y. The ballots will be retur ned to t he
election committee. The candidate receiving a plurality of votes shall be
declared elected.
Section 5. Offi cers shall be installed in Febr uar y of each election year.
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Section 6. Vacancies in any offi ce shall be fi lled by a major ity vote of t he

Executive Board.

ARTICLE IV COMMITTEES
Section 1. The following st anding commit tees may be active in t his Federation:
1.

2.
3.
4.

Membership Committee
Negotiations Committee
Social Committee
Calendar Committee
Benefi ts Committee
Sick Leave Bank Committee
Gr ievance Committee

Section 2. The following special committees may be appointed:

1. Budget Committee
2. Audit Committee
3. Election Committee
Section 3. The President shall appoint t he chair person of each standing
committee and all special committees wit h t he major ity of t he Executive
Board giving approval.
Section 4. The chair person of each committee wit h t he approval of t he
President shall appoint members of each committee.
Section 5. Each committee shall repor t in wr iting, wit hin 30 days of being
activated, on all of its activities to t he Executive Board.

ARTICLE V THE EXECUTIVE BOARD

Section 1. The Executive Board of t he council shall consist of t he following:
1. All elected offi cers
2. All representatives
3. All elected senators
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Section 2. The Executive Board shall administer t he policy of t his council

as set by t he membership at regular meetings. It shall have t he power to
act for t he good of t he council in emergency situations where policy cannot
be set by t he membership. A quor um for an Executive Board
meeting/voting shall be defi ned as half t he total executive board plus one.
Section 3. The chair person of t he Executive Board shall be t he President
of t he council.
Section 4. The Executive Board shall set t he time and t he place of t he
Executive Board meetings. The Board shall meet at least once a mont h
t hroughout t he school calendar year.
Section 5. The Executive Board shall have t he power to employ all
personnel including an executive secretar y, cler ical help or ot her persons
on a full or par t-time basis, as may be deter mined by t he needs and
fi nances of t he council.
Section 6. The Executive Board shall have t he power to make contracts
and incur liabilities which may be appropr iate to enable it to accomplish
all or any of its pur poses; to bor row money for council pur poses at such
rates of interest and ter ms and conditions as t hey may deter mine; to issue
notes, bonds, and ot her obligations, and to secure any of its obligations,
and to secure any of its obligations by mor tgage, pledge, or deed of tr ust of
all or any of its proper ty and income.
Section 7. The Executive Board shall repor t its activities each regular
membership meeting.
Section 8. In t he event of recall of a senator(s), t he Executive Board will
deter mine t he appropr iate action to be taken.

ARTICLE VI DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of t he council and
of t he Executive Board. The President shall be ex offi cio member of all
committees, except t he Audit Committee, shall sign all necessar y papers
and documents, and represent t he council when and where necessar y. The
President shall make a repor t to t he membership at least once a year
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summar izing t he accomplishments of t he council and outlining plans for

t he next year.
Section 2. The Vice-President of t he Cer tifi ed Staff shall per for m all
duties of t he President in t he absence of t he offi cer and be responsible for
publishing t he mont hly newsletter. Bot h Vice-Presidents shall act as
parliamentar ian at all council meetings and ser ve as senators to t he
Federation.
Section 3. The Vice-President of t he Suppor t Staff shall be responsible for
publishing quar terly suppor t newsletter, and conduct infor mational
meetings as needed, and attend at least 90% of all Federation meetings.
Bot h Vice-Presidents shall act as parliamentar ian at all council meetings
and ser ve as senators to t he Federation.
Section 4. The Secretar y shall issue all notices, shall answer
cor respondence at t he direction of t he President and shall repor t outside
cor respondence to t he President and t he Executive Board t he minutes of
t he Executive Board and t he general membership meetings.
Section 5. The duties of t he Treasurer shall be:
a.) to receive, record, and deposit in t he name of t he
council all monies from dues and ot her sources
b.) to keep t he membership roll, issue receipts, and
delinquent notices
c.) to for ward all per capita dues and cur rent membership
lists to t he Sout hwest Suburban Federation, Local 943
d.) to be chair person of t he Budget Committee t he
treasurer shall present a wr itten repor t to all members
once a year
e.) to keep adequate records available at all times for t he
Executive Board and t he Auditor and repor t, in wr iting,
Mont hly to t he Executive Board
f.) to pay all bills aut hor ized by t he adopted budget,
retaining vouchers or invoices for same expenses not
aut hor ized in t he budget must be presented to t he
Executive Board for aut hor ization
Section 6. The duties of t he Senator(s) shall be:
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a.)
b.)
c.)

to attend at least 90% of all Federation meetings

to disseminate all Federation infor mation to t he
Executive Board of t he council
Senators will be subject to recall under t he guidelines
of t he Federation established in t he Federation
Constitution

Section 7. The duties of t he Representative(s) shall be:

a.)
b.)

