Proposed Amendments and Resolutions 2018

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A 18-01 -PASSED
Article V: National Standing Committees, § 4 AMEND: Section 4. Except as otherwise provided for in Section 2 above, the National Chair of all standing committees shall be elected by the members of each respective committee. Each standing committee shall establish its own election procedures and the length of term to be served, not to exceed three years. There is no limit to the number of terms served. In the event of a National Standing Committee Chair vacancy, the President shall select from amongst the remaining committee members a replacement, subject to approval of the National Executive Board, an acting chair until the next scheduled meeting, when a new National Chair will be elected. Rationale: A mid-term vacancy in the chair position may occur for several reasons and may be unexpected. Given the many potential scenarios for a vacancy, selecting a temporary chair from among the remaining committee members may not be in the best interest of the committee or NATCA. This amendment simply gives the President the flexibility to select a temporary chair from outside the existing committee members, until the committee has a chance to meet and elect a permanent chair.

A 18-02- PASSED
Article VII: Nomination and Election of Officers, § 5 AMEND: Section 5. Newly-elected national officers shall commence their term of office thirty (30) days after certification of the results of the election. Rationale: In 2008 and prior, Article VII referred to national nominations and elections. In 2010 and subsequent conventions items were added to this article to include local elections. It is the opinion of the National Constitution Committee that this section was originally intended for national officers only and any restrictions meant for local officers would have been included in Article X: Locals. This amendment clarifies that this section only refers to national officers and is not intended to change current practice of specifying in a local constitution when a term of office is to commence for a local officer.

A 18-03 - PASSED (Amended to remove the wording that the convention will be held in Vegas every other convention. Left in the NEB criteria wording and the Vegas as a backup clause. Removed transitional info)
Article VIII: National Conventions, §§ 1 & 6 AMEND: Section 1. The Association shall meet in National Convention every two (2) years. The location for future National Conventions will rotate every two (2) years between Las Vegas and at a location to be established by majority vote of the delegates at the Convention four (4) years previous. In order to be considered as a host city for a National Convention, each proposed city must meet reasonable logistical and financial criteria to be established by the National Executive Board (NEB). These criteria shall be set and available to parties interested in submitting a bid to host the Convention no later that one (1) year prior to the Convention where the proposals will be heard. In the absence of a proposed city that meets the criteria outlined by the NEB, Las Vegas will be the default city for the Convention being considered. The Region with the fewest previously hosted conventions will be offered the opportunity to act as the hosting Region of conventions held in Las Vegas. In the event a region passes on the opportunity to host the Convention, the Region with the next fewest hosted Conventions would be offered the opportunity. In the event of a tie, the Region with the greatest duration of time since last hosting shall be offered the opportunity to host. A Special Convention may be called by the President upon sixty (60) days notice to the membership. AMEND: Section 6. At least one year prior to any scheduled Convention, the President shall ensure the establishment of a Convention Committee, which shall be comprised of NATCA staff and other designees as appointed by the President and approved by the National Executive Board. At a minimum, appointments shall include two members from the hosting Local(s) or designated Region and the Regional Vice President from the hosting region. This committee will forward all plans and provisions to the National Executive Board for approval. The President shall appoint a Credentials Committee for each National Convention. The Credentials Committee shall be composed of at least three (3) active members in good standing, among whom no two (2) members may be from the same NATCA Region. Prior to the start of the Convention, the Credentials Committee shall meet and issue a report listing the names of all eligible delegates and their alternates and the number of votes that each delegate is entitled to cast. The Constitution Committee shall be the Rules Committee for each National Convention. Other committees shall be established as deemed necessary by the President or by the voting delegates at the National Convention. Transitional Information: In order to establish the rotation of convention locations and cost assurances described in this Article, the 2022 National Convention shall be held in Las Vegas.

Rationale: There is no policy in place to ensure reasonable costs of cities chosen to host conventions. This amendment provides assurance to the convention body that the city chosen would be fiscally responsible for our Union by requiring potential host cities to perform financial due diligence prior to a vote. This amendment also adds Las Vegas in the Convention rotation to ensure cost savings. Rotating cities acknowledges our history, and that there is value both in terms of regional pride and solidarity, and the fact that the Convention is a celebration of our Union and should be memorable to those who attend. It should NATCA SEVENTEENTH BIENNIAL CONVENTION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS be inspiring to new and old advocates alike. We should be wary of this event becoming stale or indistinguishable from any other. There is something to lose as a Union by either failing to act, or overreacting to this issue and destroying the unique nature of our Convention. Conventions have tremendous value, especially to our younger leaders who are provided an opportunity to participate in the convention business, and take advantage of the learning opportunities provided. It is our hope that this amendment would allow us to maintain the current two-year cycle.


A 18-04- DEFEATED
Article VIII: National Conventions, § 1 AMEND: Section 1. The Association shall meet in National Convention every two (2) three (3) years at a location to be established by majority vote of the delegates at the Convention four (4) six (6) years previous. A Special Convention may be called by the President upon sixty (60) days notice to the membership.

