Affiliation

Standards for Affiliation with the National Staff Organization #

Under the provisions of Article II of the NSO Constitution, the NSO Representative Assembly, upon recommendation of the NSO Executive Committee, shall authorize and recognize as a local affiliate of the National Staff Organization such organizations as are established from among staff members who are in a direct employment relationship with education associations or other organizations with which NSO has a community of interest provided such local affiliates shall have among their primary purposes improvements in the terms or conditions of employment for the advancement of the welfare of their members.

1. The staff association shall forward to NSO a copy of its Constitution and By-Laws.
2. The staff association shall guarantee to its membership the following:
   • At least four (4) meetings per year of the total membership and/or of a representative council made up of representatives selected on a basis of fair representation.
   • **Procedures to conduct all elections of officers and representatives or governing bodies with open nominations and secret ballot.
   • **Application of the one-person, one-vote principle for representation on its governing bodies including guaranteed ethnic-minority representation at least proportionate to its ethnic-minority membership.
   • **Every member to have equal rights and privileges within the organization:
     • to nominate candidates;
     • to vote in elections or on referenda of the organization;
     • to attend membership meetings;
     • to participate in the deliberation and voting upon the business of such meetings except that in voting on contract ratification only members in the unit shall have the right to vote.
   • **Every member to have the right:
     • to meet and assemble fully with other members;
     • to express any views, arguments or opinions;
     • to express their views at meetings upon candidates in an election of the organization or upon any business properly brought before the meeting.
   • **No increase in the rate of dues and no levy of general or special assessment except by majority vote of members in good standing voting by secret mail ballot after reasonable notice of intention to vote upon such question or voting in a membership referendum conducted by secret ballot.
   • **No limitation on a member’s right to institute an action against the association in any court or proceeding before any administrative agency.
   • **No member to be fined, suspended, expelled or otherwise disciplined except for non- payment of dues without being served with specific written charges and given a reasonable time in which to prepare a defense which may be asserted at a full and fair hearing.
   • **Any member whose rights as an employee are affected by a collective bargaining agreement the right to inspect at any reasonable time and duplicate copies of such collective bargaining agreements during any reasonable time. Copies of each collective bargaining agreement shall be maintained and be available for inspection by any member or by any employee whose rights are affected by such agreements.
   • **Officers of the association to serve their terms so long as they ethically perform the duties of their office. Where an officer is guilty of misconduct, such an officer may be removed for cause (shown after notice and a hearing) and by a majority vote of the members of the association.
3. Any staff organization affiliate shall have a majority of all potential members in that unit as NSO members.
4. The staff association shall submit reports on request to NSO.
5. Notification of the name of the bank in which dues are deposited shall be sent to NSO. Any change in the bank in which dues are deposited shall be sent to NSO within thirty (30) days of the change.
6. The staff association shall transmit the appropriate NSO dues money to NSO no later than thirty (30) days after its receipt by the staff association from the employer unless extended by the President of NSO.
7. The staff association shall be incorporated and provide NSO with a copy of its official certificate of incorporation.
8. The staff association shall apply for tax-exempt status under Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (5) and govern itself in a manner that will not jeopardize its tax-exempt status. Associations may apply to NSO to be included in a group exemption letter.
9. The treasurer and president of the staff association shall be bonded under a policy provided by and paid for by NSO. The staff association shall adhere to the following accounting procedures in compliance with the bonding policy.
   • The bank accounts in which all deposits are made shall be in the name of the association.
   • Endorsement of checks shall be limited to endorsements for deposit to the credit of the association only.
   • The books and accounts of the treasurer shall be examined at least once a year and a statement by the auditor(s) made part of the association’s permanent records. A copy of audit statement shall be forwarded to NSO upon completion. Said audit may be done by a staff association auditing committee.
   • Association bank accounts shall be reconciled by someone other than the treasurer.
   • No payments in cash (including checks made out to “cash”) shall be made from funds of the association.
   • A voucher system for payment of bills shall be instituted in each staff association.
10. The staff association’s fiscal year shall be September 1 to August 31.
11. The staff association shall represent all members to the full extent of the provisions of the law.
12. The staff association shall adhere to those NSO policies wherein non-compliance would constitute a liability to the welfare of the members of the staff association or to NSO.
13. Affiliation shall not legally carry any liability for damages against the staff association or NSO due to actions taken independently by either.
14. **Every local staff association shall elect its officers not less often than once every three years by secret ballot among members in good standing.
15. **Every local staff association shall file appropriate reports and annual financial records with the Secretary of Labor and forward a copy of said reports and records to NSO.
16. **NSO may, at the request of the NSO Executive Committee or 10% of the members of a staff association, conduct an investigation of compliance with the above Standards by that staff association under guidelines established by the NSO Representative Assembly.

**Requirements of Landrum-Griffin

Definitions

Affiliation Documents #

Please see below for the application for affiliation with NSO and the model affiliate constitution & bylaws