BUX-MONT 920 BY-LAWS
National Association of Letter Carriers
APRIL 24, 2024
BUXMONT 920
20 SOUTH SCHOOL LANE,
SOUDERTON, PA 18964
ARTICLE I – NAME AND OBJECT
SECTION I – NAME
This subordinate branch will be known as Bux-Mont 920 of the National Association of Letter Carriers.
SECTION II – OBJECT
It will be the object of this branch to provide representation for all of its members, enforce the national and local contracts, and labor laws. It will also provide representation on local bargaining rights and grievance procedures. It will assist members on health benefits and OWCP claims and all other matters affecting the health, welfare, and working conditions of its members.
ARTICLE II – MEETINGS
SECTION I
The regular meetings of this branch will be held at 7:00 pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month at a place to be designated by the branch president (except that on months with a Monday holiday, the meeting will be held on the following Tuesday). The meetings will alternate between the eastern and western sectors of the branch on a month-by-month basis. There will be no meeting in July and August. The date and time of the December meeting will be announced by the branch president. The December meeting will be virtual.
SECTION II
Executive Board meetings will be held at 6:30 pm on the fourth Tuesday of each month preceding the regular meeting. Steward meetings will be held at 7:00 pm on the fourth Wednesday of each month except for the month of November where the meeting will be on the third Wednesday.
SECTION III
Special meetings will be called by the President upon written request of 50 members in good standing or by majority vote of the branch. At least 24 hours’ notice will be given for all special meetings, including mail, telephone, posted notices, etc. The provisions of the National Constitution will govern the conduct of special meetings.
ARTICLE III – OFFICERS
SECTION I
The officers of this branch will be President, Executive Vice President, Vice President, Recording/Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Sergeant-at-Arms, Health Benefits Representative, MBA Representative, and Board of Trustees (3).
SECTION II
The Executive Board of this union will consist of all officers named in Article III Section I. All officers will be required to attend the Executive Board, Stewards’, and Regular meetings.
SECTION III
Stewards will be elected from each office in the branch with the number allowed in each office to be determined by the formula provided in the National Agreement. If more than one is permitted, one will be designated chief steward. Each office will also be allotted alternate stewards equal to the number of stewards. All stewards and alternates are expected to attend branch meetings.
SECTION IV
The President will appoint a successor to fill the term of any vacated office not to exceed the next branch election.
ARTICLE IV – NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
SECTION I
Nominations and election notices will be mailed to each member at least 45 days prior to nominations. For the purpose of this provision the requirement that notices be mailed will be satisfied by timely publication in the Postal Record and/or the Bux-Mont 920 News. Notices will be sent to each post office to be posted on the union bulletin board by the steward. The notice will contain the provision that all elected officers will be convention delegates by virtue of their office.
SECTION II
Nomination of officers will be held every three years at the regular meeting in October. All regular members in good standing except those who have held or applied for a supervisor or 204b position within the last 24 months as provided in Article V of the National Constitution will be eligible to be nominated.
SECTION III
All candidates for office must be present at the time of their nomination or have submitted to the Corresponding/Recording Secretary in writing a letter indicating their desire to be nominated. This letter must be presented to the President prior to the close of nominations. The nomination of a candidate who is unavoidably detained from attending the meeting will be provisionally accepted pending acceptable evidence being provided to the Corresponding/Recording Secretary.
SECTION IV
Elections of officers will take place every three years at the regular November meeting.
SECTION V
After nominations and at least 21 days before the election, the President will appoint an election committee which will consist of three (3) members, with one designated as chair person. This committee will have full charge of the election in determining the eligibility of all nominees for branch office, checking voters’ eligibility, and distributing and counting ballots. They will enforce all rules for a secret ballot and fair election. They will permit one member of each candidate’s choice to observe the distribution and counting of ballots. The observer will not be a candidate for any office.
SECTION VI
Elections will be by mail ballot. The ballots will be mailed to members at least twenty (20) days prior to the November meeting. Each member will mail his/her ballot to a PO Box address established by the election committee. All ballots will be collected by 4:00 pm on the day of the November meeting. Ballots will be counted during the regular November meeting. Section 14 Conducting Mail Balloting of the NALC Regulations Governing Branch Election Procedures will be strictly enforced.
SECTION VII
Shop stewards will be nominated the first full week of October every three years. The present steward will place a nomination petition on the union bulletin board. Those desiring to be nominated will place their name on the petition. A member who is not a candidate will be selected by the members at the station to collect the nomination petition at the end of the week. The election will take place in the last full week of October every three years. All members in good standing will be eligible to vote. The member selected previously to collect the nomination provision will conduct the election by secret ballot. The candidate with the most votes will be declared the steward. In a station eligible for more than one steward, he/she will be declared the chief steward. Those candidates receiving the next highest totals will be declared either steward or alternate steward, whichever is appropriate.
SECTION VIII
All other provisions of the Constitution governing Subordinate Branch Elections will be made part of these by-laws.
ARTICLE V – DUES, FEES, FINES, & ASESSMENTS
SECTION I
Every active member of this branch will pay the sum of one hours’ pay at the rate of NALC Grade 1 Step O plus $2.00 per pay period. The dues will be adjusted during the month of January each year to account for pay rate increases.
SECTION II
Each retired member of this branch will pay the sum of $24.00 per year payable by January 31. Failure to pay by this date will start proceedings for suspension, thereby jeopardizing NALC Health Benefits and membership.
SECTION III
Deleted
ARTICLE VI – FUNDS
SECTION I
All books, records, monies, and property of the branch will be delivered to the newly elected officers when they assume office.