Rationale: Under the current procedure of having a National Convention every two years, this Union is handcuffing itself financially. As the cost of providing a firstclass convention experience increases, cuts to other parts of the budget, specifically the NATCA Academy, need to be made every year. Like any organization that has been successful over a long period of time, processes and procedures have been streamlined, and the need to meet, discuss, debate and change them diminishes. Though the need may be diminished, it never goes away, and meeting every three (3) years would fill this need. When practicable, savings resulting from changes to the cycle of convention shall be applied to the NATCA acad

A 18-05- DEFEATED
Article VIII: National Conventions, §§ 1 & 6 AMEND: Section 1. The Association shall meet in National Convention every two (2) years at a location to be established by majority vote of the delegates at the Convention four (4) years previous. in Las Vegas, Nevada. Each region will be considered the host region in the following order: Alaska, Central, New England, Region X, Southern, Northwest Mountain, Great Lakes, Western Pacific, Eastern, Southwest. A Special Convention may be called by the President upon sixty (60) days notice to the membership. † AMEND: Section 6. At least one year prior to any scheduled Convention, the President shall ensure the establishment of a Convention Committee, which shall be comprised of NATCA staff and other designees as appointed by the Pr NATCA SEVENTEENTH BIENNIAL CONVENTION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS and approved by the National Executive Board. At a minimum, appointments shall include two members from the hosting Local(s) Region and the Regional Vice President from the hosting region. This committee will forward all plans and provisions to the National Executive Board for approval. The President shall appoint a Credentials Committee for each National Convention. The Credentials Committee shall be composed of at least three (3) active members in good standing, among whom no two (2) members may be from the same NATCA Region. Prior to the start of the Convention, the Credentials Committee shall meet and issue a report listing the names of all eligible delegates and their alternates and the number of votes that each delegate is entitled to cast. The Constitution Committee shall be the Rules Committee for each National Convention. Other committees shall be established as deemed necessary by the President or by the voting delegates at the National Convention.

Rationale: By selecting a single destination for our conventions, we see a significant reduction in overall costs to national and local budgets, which allow NATCA to continue to meet biennially to conduct the business of the union. This would put NATCA in a better position to negotiate long term contracts with significant cost savings in lodging rates, food and beverage rates, and other associated costs, reducing the overall costs by an estimated 30-40%. As our membership continues to get younger we need to continue meeting every two years, to ensure that we can educate, mentor and provide experience for the future leaders of this great union. There are other venues/events (CFS, NiW, regional meetings, etc.) for education and mentorship to occur, but none of them provide the experience of conducting the business of the union like the convention does. By hosting the conventions in Las Vegas every 2-years NATCA • Reduces the overall cost to the organization • Gains predictably of convention costs, providing for better planning • Ensures we always have union venues capable of hosting the convention • Increases our bargaining power • Reduces the overall costs to our locals • Maintains a 2-year cycle for the convention, providing opportunities for education, mentorship, and experience

A 18-06 - DEFEATED
Article VIII: National Conventions, § 5 AMEND: Section 5. Each Local shall be entitled to one delegate. Each Local shall be entitled to an additional delegate for every 50 active members in good standing over and above 100 members. Each Local with 50 up to and including 100 active members in good standing shall be entitled to two delegates. Each Local with 101 or more shall be entitled an additional delegate for every 50 active members in good standing. Each delegate shall be entitled to cast a number of votes equal to the number of active members in good standing in his or her Local thirty (30) days in advance of the opening of the Convention, divided by the number of delegates representing the Local properly registered and credentialed at the time of the vote.

Rationale: This amendment, which would take effect at the next National Convention, would provide another voice (in mid-sized facilities) in decisive issues and allow more transparency in voting. It would allow facilities of same size to work on issues with different voices and provide greater input from the membership without having to call for a simple majority vote on every issue at hand from the Local level when dealing with Convention matters. We feel that the amendment above will provide for a more equal representation of our NATCA brothers and sisters. The current writing has a very high threshold before another delegate can be nominated from a Local and we feel that this puts undue burden on our Union. Yes, everybody has a voice at the Convention but to have the ability to “vote in person” can lead to a sense of involvement to a member, a sense of inclusion if you will, and that is what we feel this amendment will do.

A 18-08- WITHDRAWN
Article X: Locals, § 9 ADD NEW: Section 9. Membership to a Local is voluntary. Members may opt out of Local membership by submitting a written declaration to the Executive Vice President. Members that opt-out of membership in their Local shall remain members of the Union but are prohibited from participation in Local meetings and Local elections. All of the opt-out members’ dues will remain at the national level. Opt-out members will remain so until thirty (30) days after the next local officer election. Rationale: This proposal is intended to provide members a form of expression to local leadership that issues are not being resolved at the local level. This is a way to fill the void between raising an issue at a local meeting that the leadership refuses to address and filing an internal union grievance. The ten percent dues increase at the national level for each opt-out member will more than pay for the administration of this proposal. For locals with effective leadership, this will have no impact. Consider this proposal a way to point out existing issues and give members a less confrontational way to express discontent with actions taken by local leadership. No individual member would be harmed by this proposal, and only offers a trade NATCA SEVENTEENTH BIENNIAL CONVENTION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS participation for funds that would otherwise be available to a local. The opt-out period of once per election cycle was chosen to ensure no member would be jumping in and out of the local frivolously.

