Crisis Fund Financial Assistance to Affiliates

Introduction #

Financial assistance will be provided by NSO to affiliates in the form of strike benefits and/or crisis organizing after NSO conducts an assessment of the NSO affiliate to determine the type and level of resources that will be allocated.

Requests for financial assistance for crisis organizing, up to $2500, is to be made to the Regional Director.

The NSO will assume the cost of certain reasonable and necessary strike expenditures as authorized by the NSO.

NSO will provide crisis assistance to those affiliates that have been in good standing for one (1) year prior to a request for assistance from the Crisis Fund.

Eligibility #

An NSO member is eligible for Crisis Fund benefits if the following qualifications are met:

1. In case of a strike, a recipient of strike benefits must be a member in good standing before a strike begins to be entitled to NSO strike assistance.
2. Probationary and New Hires:
   Probationary and new hires may become eligible for strike benefits only if they join the NSO individually or through the Affiliate by paying the required fees and/or dues prior to the strike-taking place. In the event an applicant has signed an application for membership and a NSO affiliate check-off card that has been forwarded to the employer prior to the strike taking place, he/she would be considered a member in good standing and would be entitled to strike assistance.
3. Only members who are on the active payroll at the time the strike began are entitled to strike benefits.
4. A member must participate in a strike activity assigned by the NSO Affiliate in order to be eligible for crisis assistance. Participation shall include those activities established by the NSO Affiliate.

A member is not entitled to strike funds:

1. If the dues are not paid up to date the day before the strike commences.
2. If the member is unemployed.
3. If the member is drawing sick and accident or other employer-paid leave benefits.

Schedule of Benefits #

Crisis Funds are available to striking members after (5) working days of a strike. Weekly benefits (Monday through Friday) are calculated at $75.00 per day per member and will be provided retroactive to the first day of the strike. Such funds must be given to members in good standing who are on strike and are not to be used by the Affiliate to cover the cost of the strike.

Administrative Policies #

NSO Crisis Assistance Program as Established by NSO Executive Committee:

1. Crisis assistance shall be based on member rights and qualifications in accordance with the rules and regulations approved by the NSO Executive Committee.
2. Strike funds can only be spent in conformity with the policies of the NSO.
3. Ordinary expenses of the NSO Affiliate, including equipment purchases, are the responsibility of the NSO Affiliate.
4. At the conclusion of a strike, all NSO strike funds, which have not been used in conducting the strike, must be returned to the NSO. If a strike settlement results in no loss of pay, the subsistence grant must be repaid to the NSO Crisis Fund.

NSO Finances #

There shall be an NSO Finance Committee consisting of the President, Treasurer, three (3) Executive Committee members, plus one (1) additional person, appointed by the President. A quorum of the Finance Committee shall consist of any three- (3) members thereof.

The NSO Executive Committee shall have the power to remove any selected member of the Finance Committee by a majority vote. It shall be the general function of the NSO Finance Committee to administer the NSO Crisis Assistance program and to approve all investments of the NSO Crisis Funds subject to ratification by the NSO Executive Committee.

The NSO Treasurer shall keep the NSO Finance and Executive Committee advised at all times of income and disbursements of the Fund and to report on all such investments.

Each member of the NSO Finance Committee shall be bonded in such sum and in such manner, as the Executive Committee shall require.

1. The crisis funds shall be kept in interest-bearing bank accounts, stocks, and short-term government obligations as directed by the NSO Finance Committee.
2. All monies shall be placed in banks, depositories as approved by the NSO Executive Committee in the name of the National Staff Organization (NSO).
3. The NSO Treasurer shall issue annually a financial report summarizing the assets and liabilities of the NSO and stating the net worth of that fund (s) together with a Certified Public Accountant’s statement. Such report shall be presented annually. At any time, a financial report is requested by the NSO Executive Committee, the NSO Treasurer shall furnish such a report consisting of a statement of assets, liabilities, and the net worth of the NSO Crisis Fund.

The Finance Committee shall report annually to the NSO Representative Assembly on the assets, liabilities, and net worth of the Crisis Fund.