Bellevue Education Association

Article I—Membership

All members of the recognized bargaining unit are eligible for local association membership.

Article II—Dues, Fees, and Assessments

Section 1. Association members and agency shop fee payers shall pay local dues in the amount of one percent of the base salary and incentive pay of the first cell (first year teacher with no experience, with a BA) on the Bellevue School District salary schedule.

Section 2. Special provisions may be made for members of other locals transferring into this local during the membership year.

Section 3. The Association may levy special assessments on its membership. The special assessment must first be approved by a majority vote of the members of the Representative Council. The special assessment must thereafter be presented for a vote of the general membership and be approved by a majority of the members who vote in such election. Assessments will be collected in the same manner as are the dues.

Article III—Meetings

Section 1. There shall be at least eight (8) Executive Board meetings per year. All Executive Board meetings shall be called by the President with at least 7 (seven) days written notice or by a majority of the Executive Board with at least 7 (seven) days written notice.

Section 2. The President shall call at least eight (8) meetings of the Representative Council each year.

Section 3. General meetings of the membership may be called by the President and/or the Executive Board, or within fifteen (15) work days of the receipt of a petition to the President signed by twenty (20) percent of the members. Definition and examples of emergency situations are set forth in the BEA Internal Operating Procedures document.

Section 4. All meetings of the membership, except special meetings, shall be announced by a written notice to the membership at least 10 (ten) days in advance of said meeting.

Section 5. The Executive Board by a majority vote may call a special meeting of any governance body at any time.

Article IV—Duties of Officers

Section 1. The President shall:

a. preside at all official meetings and shall perform such duties as are customarily associated with the office,

b. appoint and/or discharge all committee members with the approval of the Executive Board and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees or designate someone to do so,

c. charge committees with their duties,

d. represent the Association at meetings of the Sammamish Council Board of Directors, and

e. represent the Association at meetings with school district management.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall:

a. assist the President,

b. act in the absence of the President, and shall,

c. serve as the Budget Committee chair.

Section 3. The Secretary shall:

a. keep accurate minutes of all Executive Board and membership and Representative Council meetings

Section 4. The Treasurer shall:

a. oversee the Association budget and accounting,

b. see that financial records of the Association are maintained,

c. oversee the collection, transmittal, and disbursement of dues,

d. assist in the preparation of the annual budget of the Association, to be submitted for approval at the December meeting of the Representative Council,

e. keep the president and executive board informed of the financial condition of the Association, and

f. present a financial report once a year at a meeting of the Representative Council.

In addition, the Treasurer may be one of the two (2) signatories required on the Association checking account in addition to the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Administrative Assistant.

Article V—Duties of the Representative Council

Section 1. The duties of the Representative Council shall consist of the following:

a.  attend Representative Council Meetings,

b.  adopt the annual budget,

c.  approve or ratify the establishment of paid positions in the Association,

d.  represent your building in Rep Council discussions and actions,

e.  Communicate with members in your building following each Rep Council Meeting,

f.  forward communication from the BEA Office to the BEA members in your constituency.

g. be familiar with your contract provisions and be available to problem solve with members regarding contract rights,

h.  be available to accompany a member to a meeting with an administrator, or contact the BEA Office right away if a member is informed an administrator has “serious performance concerns” or could be facing disciplinary action,

i. invite colleagues to join the Association,

j.  coordinate BEA Elections in your building and deliver ballots to BEA on time,

k.  enact such other measures as may be necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of the Association which are not in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws.

Article VI—Duties of the Executive Board

Section 1. Between meetings of the Representative Council, the Executive Board shall conduct and manage the affairs and business of the Association, including interpretation of the Constitution and these Bylaws.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall see that the budget is prepared and submitted for approval at the December meeting of the Representative Council.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall implement motions and resolutions approved by the Representative Council and put into operation other measures consistent with the Constitution, Bylaws and policies of the Association. It shall fix the time and place and shall make all necessary arrangements for general membership and special meetings.

Section 4. With the exception of committees established by the membership or the Representative Council, the Executive Board shall approve the appointment and discharge of all standing and special committee members, shall approve the creation of all special committees, and shall review the activities of all committees.

Article VII—Representatives on the Executive Board

Section 1. Two at-large representatives shall be elected by the membership to represent the elementary membership.

Section 2. One at-large representative shall be elected by the membership to represent the middle school membership.

Section 3. One at-large representative shall be elected by the membership to represent the high school membership.

Section 4. One at-large representative shall be elected by the membership to represent student services, including teachers of special education; gifted, ESL and Title I students; elementary and secondary counselors; occupational and physical therapists; SLP; school psychologist; nurses; social workers.

Section 5. One at-large representative shall be elected by the membership to represent specialists, including art, music, and physical education; librarians; CTE; curriculum and technology department.

