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Committee Meetings:
Regular meetings of the Political Action Committee shall be held at each Membership Assembly. All identified members of the PAC shall receive notice of the meetings from the PAC Chair or his/her designee. Each Regional Chapter may also hold a PAC meeting at their regularly scheduled Chapter meeting. A Regional Chapter PAC member will be required to record the meeting minutes. These minutes must be given to the PAC Chair or his/her designee for recording and also to the attending Regional Executive Board member. The Regional Executive Board Member will read the minutes from the Chapter PAC meeting at the following monthly Executive Board meeting and notify the Executive Board of any requested official actions to be taken. Minutes of the Chapter meetings shall be available on the Local Union website for all members to access.
PAC Members:
Any member in good standing may participate in the Local 8 PAC. Committee members must make a minimum contribution of $8 per month to the Local 8 PAC and are encouraged to donate to OPEIU International political funds.
PAC members may volunteer and/or be designated by the OPEIU Local 8 Executive Board to attend COPE interviews of candidates or issue campaigns held by Central Labor Councils that Local 8 is affiliated with. A PAC member designated to attend such interviews shall generate a report to the PAC and the Local 8 Executive Board if requested.
PAC members shall be responsible for organizing all political fund raising activities for Local 8. At least one fund raising activity will be scheduled annually. Annual fundraising activities shall be approved by the Executive Board or Membership Assembly, whichever occurs first.
PAC Committee Chair:
The PAC Committee will elect a chair (or co-chairs) at the January PAC meeting of each year. The chair (or co-chairs) will serve for one year unless reelected at the January meeting of the following year.
PAC Recommendations of Candidates and Issue Campaigns:
PAC members shall educate themselves on the campaigns and issues that enhance our representation of members’ interests and the furthering of Local 8’s goals for political, economic and workplace justice. The following factors should be considered in any case where Local 8 makes a recommendation to support,* endorsement, and/or money is donated:
- Labor movement endorsement (WSLC COPE, CLCs COPE, AFL-CIO).
- Issue is related to labor unions, the labor movement, labor education, labor economic issues, specific other labor issues -- of concern to Local 8 such as: pay equity, worker safety, ergonomics, the working poor, minimum wage protection, homecare.
- Provides publicity, public relations or a presence to Local 8 in those sectors that will promote organizing efforts, internally or externally.
- For Political Campaigns specifically:
- The candidate or issue campaign has direct relevance to our members' well being.
- The candidate has in the past supported our issues or clearly has committed to support of our issues in the future.
- Local 8 has a significant number of members in the candidate's district.
- The Labor Council(s) have requested support because the outcome will affect the pro-labor majority in a local or state legislative body.
The PAC, as well as the Regional Chapter PAC will be required to use the specific criteria outlined above when considering a recommendation for endorsement. A written proposal listing which criteria was used to make the recommendation will need to be given to the attending Regional Executive Board member to bring to the Executive Board meeting for approval or to the members at the next regular Membership Assembly, whichever occurs first.
The PAC members in attendance at any regular meeting of the PAC or Regional Chapter PAC can vote by simple majority to recommend to support candidates running for public office and/or issue campaigns as long as the Regional Executive Board member is given the written proposal from the criteria to take to the Executive Board meeting for approval.
Endorsements:
COPE endorsements put forward by Central Labor Councils (CLCs) and the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) shall be the ultimate endorsement of OPEIU Local 8 and shall be actively supported by the organization.
Local 8 delegates attending a CLC COPE or WSLC COPE meeting shall vote as necessary to promote the will of the OPEIU general membership. If Local 8 has not yet taken a position on a particular electoral issue or candidate under consideration, delegates shall caucus prior to the CLC or WSLC COPE vote and the simple majority of those present will decide the appropriate action for the entire delegation.
All endorsements shall be announced at the next scheduled meeting of the Local 8 Executive Board and Membership Assembly following notification of the endorsement by either a CLC or WSLC.
If no endorsement is made by a CLC or the WSLC, the PAC or Regional Chapter PAC will use the same process for recommendation to support by submitting a written proposal listing which criteria was used to make the recommendation to the attending regional Executive Board member to bring to the Executive Board meeting for approval or to the members at the next regular Membership Assembly, whichever occurs first. The approved endorsement will then be the ultimate endorsement of OPEIU Local 8 and shall be actively supported by the organization. Dual endorsements should be avoided if possible. If a dual endorsement is made, consideration should be given for similar financial contributions.
Donations for endorsed candidates and issue campaigns:
Only monies specifically donated to the Local 8 PAC fund or generated from a PAC sponsored fundraising activity shall be used for any political contribution to a candidate or issue campaign. No dues or fees collected as a result of one’s OPEIU Local 8 membership shall be spent on political contributions.
Statewide candidate and statewide issue campaign endorsements and donation recommendations, as well as Regional donation recommendations will be processed differently than the regional candidate and issue campaign endorsement recommendations. All identified PAC members will have the opportunity to vote by simple majority on all matters where monies will be donated. The recommendation for donations will be submitted to the PAC chair or his/her designee from the PAC meeting or Regional Chapter PAC meeting. The PAC chair or his/her designee will then be required to contact all identified PAC donors to vote by simple majority to recommend the endorsement or donation. The preferred method of notification will be e-mail. If necessary other methods can be used. Each PAC donor has 24 hours to respond to the motion. If a recommendation is made then the PAC chair or his /her designee will take the recommendation to the Executive Board or meeting General Assembly for approval. Any proposed donation of $50 or less can be decided by the PAC. For donations of more than $50, the request shall be presented to the Executive Board or meeting General Assembly for approval.
Electoral Candidates Addressing the Membership:
All requests by candidates or representatives from issue campaigns to address the Membership Assembly or the Regional Chapter meeting shall first be considered by the PAC or Regional Chapter PAC. Members of PAC or Regional Chapter PAC will decide by simple majority, whenever necessary, if a candidate should come before the Membership Assembly or the Regional Chapter meeting. The PAC or Regional Chapter PAC recommendation shall then be considered and acted upon by the Executive Board.
At no time is a member in good standing prevented from requesting that a candidate or representative of an issue campaign speak before members at a General Assembly or Regional Chapter Meeting. Such a request must be presented in writing to the Local 8 President or Chapter Chair prior to the next month’s scheduled Executive Board meeting for consideration and action.
Invited candidates and/or campaign representatives shall be provided five (5) minutes to speak.
*Support is defined as instructing the delegates to actively seek approval for endorsement at the Central Labor Council or Washington State Labor Council COPE meetings.
For 2010, candidates or issues endorsed by the State Labor Council and for local candidates or issues endorsed by the Central Labor Council, Local 8 will allow the Washington State Labor Council and Central Labor Council(s) access to our membership list for contact.
M/S/C by Executive Board on March 9, 2005
M/S/C by Membership on March 23, 2005
M/S/C Membership Assembly on January 23, 2010