Page 16 - Work Force February 2016

2016 Private Sector Local Elections
Elections will be Conducted for All Private Sector Local Officers
Important Information about Slate Petitioning and Slate Voting
Local Elections member will appear on the ballot In Local elections, a slate must contain as a candidate for office as part of
a candidate running for the offices of the slate and as an individual for President, one or more Vice Presidents, the position of delegate.
as set forth in the Local’s by-laws, • When circulating and signing Secretary and Treasurer, and any other petition forms, members must offices that have been created according write in their own CSEA ID
to the Local Constitution and by-laws. numbers.
In Locals that have the position of • Candidates who run as a slate Secretary-Treasurer in their by-laws, the must complete a Slate Eligibility slate must include a candidate for that and Consent Form and a Slate office. Petition Request Form. By
Changes to Officer positions in your petitioning as a slate, candidates Private Sector Local must be contained who appear as part of a slate
in your Local’s by-laws and approved by need to submit only one set of the the Local Executive Board and submitted required number of signatures to to the Office of the Statewide Secretary qualify as a candidate. Individual before February 1. petitions are not necessary for
slate candidates.
Candidates should know the following: • Candidates who withdraw from
• A member cannot be a candidate a slate must complete a Slate
for officer and for delegate on the Withdrawal Form and return the same slate. An officer candidate form to their election committee. must circulate a separate • More detailed information about nominating petition in order election slates will be available to appear on the ballot also as from Local and Unit election
a candidate for delegate. The committees.
The term of office for all current Private Sector Local officers expires June 30, 2016. Private Sector officers and delegates will be elected to three-year terms.
Balloting for Private Sector officers will be conducted between May 15 and June 15, 2016.
Each Local executive board must select its own Election Committee or Election Meeting Chair, if applicable. The Local Election Committees and Election Meeting Chairpersons are primarily responsible for conducting the election, consisting of nominations and balloting.
Members may run as individual candidates or they may run as a slate.
Slate petitioning and slate voting will be an option for candidates for Private Sector Local office (see adjacent information).
Note: When circulating and signing individual and slate petition forms, members must write in their own CSEA ID numbers.
In Locals of 150 or fewer members, petitions are not required; instead, nomination applications are used
to qualify for office (see adjacent information).
Nominating Petitions/Applications for Election will be available from your Local Election Committee or Election Meeting Chairperson, beginning early February.
ATTENTION: Private Sector Local Presidents
Did you send your Election Committee Data Form to CSEA Headquarters?
Beginning in February all registered Election Committee Chairs and Election Meeting Chairs will receive an election package from CSEA to assist them in performing their election duties.This material is necessary to run a proper election.
Election packages will only be mailed to those Chairs where their Local President has sent in the required Election Committee Data Form (ECDF).
CSEA Headquarters cannot send material and information to any Chairperson, without first receiving the completed ECDF from the Local President.
Inquiries regarding Election Committees or Election Meeting Chairpersons may be directed to the CSEA Statewide Election Committee at 1-800-342-4146, ext. 1447, or sec@cseainc.org.
May 15 is deadline for submitting proposed Resolutions, changes to CSEA’s Constitution & Bylaws
Proposed Resolutions and proposed amendments to the CSEA Constitution & ByLaws for consideration by CSEA delegates to the union’s 2016 Annual Delegates Meeting must be submitted by May 15, 2016.
Proposed Resolutions may be submitted only by a delegate and must be submitted on the proper forms. Forms for submitting Resolutions are available from
CSEA headquarters and region offices. Proposed Resolutions and proposed
amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws must be submitted no later than May 15 to the Statewide Secretary, CSEA Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, N.Y. 12210-2303.
The 2016 Annual Delegates Meeting will be held Oct. 17 to 21 in Washington, D.C.
Private Sector Locals with 150 or Fewer Members Holding an Election at a Special Membership Meeting
Private Sector Locals with 150 members or less may choose to appoint an Election Meeting Chairperson (instead of an election committee) and conduct an election at a meeting.
Holding an election at a Special Membership meeting simplifies the election process in that, where there are races (more than one candidate for an office), the Election Meeting Chairperson
calls a membership meeting for the purpose of electing officers.
In these smaller Locals, completion
of the Application for Election to Office replaces the requirement to obtain signatures on a nominating petition. Any member who submits the application and meets election requirements under the Private Sector Local Constitution will qualify as a candidate.
Break in membership affects eligibility for union office, voting privileges
Abreak in union membership status can have long-term future implications. Your membership status affects your eligibility with respect to:
• Seeking or holding union office;
• Signing nominating petitions for potential candidates;
• Voting in union elections; and
• Voting on collective bargaining contracts.
Only members “in good standing” can participate in these activities. To be in
16 The Work Force
“good standing,” your dues cannot be delinquent.
If you go on unpaid leave or for
any other reason have a break in your employment status, your dues will not continue to be paid through payroll deductions. You must make arrangements to pay your dues directly to CSEA to continue your membership status. If
you are either laid off or placed on leave without pay status due to becoming disabled by accident, illness, maternity
or paternity, you may be eligible for dues- free membership status for a period not to exceed one year. If you are called up for active military duty you may also apply for dues-free status.
Note, however, you must continue to pay dues to run for office. Dues-free or gratuitous membership allows members to continue their insurance coverage while out of work. It does not protect your right to run for or hold office. This does not apply to members who are on leave
due to being called up for military duty. Members on active duty, upon return, are considered to have had continuous membership status for all CSEA election purposes.
Please notify the CSEA Membership Department at 1-800-342-4146, ext. 1314, of any change in your status and what arrangements you are making to continue your membership in CSEA.
February 2016