Section 6. The duties of each Executive Board at-large representative shall consist of: Attending all meetings of the Executive Board and Representative Council meetings and representing their membership at those meetings, and making regular contacts with the Faculty Representatives in their constituency to maintain two-way communication and to make building visits.

Section 7. Each term of office shall be for two (2) year(s) and commence on July 10. Terms of office shall be staggered so that the Elementary Representative Position 1, and Specialist positions are elected in even years; and the High School Representative, Middle School Representative, Elementary Representative Position 2 and Student Services Specialist Representative are elected in odd years.

Article VIII—Duties of the Representatives to the Sammamish Council Board of Directors

Section 1. Each member of the Sammamish Council Board of Directors shall attend regular meetings of the Council and be active participants in Board designated activities

Section 2. Board members must make a report to Rep Council at least once a year and when otherwise deemed necessary or appropriate.

Article IX—Representatives on the Sammamish Council Board of Directors

Section 1. The President shall be designated to serve on the Sammamish Council Board of Directors.

Section 2. Additional Sammamish Council Board of Director positions shall be elected by the membership in the spring of 2011 according to the timeline set forth in the Bylaws. Terms will begin at the first Board of Directors meeting in 2012. Until this  time current Board of Directors members will continue to fill these positions.

Section 3. Candidates for the position of Sammamish Council Board of Directors must have Rep Council, Exec Board or other BEA Leadership Experience.

Section 4. Each term of office shall be for two (2) year(s). Vacancies on the Board of Directors shall be appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board.

Article X—Nominations and Election of Officers, Executive Board Representatives, Representative Council, Sammamish Council Board of Directors and WEA and NEA Delegates

Section 1. Nominations from the floor shall be called for and received at the first March Representative Council meeting as described in the Internal Operating Procedures. Following the first Representative Council meeting in April, nominations shall be closed.

Section 2. The list of officers shall include candidates for all open Association offices and/or representatives. All officers, and Executive Board Representatives and Sammamish Council Board of Directors shall be elected by the general membership. All Representative Council members shall be elected by the members in their respective buildings or departments.

Section 3. The Executive Board shall approve the time and place of nominations and elections and ensure that they are convenient for the greatest possible attendance and/or participation by all active members. The election shall be by secret ballot, observing the one (1) person, one (1) vote principle.

Section 4. To win, a candidate must receive a majority of the votes cast. In the event of a plurality or a tie, the Executive Board shall hold a run-off election within fifteen (15) days between the two (2) candidates receiving the most votes.

Section 5. No single member of the Executive Board may be elected to more than one (1) Executive Board position..

Section 6. The election of WEA and NEA Representative Assembly delegates shall follow the election procedures outlined by WEA and NEA. These delegates shall be elected at-large.

Article XI—Committees

Section 1. Committees are authorized by the Bylaws. Special committees may be established by the Executive Board. The President, with the approval of the Executive Board, shall appoint committee members. Committee members shall serve for a term specified by the Executive Board or until discharged by the President with the approval of the Executive Board.

Section 2. When appropriate, a summary or minutes of the proceedings of each committee shall be filed with the President of the Association. The President shall provide copies of the minutes of standing committees to the committee chairpersons for the ensuing year. All committees shall report to the membership as directed by the President and/or the Executive Board.

Article XXII—Membership and Fiscal Year

The membership and fiscal year shall be September 1 through August 31.

Article XIII—Ratification of Agreement and Authorization for Strikes

Section 1. The President and the chairperson of the bargaining team shall be authorized to sign a legal, binding, yearly or multi-year agreement with the employing board after completion of the following procedure:

a. a report and recommendation by the bargaining team to the Executive Board,

b. a report and recommendation by the Executive Board to the membership,

c. a written digest of the proposed agreement or changes provided to all members, and

d. a majority affirmative vote by secret ballot of the membership voting.

Section 2. Ratification of amendments to the negotiated agreement shall occur by a vote of the total active membership.

Section 3. Except in a work stoppage situation, at least a twenty-four (24) hour written notice of the ratification vote is required. The notice shall specify the date, time, place and purpose of the vote.

Section 4. Strike action must be authorized by a two-thirds majority vote of those members present and voting at any duly authorized meeting of the membership.

Article XIV—Quorum

Section 1. Attendance by 25 percent of the Association membership shall constitute a quorum at any duly authorized General Membership meeting.

Section 2. Quorum at any duly authorized meeting of the Executive Board, Representative Council, or any Association committee shall be a majority of its members.

Article XV—Amendments

Proposals to amend these Bylaws may be made by the Executive Board or by petition of 25 percent of the membership. These Bylaws shall be amended by a majority secret ballot vote of the members voting. Notice of this election and the proposed amendment(s) shall have been delivered to the membership at least twenty (20) days in advance. Voting, at the discretion of the Executive Board, may be part of an annual or special meeting, or through other established election procedures. Amendments shall become effective immediately unless otherwise provided.