A 18-08- PASSED
Article XIV: Interpretation and Amendments to the Constitution, § 6 AMEND: Section 6. Amendments and ratifications to local constitutions shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Article: a. All proposed amendments to a local constitution shall be submitted to the local executive board at least thirty (30) days prior to the meeting during which they will be discussed and voted upon; and b. All proposed amendments shall be posted at least twenty-one (21) days prior to the meeting during which they will be discussed and voted upon; and c. Adoption of proposed amendments to the Local Constitution shall require at least two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast by the voting members as defined by the Local Constitution. Proposed amendments to local constitutions shall be heard at the next general membership meeting, or the next appropriate meeting for amendments as designated by the Local Constitution. Proposed amendments to local constitutions shall be heard at least once annually. Interpretations to local constitutions shall be made by the Local President. Any challenges to interpretations of local constitutions shall be accomplished in the same manner as challenges to the National Constitution. utilizing the provisions of Section 4 above. Rationale: This amendment clarifies the existing practice. Challenges to Local constitutional interpretations are first interpreted by the National Constitution Committee, with any further challenge then determined by the National President. By specifying Section 4, this amendment ensures that future challenges to Local constitutional interpretations are handled according to the national policy in effect at the time the local interpretation is challenged.

A 18-09 though 18-15-DEFEATED (No changes in seniority to ATCS/TMC/NOTAM/FSS)

A 18-16: PASSED
Article XV: Seniority, § 4 ADD NEW: Section 4. For bargaining unit members in other than the ATCS/TMC/NOTAM/FSS bargaining units, following the conclusion of a temporary promotion or detail outside the bargaining unit, the employee’s previous Union determined seniority will be reinstated as though the employee had never left the bargaining unit position previously assigned without accruing seniority for the duration of the temporary promotion or detail. Rationale: This proposed amendment will have no impact on the ATCS/TMC/NOTAM/FSS Bargaining Units. This language is similar to the Slate Book Article 108, and will ensure that all bargaining units will be treated equally through either contract language or our constitution. In many of the Region X Bargaining units performing temporary supervisory details is an opportunity for our members to earn experience, build their resume and earn additional salary. Unlike the ATC units where grade is based on the traffic count of the facility one is assigned to, Region X members must compete for all promotions. The current penalty of resetting seniority to zero after returning from a detail is an obstacle to recruitment and retention in Region X.
 
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R 18-01 -PASSED
AMEND: SRB-2 Membership Trust Fund NATCA shall create such trust fund(s) as may be necessary or desirable to hold, manage, and invest all net income derived from NATCA Membership Investments, Inc., and shall use such income and earnings thereon for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to members of the Union and defraying reasonable expenses of administering the trust funds. Any change and/ or amendment to this resolution must be through a three-fourths vote of returned ballots of the entire NATCA membership.

Rationale: The Convention delegates represent the supreme body of NATCA. The present language creates a threshold to change that cannot be met by our supreme body. This restriction is contrary to the basic principles for deliberative bodies as described in Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.


R 18-02- Tabled Until 04/20/2018

R 18-03-PASSED
R18-03 AMEND: SRF-12 Reimbursement for Training/Meetings For any local receiving $4,500 or less in annual dues rebates, transportation and lodging expenses required to attend NATCA training courses or regional meetings will be paid by the region or department hosting the event, in accordance with NATCA’s expense reimbursement NATCA SEVENTEENTH BIENNIAL CONVENTION PROPOSED AMENDMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS For any local receiving more than $4,500, but less than $6,000 in annual dues rebates, fifty percent (50%) of transportation and lodging expenses required to attend NATCA training courses or regional meetings will be paid by the region or department hosting the event, in accordance with NATCA’s expense reimbursement policy. All such expenses require pre-approval by the individual responsible for the budget before costs are incurred.

Rationale: Education and individual involvement lead to activism and create an environment where members take ownership in the Union’s future. NATCA academy classes, regional/committee meetings and national events, such as Communicating for Safety, NATCA in Washington, and the Convention all serve to pass on the institutional knowledge NATCA has achieved throughout its history. Unfortunately, many small to mid-sized locals are unable to take advantage of these critical opportunities because they receive just enough in annual dues rebates to not be eligible for assistance. This amendment would help bridge that fiscal gap by creating a second tier of financial support, designed to specifically stimulate those locals who often find themselves left out.
 
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