c.)
d.)
e.)
f.)
g.)
h.)
i.)
j.)
k.)

communicate wit h and suppor t new members

wit hin t heir building
keep a list of union and non-union members in your
building and keep t he treasurer appr ised of
membership status
attend Executive Board and general membership
meetings
keep infor med on school and Council issues
keep Executive Board infor med on t he needs or
problems in your building
know and infor m t he staff in your building of
provisions in t he contract
assist bargaining unit members in fi ling
gr ievances and ser ve on t he Gr ievance Committee.
infor m Council Executive Board of members retir ing,
on leave, or hospitalized due to illness
infor m staff of general membership meetings
distr ibute mater ial from Council and Federation
super vise all Union elections wit hin t he building or
appoint a designee if a confl ict of interest occurs

ARTICLES VII DUTIES OF COMMITTEES

Section 1. The Negotiations Committee shall prepare and substantiate
Salar y and ot her contract proposals and shall negotiate t hese proposals
wit h t he employer.
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Section 2. The Benefi ts Committee shall have at least t hree (3) teachers
and one (1) suppor t staff member designated by t he Union Executive Board
as voting members. The Committee shall meet pr ior to September 1 s t of
each school year to recommend how incremental amounts of insurance
contr ibutions shall be appor tioned between staff electing benefi ts, as to
which por tion of premiums will be paid by t he individual staff member, and
which por tion of t he premiums will be paid by t he School Board. This
committee shall also act in an advisor y capacity to t he School Board and
Union for pur poses of recommending any changes in benefi ts, insur ing
companies, selected HMO companies and t he like. The committee shall
also act on emergency application of staff applying for coverage or change
of coverage.
Section 3. The Sick Leave Bank Committee shall consist of seven (7) staff
members who shall develop operating r ules and implementation procedures
for t he Sick Leave Bank wit h t he Executive Board approval.
Section 4 . The Gr ievance Committee shall consist of 2 building
representatives from t he buildings where t he gr ievance or iginated and 1
building representative from each ot her building.

SPECIAL COMMITTEES
Section 1. If called upon, t he Budget Committee shall prepare a budget
for adoption by t he membership pr ior to t he beginning of t he next fi scal
year. The fi scal year shall be July 1 s t t hrough June 30 t h .
Section 2. If called upon, t he Audit Committee shall audit t he Treasurers
books. They shall present t heir audit repor t to t he membership.
Section 3. If called upon, t he Election Committee shall conduct elections
designated by t he Executive Board for matters of general impor tance to t he
membership.

ARTICLE VIII MEETINGS

Section 1. The general membership meetings of t he Council shall be held
at t he discretion of t he Executive Board. A quor um shall consist of ten (10)
percent of t he total membership.
Section 2. Special Committee meetings shall be called as needed wit h
reasonable notice.

ARTICLE IX FINANCE
Section 1. Ridgeland Council/Local 943 dues shall be fi xed by a major ity
vote of t he members present at t he building/general meeting(s) providing
one-mont h notice of t he contemplated dues increase has been announced
at t he previous building/general meeting(s).
Section 2. Additional fi nances may be obtained by var ious fund raising
activities.

ARTICLE X RULES OF ORDER

Rober ts Rules of Order, revised, shall gover n in all cases not covered by
t his Constitution or t he By-Laws of t his Council.

ARTICLE XI AMENDMENT
Section 1. These By-Laws may be amended as follows:
a.)

Amendment(s) may be submitted to t he Executive Board or

t he Executive Board may initiate amendment(s). After
having received a major ity vote of t he Executive Board, t he
amendment(s) shall be submitted to each member.
OR
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b.)

The proposed amendment(s) shall be submitted at any

regular meeting and read to t he assembled members. A
vote at t he following membership meeting shall be
suffi cient to adopt t he amendment(s).

ARTICLE XII OFFICERS EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT

Section 1 .

All Executive Board Members shall be reimbursed annually

by t his Council according to t he following schedule:
1. President
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Vice-Presidents
Treasurer
Secretar y
Senator(s)
Representatives

$500.00, cell phone bill

reimbursement and dues compensation
Dues compensation
Dues compensation
Dues compensation
Dues compensation
Dues compensation

Section 2. Each member of t he Executive Board is allowed 1 unexcused

absence of required council meetings to receive
reimbursement. Beginning wit h t he 2 n d absence, proration of
dues compensation will occur.
Section 3. Executive Board Members shall attend a minimum of 2 (two)
School Board meetings a year.

ARTICLE XIII POLICY MAKING

Section 1. In t he events of deat hs, t he following policy shall be executed:
*Deat h of employed Union Member - $300.00 to be given to t he
Immediate family.
Section 2

Retirement - Personal gift of cash not to exceed $300.00 to all

Union members and Administration Personnel as t he
Executive Board shall decide in each individual case.

Updated:__________________

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