NEW YORK STATE LIFEGUARD CORPS
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I
NAME
This organization shall be known as the New York State Lifeguard Corps (NYSLC).
ARTICLE II
PURPOSES
The purpose of this organization shall be:
1. To advance the standards of our profession;
2. To secure the conditions necessary to provide the greatest rewards for its members in their work environment;
3. To promote the best interests of its members in the operational decisions affecting their employment;
4. To promote the welfare and well-being of its members;
5. To promote mutual assistance and cooperation with other organizations with which it is associated;
6. To promote the aims and objectives of the New York State Lifeguard Corps and New York State United Teachers (NYSUT), United University Professions (UUP), and their national affiliates;
ARTICLE III
AFFILIATIONS
This organization is an affiliate of NYSUT, UUP and their national affiliates.
ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP
1. Membership in this organization shall be open to any of the following titles, and such other similar titles that may be created, employed by the State of NY after successful completion of the lifeguard certification process, for the sole purpose of providing lifeguard services.
Chief Lifeguard
Assistant Chief Lifeguard
Field Captain (LISPRC)
Field Lieutenant ( LISPRC)
Supervising Lifeguard (LISPRC)
Lifeguard 02 (LISPRC)
Lifeguard
2. Membership status shall begin with the registration by the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) office, either through a payroll deduction authorization card or as letter of application accompanied by a dues payment.
3. The membership year shall extend from June 1 through May 31. Membership in good standing shall be maintained through payment of dues as defined in these bylaws, and shall be on a continuing basis throughout the membership year.
4. An individual must be a member in good standing to be nominated for, elected to, or hold office in the NYSLC.
5. There shall be no discrimination on the bases of sex, sexual orientation, creed, color, race, national origin, or political activities and beliefs.
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ARTICLE V
DUES
1. Active: The dues shall be $18 per pay period, which includes current NYSUT and National Affiliate dues.
2. Dues may be changed by a majority vote of the NYSLC Representative Assembly (RA) after reasonable notice to the membership of the intention to vote on the matter. As per Article XV.
ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS
1. The officers of the NYSLC shall be:
President
Vice President
2nd Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
2. All statewide officers shall be voting members of the NYSLC Representative Assembly (RA).
3. Duties of the President:
a. Be chief executive officer of the NYSLC.
b. Administer all affairs and execute all policies of the organization.
c. Preside at all meetings of the NYSLC Representative Assembly (RA) and general membership.
d. Represent the organization with all external groups.
e. Appoint and establish the function of all standing committees, with the approval of the RA.
f. Appoint and establish the function of ad hoc committees, with the approval of the Executive Council.
g. Fill vacancies, with the approval of the Executive Council.
h. Serve as the first delegate for NYSUT, American Federation of Teachers (AFT), and other affiliate conventions.
i. Call meetings of the RA
j. Perform other duties the office requires, consistent with these bylaws.
k. The President shall perform the following fiduciary responsibilities
l. The President shall be one of the responsible financial officers of the organization, and shall and shall be authorized to co-sign financial instruments , and make regular and usual disbursements of funds.
m.The President shall certify to the Secretary Treasurer of the American Federation of Teachers that the annual audit/internal financial review were presented to the entire
n. Membership annually.
4. Duties of the First Vice President:
a. Assume the duties and responsibilities of the President when the President is absent.
b. Serve as the second delegate to NYSUT, AFT, and other affiliate conventions.
c. Perform other duties the President may delegate.
5. Duties of the Second Vice President:
a. Assist the President and first Vice President.
b. Serve as the third delegate to NYSUT, AFT, and other affiliate conventions
c. Oversee the publication of the NYSLC newsletter.
6. Duties of the Secretary and the Treasurer:
a. Perform the duties usual to these offices.
b. Performs other duties the President may assign.
c. The Treasurer shall perform the following fiduciary responsibilities.
d. The Treasurer shall receive record and deposit all dues monies and other income in the name of the organization.
e. Shall reimburse local officials as mandated by the Expense Reimbursement Policy.
f. Shall maintain accurate membership records.
g. Shall be one of the responsible financial officers of the organization and be authorized to co-sign financial instruments and make regular and usual disbursements of funds.
h. Maintain all financial records of the organization.
i. Present periodic financial reports to the Representative Assembly, the Executive Board, and an annual report to the general membership.
j. Collaborate with the Executive Board in the preparation of the annual budget,
k. Arrange for an independent audit of the finances of the organization annually
no later than March 30th and make available to the Executive Board , and the membership Reporting Department of the New York State United Teachers.
l. Transmit per-capita payments on a regular basis to the Membership Reporting Department of the New York United Teachers:
m. Perform other financial duties as delegated by the President or assigned by the Executive Board.
n. Perform duties of the office and reports as required by Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, the Internal Revenue Service and the guidelines developed by NYSUT, AFT, and NEA.
7. Statewide officers may also serve as chapter or region officers.
a. All attempts should be made to organize delegates from each region.
b. Special elections shall be arranged for regions looking to organize
outside of the general election years.
8. Statewide officers may serve consecutive terms with no term limits.
9. Statewide officers may not hold more than one statewide office at a time.
10. Terms of office shall be two years, commencing on October 1 in the year of election. Officers shall remain in office until successor assumes office.
