Constitution
Adopted September 24, 2002
Amended April 24, 2020
ARTICLE I: NAME
This organization shall be known as Graduate Assistants United (GAU), a University of Rhode Island Chapter of the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI).
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
Graduate Assistants United is a democratic labor union comprised of graduate employees, including teaching, research, housing, and administrative assistants at the University of Rhode Island. The primary purpose of our union is to collectively bargain for improvements to wages, benefits, and working conditions, to advocate for the empowerment of graduate employees at the University of Rhode Island, and to utilize collective action to achieve working and living conditions that align with the interests of all members. We are committed to actions and expressions of solidarity that promote social and economic justice for all.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Graduate Assistants United, herein after referred to as GAU, a graduate employee chapter of the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) (GAU/NEARI) shall consist of graduate students currently employed at URI as full or part time Graduate Assistants who pay chapter dues. URI graduate students who were graduate assistants in the past semester may retain active membership in the GAU for the following semester by paying Chapter dues in full at the beginning of the first semester in which they are no longer graduate assistants.
Section 2. Dues Annual dues shall be established by a majority vote of the members at a general meeting, after five days of written notice to the membership body. No changes shall be made in the rate of dues and no assessment may be levied except by the procedures stated in this Article.
Section 3. Eligibility to Vote Only members of GAU are eligible to vote on collective bargaining issues.
Section 4. Non-Discrimination GAU shall not discriminate against members or non-members of any standing on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin, gender (including, but not limited to, pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding), gender identification or expression, religion, political affiliation or beliefs, disability, age, sexual orientation, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, or status as a veteran.
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the Chapter shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
Section 2. Officers shall be elected for a term of one year. The vote will be by members eligible to vote on under Article III, Section 2. Provisions shall be made to ensure the anonymity of the voters.
Section 3. Nominees for officer positions must be members of the union at the time of nomination. Elected officers whose assistantships are not renewed while serving as an officer of the union may continue to pay Chapter dues for as long as necessary to complete their term in office.
ARTICLE V: MEETINGS
Section 1. There shall be at least one meeting of the membership each semester, or at a time determined by the Executive Committee, one of which shall be at least two weeks before the end of the Spring Semester for the election of officers and members of the Executive Committee. The President is obliged to call a meeting when requested by the Negotiating Team or when the union receives a petition signed by at least 40 members of the Chapter. Except in unusual circumstances, a tentative agenda shall be made available to members before general meetings.
Section 2. Quorum at all general membership meetings shall consist of twenty members.
ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, the immediate Past President (if still a member of GAU), Grievance Chair, Communications Chair, Membership Chair, and two additional optional members elected from the membership at large. All members of the Executive Committee shall have a full vote. The URI Graduate Student Association (GSA) may appoint a Graduate Assistant to attend Executive Committee meetings but said appointee shall not have a vote.
Section 2. The Grievance, Communications, and Membership Chairs and elected at-large members shall serve for a terms of one year. Elections shall be by a plurality. Fifteen days written notice in advance of any election shall be sent to members. The vote will be by members eligible to vote Article III, Section 3. Provisions shall be made to ensure the anonymity of voters.
Section 3. The Executive Committee has the power and authorization to act for the organization between meetings. The membership at a general meeting can always rescind, repeal, or amend any action of the Executive Committee up to the moment of its execution or when the action has been specifically assigned as the power of duty to the Executive Committee by the membership. The Executive Committee has the duty to administer and carry out the collective bargaining agreement as ratified.
Section 4. Any GAU member holding elected office in the National Education Association (NEA) or the National Education Association Rhode Island (NEARI) shall serve as ex-officio, voting member of the GAU Executive Committee so long as they hold such office or membership.
Section 5. The Grievance Chair shall meet with members to discuss potential grievances, in conjunction with the Executive Director, and oversee the grievance process towards resolution of member concerns.
Section 6. The Communications Chair shall be responsible for maintaining up-to-date and meaningful communication with Graduate Assistants United members. This may include, but is not limited to, emails, social media postings, and website content.
Section 7. The Membership Chair shall aid the Vice President with the aim of building solidarity and membership, leads recruitment efforts, and serves as liaison to the Leadership Council.
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall approve all special and standing committees that are deemed appropriate except as provided for elsewhere in the Constitution or in the current contract. At least one member of each special and standing committee shall be nominated by the Executive Committee. Special and standing committees shall report to the Executive Committee at least twice per semester.
ARTICLE VIII: THE NEGOTIATING TEAM
Section 1. The Chief Negotiator shall be the Executive Director, unless appointed otherwise by the negotiating team.
Section 2. The Negotiating Team shall consist of no less than two members appointed by the Executive Committee in conjunction with the Chief Negotiator. The nominees shall be solicited from the membership, including at least one member from the Executive Committee. Efforts shall be made to have representation outside of the Executive Committee, from the different colleges of the University, and include various types of graduate assistants.
Section 3. A new Negotiating Team shall be chosen for each new contract period. Effort will be made to ensure that at least one team member is from a previous Negotiating Team.
Section 4. When vacancies occur, they shall be filled within fourteen (14) days by appointment by the Executive Committee.
Section 5. The Negotiating Team shall have authority to conduct contract negotiations with the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education (or its successor) and the University Administration. The Team shall be responsible to and shall report to the Executive Committee. Should any questions of policy arise in which agreement between these two bodies cannot be reached, these questions shall be brought before the membership for determination. As soon as a contract is ratified by both GAU membership and the Rhode Island Council on Postsecondary Education, the Negotiating Team will cease to exist.
ARTICLE IX: CONTRACT RATIFICATION
Section 1. Prior to the ratification of the contract between the bargaining unit and the University, the provisions of the contract shall be explained and discussed in a meeting (or meetings) of the GAU Chapter called by the President. Unless the Executive Committee jointly with the Negotiating Team decide otherwise, at least seven days shall be allowed for members of the unit for study of the proposed contract terms. Copies of the proposed agreement shall be made available to all members of the bargaining unit.
Section 2. The outcome of ratification shall be decided by a majority of eligible members voting. The vote will be by a secret ballot at the ratification meeting. Absentee ballots shall not be allowed, except under special individual circumstances that require members to be absent from the URI campus for research or graduate assistant duties at the time of the ratification meeting. These circumstances will be evaluated on an individual basis by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Constitutional Amendments Amendments to this Constitution shall be made as follows: The proposed amendment shall be distributed to the membership at least ten days prior to a general meeting at which the proposed amendment shall be considered; voting on the amendment will take place either at a subsequent general meeting or by electronic ballot, but in either case, will be by secret ballot. Any amendment to the Constitution must be approved by two-thirds of those voting, providing that those voting constitute at least one third of the membership.
Section 2. By-Law Amendments By-Laws governing procedure, structure of committees, and like matters shall be adopted by a majority of members voting either at a general meeting or by electronic ballot as determined by the Executive committee.
ARTICLE XI: ACCESS TO INFORMATION
Section 1. Every member has the right to information concerning the rules, actions, and other matters affecting the membership of the Chapter. The Chapter shall the collective bargaining agreement available to all members whose rights are directly affected by it, shall make available to each member an up-to date copy of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Chapter, and shall permit any member to examine the accounts and minutes of the Chapter and the Executive Committee as well as the list of the names of the membership.
ARTICLE XII: RATIFICATION
Section 1. This Constitution shall become effective when ratified by a majority vote of the membership except that the present officers, the present Executive Committee, and the present members of all standing committees shall retain office until the first elections under this Constitution.