Bylaws
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The LWEA shall be a member-advocate association and shall develop and maintain Association strength and security in working toward the following goals:
1) Independent, self-governing organization for members of the education
profession with which all members can identify.
2) Guaranteed professional and economic rights and interest of members.
3) Development of public understanding of the goals of public education and the Association.
4) Professional growth of the Association's members.
Article II LWEA Membership
Section 1 Enrollment blanks embodying the unified plan of membership shall be furnished by the WEA.
Section 2 There shall be the following classes of membership in the LWEA:
Active Membership shall be open to any holder of a Washington State Teaching Certificate or an Educational Staff Associate Certificate who is either under contract to or substituting within the
Active Half Time shall be available to anyone who is eligible for active membership, and who is able to present proof of one-half (1/2) time employment with the District or less.
Reserve Membership shall be limited to any person who is otherwise eligible for active membership but is on limited leave or absence from professional educational work in the
Student Membership shall be limited to any person who is not certified as and/or employed as an educator, but who is enrolled in a college or university program that results in an internship in the District.
Retired Membership shall be limited to any person who has retired from teaching or other educational work.
Associate Membership shall be limited to any person (such as teacher aide) not eligible for other classes of membership and not engaged actively in the education profession.
Staff Membership shall be open to any person employed by the Association.
Agency Shop Membership shall be available to anyone represented by the LWEA who is employed by the District, who has been suspended or expelled from membership, or who does not choose to become an active member.
Section 3 Continuing membership shall be subject to discontinuance in the case of any member whose dues are not paid by January 1, or who has not authorized the deductions of such dues installments thereof.
Section 4 Membership may be terminated by expulsion or suspension or a member may be censured in accordance with the LWEA Constitution for a violation of the Code of Ethics, or for refusing to abide by the LWEA Constitution and Bylaws.
Article III LWEA Dues and Assessments
Section 1 Dues shall be adjusted to the nearest whole dollar as follows:
Active Members: .007 of the preceding school year's beginning teacher's salary plus UniServ dues.
Active Half-Time Members: One-half (1/2) dues for active members.
Substitute Teachers: For those who present proof as substitute teachers, dues shall be proportional on a daily basis to the dues for active members.
Reserve Members: One-half (1/2) of the dues for active members for those persons on a Leave of Absence, and $5.00 for those persons on Temporary Disability or Maternity/Child Care Leaves or other hardship leaves upon written request and approval of the Executive Committee.
Retired Members: No dues payable.
Associate Members: One-half (1/2) of the dues of active members.
Staff Members: One-half (1/2) of the dues of active members.
Agency Shop Members: Equal to dues of active members.
Section 2 Special assessments may be levied by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Representative Assembly.
Section 3 The local, state, and national dues and special assessments of all members shall be payable to LWEA.
Article IV LWEA Representative Assembly
Section 1 Delegates to the Representative Assembly shall be elected by secret ballot after open nominations at each work site at a 1:15 ratio. The Executive Committee shall provide uniform rules and procedures to assure compliance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the LWEA, WEA and NEA, including those applicable provisions relative to one-person-one-vote, and ethnic-minority representation.
Section 2 Members of the Executive Committee will be ex-officio voting members of the Representative Assembly. The president (or vice president in his/her absence) as presiding officer will vote only in the event of a tie.
Article V LWEA Executive Committee
Section 1 Executive Committee members shall consist of the officers of LWEA and one (1) representative from each of the following areas: Primary, Intermediate, Junior High, Senior High, Special Services, and Specialists.
A. Alternative schools/programs will be represented on the Executive Committee by the appropriate grade level representative.
Section 2 The definition of Special Services shall include certificated members who are employed in the following areas or classification:
CareUnit Chapter I
Psychologists SLP
Special Ed Teacher Resource Teacher
OT/PT Preschool
Vision Specialist ESL
The definition of Specialist shall include certificated members who are employed in the following classifications:
Counselor Librarian
Elementary Music Elementary Physical Education
Activity Coordinator Media Specialist
Educational Specialist Staff Development Trainer &/or TOSA TOSA
Section 3 The Executive Committee members representing each of the categories shall be from their own category. Except for those Executive Committee members elected to fill vacancies, newly elected Executive Committee members shall take office after the NEA Representative Assembly. Executive Committee members shall not serve as Building Reps except in emergency situations when authorized by the president.