SECTION II
The President, Executive Vice President, Vice President, Corresponding/Recording Secretary, and Treasurer, after filing of the proper bank documents, will be authorized to sign checks of withdrawal of funds when authorized.
SECTION III
All authorized withdrawals of funds will be accompanied by a voucher signed by an authorized officer.
SECTION IV
All officers authorized to sign checks and/or vouchers will be bonded in accordance with the law.
SECTION V
Any officer or member who will be absent from work or expend their time for union business will be compensated in full for all time and monies lost. This will include any legitimate expenses incurred. These absences or expenses must be approved by the President or in his/her absence the Executive Vice President or Vice President.
SECTION VI
Any officer or member who uses time or misses work on behalf of the union will be compensated at the rate of $1.00 per hour above regular base pay. FERS members will receive an additional 5%.
SECTION VII
Delegates to the National and State Conventions will not be paid wages. The Branch 920 Executive Board and Shop Stewards will be paid and will remain on duty during convention hours providing they meet the criteria outlined under Article VII Section II.
SECTION VIII
Mileage will be paid to any officer or member using their vehicle for union business at the same rate paid by the USPS.
SECTION IX
The President will be employed full time. His/her salary will be equal to City Carrier Technician at the highest step plus $1.00 per hour. If the President is under FERS, he/she will be paid an additional 5%. The branch will pay the USPS share of health benefits and life insurance. The branch will pay the employer share of the Social Security tax. The branch will pay the cost of Civil Service or FERS benefits. The branch will provide the President the same annual leave and sick leave allowance that he/she would receive as an active carrier. He/she will receive official leave of absence of absence from the USPS while serving as President.
At the end of each calendar year, the branch will pay the President for any unused annual leave. The President will be allowed to carry over a maximum of eighty (80) hours of annual leave at his/her option. Unused sick leave will be accumulated in the same manner as an active carrier. He/she will receive 5 days of wages at the end of the year if he/she has 5 days or more of sick leave remaining. He/she will keep a log of annual and sick leave used. He/she will complete a PS Form 3971. He/she will notify the Executive Vice President and Vice President of any long-term absence. A disability income policy will be carried on the President in the appropriate amount to cover any long-term illness or injury. The purpose of this policy is to assure that union funds will not be depleted in the event that the Executive Vice President and/or Vice President must fulfill the President’s duties.
SECTION X
The Executive Vice President, Vice President, Corresponding/Recording Secretary, and Treasurer will be paid a minimum of eight hours a month to cover all meetings, newsletter articles, communications between officers, and any additional activities outside of the hours spent on union business. They will be paid for all additional hours spent on union business. Their pay will be based on Article VI Section VI of these by-laws.
SECTION XI
If it becomes necessary for the Executive Vice President and/or the Vice President to assume the President’s duties, they will share those responsibilities not to exceed one thousand hours per year.
SECTION XII
Stewards will be reimbursed their full dues, provided they attend at least two steward meetings in that quarter except for the third quarter where the stewards need only attend the September steward meeting.
SECTION XIII
The officers of this union will be authorized by the branch to spend up to $2,000 between branch meetings in cases of emergency. A simple majority vote of the Executive Board will be required.
SECTION XIV
Secretarial fees such as typing, preparing the newsletter, etc., will be paid at the rate of NALC Grade 1 Step B letter carrier base pay. Office cleaning fee will be $50.00 a month.
SECTION XV
The Branch is authorized to pay all monthly expenses due (rent, telephone, miscellaneous bills, and biweekly payment for officers and members working for the branch), and expenses incurred for the daily operations in the field and in the office.
SECTION XVI
Any member or officer who loses annual and/or sick leave or uniform allowance credit for exceeding 80-hour LWOP on authorized union business will be compensated in full for hours lost. A ledger will be kept of all authorized union business and all such time must be authorized by the President or in his/her absence by the Executive Vice President or Vice President.
SECTION XVII
Deleted.
SECTION XVIII
Refreshments will be served at meetings at the discretion of the Executive Board. A majority vote by the Executive Board will constitute authorization.
SECTION XIX
Deleted.
ARTICLE VII – CONVENTIONS
SECTION I
As shall be noted on election notices and election ballots of the officers of this branch, the officers of this branch by virtue of their office, upon their acceptance, will become delegates to the various conventions. The remainder of delegates will be elected as per the National Constitution.
SECTION II
All delegates, including officers, to the National and State Conventions, Congressional Breakfast, and Regional Seminars must have attended fifty percent (50%) plus one of all the regular meetings in the twenty-four (24) months prior to nominations in order to share in the funds. Exceptions being a verified illness or a new employee. In such cases, they must have attended fifty percent (50%) plus one of the meetings available to them. The determining factor of attendance will be their signatures on the meeting attendance sheet as verified by the Corresponding/Recording Secretary.
SECTION III
All meals and expenses will be paid for delegates only. All other meals and expenses will be borne by the delegate responsible.
ARTICLE VIII – AMENDMENTS
These by-laws will not be altered, amended, or repealed except in the following manner:
SECTION I
All proposed changes must be submitted to the Executive Board in writing stating the articles and sections to be changed.
SECTION II
All changes will be discussed, and any additional amendments or language changes will be made at the next regular meeting following the Executive Board meeting at which they were introduced.
SECTION III
All changes will be voted upon by a simple majority vote of the members present at the regular meeting following the previous regular meeting at which the changes were introduced. No amendments or discussion will be allowed at this meeting. Voting will be by secret ballot.
SECTION IV
Suitable notification to members will be made at least ten (10) days before the regular meeting at which the vote on the amendment(s) is to be held.
SECTION V
Amendments to by-laws will not become effective until approved by the Committee of Laws of the NALC.
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