11. Vacancies
a. If the office of the President becomes vacant, the First Vice President shall assume the office of President until the next scheduled election.
b. Other vacancies should be filled by presidential appointments, with Executive Council Boardapprovals, until the next schedule election; except that delegates to the NYSLC RA and NYSUT, AFT, and other affiliate conventions may not be appointed.
ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL BOARD
1. The elected officers shall constitute the Executive Council Board.
2. Duties:
a. Determine the time and place of RA meetings.
b. Recommend an order of business and rules of procedures to the RA.
c. Implement policies established by the RA.
d. Approve appointments to ad hoc committees, upon recommendation of the President.
e. Adopt rules of procedures for its own operations.
f. Recommend policy to the RA.
g. Act on behalf of the RA in matters necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Union .
h. Approve the creations of individual chapters within regions.
3. A quorum shall be a majority of the members of the Executive Council Board.
ARTICLE VIII
REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY
1. The Representative Assembly (RA) shall consist of the duly elected statewide officers and other delegates elected by and from the regions.
2. The RA shall be the legislative and policy making body of the Union .
3. Duties
a. Establish policies of the organization.
b. Adopt the annual budget of the organization.
c. Act upon expenditures as may be required.
d. Interpret the Bylaws.
e. Approve standing committee appointments and establish responsibilities for those committees.
f. Meet at least twice a year.
g. Authorize referendum by the membership.
h. Establish committees as necessary by a majority vote of those present and voting.
4. Each duly elected member of the RA should be entitled to one vote; there shall be no proxy or absentee votes.
5. A quorum of the RA should be a majority of the registered members of the RA.
ARTICLE IX
REGIONS AND CHAPTERS
1. The NYSLC is composed of the following regions:
Region A Central New York
Region B Finger Lakes
Region C New York City Parks
Region D Palisades
Region E Saratoga/Capital District
Region F Taconic
Region G Thousand Islands
Region H Long Island Parks
Region I Allegany
Region J Genesee
Region K Niagara
Region L Environmental Conservation Department
Region M Offices of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and Development Disabilities
2. Each region is entitled to elect delegates to the RA.
3. The number of delegates for each region shall be based on the number of members in those regions.
4. Each region shall be entitled to one delegate for every 80 members or fraction thereof; except each region shall be entitled to at least one delegate.
5. When a member of a region is elected as a statewide officer, that officer shall not reduce the number of delegates that region is entitled to elect.
6. Individual units within region may establish chapters under procedures that are approved by the Executive Council.
7. Any chapter or region policies and procedures shall be consistent with these Bylaws.
ARTICLE X
STANDING COMMITTEES
1. Standing committees shall be
a. Negotiations
b. Grievance
c. Public Relations
d. Legislative/Political Action
e. Safety
f. Membership
g. Seniority
2. The RA shall determine the responsibilities of these committees.
ARTICLE XI
MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
1. Meetings of the general membership may be called by the President, the Executive Council Board, or a majority vote by the RA.
2. A quorum for a general membership meeting shall be ten percent of the membership of record at that time.
ARTICLE XII
ELECTIONS
1. Elections shall be conducted following policies and procedures consistent with the constitutions of UUP, NYSUT, and AFT, and Landrum Griffin requirements.
2. Election policies and procedures shall be approved by the Executive Council Board, distributed to the membership, and include the following provisions:
a. Each member shall be offered a reasonable opportunity to nominate candidates for office.
b. The notice of elections/call for nominations shall be sent by first class mail to the last known home address of each member in good standing as of the certification date of an election. It is the responsibility of the member to provide NYSLC with a current mailing address.
c. An individual must be a member in good standing to be nominated for, elected to, or hold office.
d. Election shall be secret ballot.
e. Instructions, nomination forms, and ballots shall be mailed to each member’s last known home address at least fifteen days prior to respective due dates.
f. Election to office shall be by a plurality of the votes cast.
g. Terms of office shall be two years and commences on October 1 of the year of election. Officeholders shall remain in office until successors assume office.
h. Election results shall be reported in their entirety to the membership through the NYSLC newsletter and posted prominently in each duty location.
i. All election records shall be preserved for one year.
ARTICLE XIII
DELEGATES TO AFFILIATE ORGANIZATIONS
Delegates to NYSUT, AFT, and other affiliates shall be elected under provisions of Article XII ELECTIONS in these Bylaws.
ARTICLE XIV
RIGHTS OF MEMBERS
Every member in good standing of this organization shall have equal rights and privileges to nominate candidates, to hold office, to vote in elections or referenda, to attend membership meetings, and to participate in the business of the organization.
ARTICLE XV
AMENDMENTS
1. Amendments to these bylaws may be initiated by the RA, the Executive Council Board, a Region, or a Chapter.
2. A proposed amendment must be distributed to the membership by the Executive Council Board no later than 30 days prior to the RA that will act upon it. It must also be displayed in a conspicuous place at each duty station.
3. The RA may amend these Bylaws by a majority vote of those present and voting.
4. Unless otherwise specified, amendments are effective immediately upon passage.
ARTICLE XVI
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
The current edition of Robert’s Rules, newly revised shall govern the conduct of meetings and transactions of this organization in all matters not specifically provided for in these Bylaws or in special rules of procedure.
ARTICLE XVII
RATIFICATION
A copy of these proposed Bylaws shall accompany a ballot mailed to the last known home address of each NYSLC member in a secret ballot ratification election. Upon an affirmative vote by a majority of those voting, these proposed Bylaws shall be ratified and immediately in effect.