Section 4 Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be held in accordance with action of the Executive Committee or on call of the president or on request of a majority of the Executive Committee.
Section 5 Executive Committee members shall be elected by majority vote (50% + 1 of those qualified and voting) of a secret ballot following open nominations. Each officer and Executive Committee member shall be elected for a one (1) year term and may be elected for additional terms except as provided for in the case of a vacancy or creation of a new Executive Committee member position. In the event that no candidate receives a majority, the two (2) candidates receiving the most votes shall be in a runoff election. If a runoff election is necessary, it shall be held according to a timeline prepared by the Executive Committee and ballots shall be counted not later than one (1) month after the end of the previous election.
Section 6 Each officer shall be elected by the same procedure as in Section 5. Each officer shall be elected to a one (1) year term.
Article VI LWEA Committees and Commissions
Section 1 All Committees and Commissions members shall be appointed by the president, except that the president-designate shall appoint members who will take office during his/her term as president.
Section 2 Committee and Commission members are expected to be active members of the Committees or Commissions to which they are appointed. Non-participation of a member or failure to attend three (3) consecutive meetings shall constitute that member's resignation when so determined by the president.
Section 3 Committees and Commissions shall receive their charges from the president, as approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 4 A majority of all members of any Committee or Commission shall constitute a quorum.
Section 5 All reports to be made for consideration of the Representative Assembly should be submitted in final form to the Executive Committee not later than two (2) weeks before the meeting of the Representative Assembly. All reports should be mailed to the buildings and authorized Representative Assembly delegates not later than one (1) week before the meeting of the Representative Assembly. Committees and Commissions should make interim reports to the Executive Committee.
Section 6 Committee and Commission recommendations and/or endorsements, in order to become Association policy, must be approved by majority vote of the Representative Assembly.
Article VII Ratification of Negotiated Agreements
Section 1 Agreements will be ratified by the general membership at a meeting called for said purpose.
Section 2 Agreements will be considered ratified when accepted by a simple majority of the members voting.
Section 3 Any Letters of Understanding become effective when ratified by the Executive Committee and/or the Representative Assembly.
Section 4 Authorization for a strike shall require a simple majority of those present at a meeting called for said purpose.
Article VIII WEA and NEA Delegates
Section 1 The Executive Committee shall set the election procedures for each delegate position to the NEA Representative Assembly and the WEA Representative Assembly. The election for the delegates shall be in compliance with the NEA/WEA guidelines.
Article IX LWEA Employed Staff
Section 1 The Executive Committee shall employ or contract for the employment of the UniServ Representative and upon recommendation of the UniServ Representative, shall employ other personnel.
Section 2 The President and/or designee(s) shall work through the Sammamish UniServ Council and, if necessary, WEA to employ or contract for the employment of the UniServ Representative and other personnel as needed.
Article X Fiscal Policy
Section 1 The preparation of the preliminary budget and the final budget shall be the responsibility of the president and vice president. The preliminary budget shall be submitted to the Executive Committee no later than the September Executive Committee meeting. The final budget shall be submitted by the Executive Committee to the Representative Assembly for approval no later than the October Representative Assembly meeting.
Section 2 All monies received by the LWEA shall be placed and kept in such accounts as the Executive Committee shall determine and shall be disbursed by such officers and in such manner as the Executive Committee shall determine.
Article XI Amendments
Section 1 These Bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Representative Assembly by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all official delegates present and voting, provided the amendment has been printed and distributed prior to the meeting.
Amended by: LWEA Representative Assembly October 13, 1987
Amended by: LWEA Representative Assembly January 10, 1989
Amended by: LWEA Representative Assembly May 20, 1997
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