AEIOU Constitution and Bylaws

CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS OF THE AMAZON EMPLOYEES INTERNATIONALLY ORGANIZED UNION (AEIOU)

AS AMENDED APRIL 11, 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preamble

Members’ Bill of Rights

Officer's Oath of Office

ARTICLE

1 Name

2 Objectives

3 Membership

4 Jurisdiction

5 Conventions

6 Officers

7 Eligibility to Run and Hold Office

8 Nominations

9 Election Process

10 Finances

11 Referendum

12 Amendments

13 Strike Sanction

PREAMBLE

We, the Amazon employees, establish this Constitution for our Union. We believe all workers have the right to economic, political and social justice and that all women and men have the inherent right to earn a living and to be justly paid for the services they perform. We further believe all women and men are created equal with the right to determine their own destiny and to participate in the events that affect them. We believe all workers have the right, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, handicap, political affiliation, age, or religion to hold their heads high and to have respect for themselves as individuals.

We also believe all members have certain basic rights within our Union and shall be secure in those rights. In order to clarify these rights, the Members’ Bill of Rights has been established.

MEMBERS’ BILL OF RIGHTS

1. Every member has the right to be respected as a human being.

2. Every member has the right to be respected as a fellow member of this Union.

3. Every member has the right to freedom of speech and the right to be heard.

4. Every member has the right to the freedom of the press with relation to all Union activities.

5. Every member has the right to participate in the activities of this Union.

6. Every member has the right to be treated based on the merit of their work and not on seniority.

7. Members shall not be denied the right to seek any office or the right to vote in this Union because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, handicap, political affiliation, age or religion.

8. Every member has the right to support the candidate of her/his choice and to participate in that right with others.

9. Every member has the right to be secure in her or his basic rights without fear of political, economic, physical or psychological intimidation.

OFFICER'S OATH OF OFFICE

I, (name), having been duly elected to office in the Amazon Employees Internationally Organized Union, do solemnly pledge to uphold the Constitution and Bylaws of this Union under the labor laws of my country. I further pledge to perform the duties of my office to the best of my ability.

ARTICLE 1

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Amazon Employees Internationally Organized Union, hereinafter known as the AEIOU.

ARTICLE 2

Objectives

SEC.1. It is the objective of the AEIOU to secure through collective bargaining a fair work environment for the members of the AEIOU. This currently excludes representing members with regards to pay, benefits, or safe working conditions.

SEC. 2. The AEIOU affirms its belief in a single union of all workers in non-supervisory levels.

SEC. 3. The AEIOU will continue to organize the unorganized.

SEC. 4. The AEIOU will unite workers within one organization, regardless of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, nationality,

handicap, political affiliation, age, or religion.

SEC. 5. The AEIOU is established as a Union under the National Labor Relations Act, including in its membership workers of all

divisions who are not classified as supervisors. Its National Executive Leadership shall consist of a President, Vice President and Secretary.

ARTICLE 3

Membership

SEC. 1. Any non-supervisory employee, regardless of level, within the jurisdictional claim of the AEIOU is eligible for membership.

SEC. 2. No dues shall be required for membership without the authorization of a three quarters majority vote of the members.

SEC. 3. (a) No person eligible under the above provisions shall be denied membership because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, handicap, political affiliation, age, or religion.

(b) PROHIBITED. No criticism, reflection, argument or debate touching on any member’s race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, handicap, political affiliation, age or religion shall be allowed at any meetings of the AEIOU.

ARTICLE 4

Jurisdiction

SEC. 1. The jurisdiction of the AEIOU includes all Amazon employees.

ARTICLE 5

Conventions

SEC. 1. National Conventions of this Union shall convene online annually as organized by the National Executive Leadership.

SEC. 2. Each member shall be entitled to participation in National Conventions.

SEC. 3. Each member shall be entitled to one (1) vote during National Conventions ballots regarding National Executive Leadership elections or By-Laws amendments.

ARTICLE 6

General Officers

SEC. 1. (a) PRESIDENT. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all conventions and at meetings of the National Executive Leadership. The President shall be a member of all committees and shall appoint the necessary committees to conduct the business of the Union. The President shall be empowered to appoint the necessary staff throughout the organization to carry on the necessary programs of the Union; be responsible for all work of the Union and all officers of the Union shall work under her or his supervision. As an unpaid volunteer, the President shall not be compensated except as approved by the majority of the members through approved fundraising methodologies, also approved by the majority of members.

(b) VICE PRESIDENT. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in case of the President’s absence or inability to attend to the duties of office. In the event of death or resignation of the President, the Vice President shall replace her or him until the next election. As an unpaid volunteer, the Vice President shall not be compensated except as approved by the majority of the members through approved fundraising methodologies, also approved by the majority of members.

(c) SECRETARY. The Secretary under the supervision of the President shall keep a record of all proceedings, ballots, and all other records of this Union. As an unpaid volunteer, the Secretary shall not be compensated except as approved by the majority of the members through approved fundraising methodologies, also approved by the majority of members.

ARTICLE 7

Eligibility to Run and Hold Office

SEC.1 ELIGIBILITY FOR OFFICE. (a) To be eligible for nomination, the candidate must be a member in good standing.

(b) No member holding office in any other organization representing employees for the purposes of collective bargaining or in administrative proceedings can be elected or appointed as an officer of the AEIOU nor can she or he participate in voting at the National Convention.

SEC. 2 Any officer making application for or accepting a position in Amazon management shall, within ten (10) days of that application, resign her or his position with the AEIOU and if such resignation is not forthcoming, upon conclusive evidence the National Executive Leadership shall declare said office vacant and appoint a successor.

ARTICLE 8

Nominations

SEC. 1. The officers of this Union shall be elected by secret ballot by plurality vote and shall consist of President, Vice President, and Secretary

SEC. 2. CANDIDATES FOR OFFICES. Any member in good standing in this Union may be a candidate for election, if eligible, provided she or he has nominating petitions endorsed by a total of at least twenty five (25) members.

ARTICLE 9

Election Process

SEC. 1. An Election Committee shall be appointed by the President and shall consist of not less than five (5) members and shall submit a full report of the election returns to the President immediately after the tally has been completed.

SEC. 2. (a) Write-in votes shall not be valid, counted or considered. After nominations have been closed, any unopposed candidate duly-qualified by nominating petition for office shall be declared elected and her or his name shall not appear on the ballot.

(b) Members may not be candidates for more than one (1) elective office.

SEC. 3. The ballots shall be tallied in the presence of no less than three (3) members of the Election Committee. The candidate or candidates receiving the highest number of votes for each office shall be declared elected. In the case of a tie affecting the final selection of one (1) or more candidates, only the names of the tied candidates shall be re-submitted to the Election Committee who shall prepare a ballot and conduct another election. After certification of the election results signed by members of the Election Committee, it shall be the duty of the Secretary to announce the results of the election to the membership.

SEC. 4. The election committee shall be responsible for the conduct of elections and shall decide all controversies arising out of the election processes. Any member who feels aggrieved in connection with the conduct of any part of the election process shall file their grievance with the election committee within seventy-two (72) hours after the grievance arises.

ARTICLE 10

Finances

SEC. 1. This Union shall operate as a not-for-profit organization without any recurring revenue sources and seek all available member-volunteered, free, or low cost services to conduct its operations. In the event of the need for any paid service for the operation of this Union without an immediately available member-volunteered coverage of the costs, the Secretary shall announce the need for funds to the membership and seek donations to cover the cost.

SEC. 2. This Union shall not donate funds or advocate the donation of any funds to any political candidate, political organization or political party at any time.

ARTICLE 11

Referendum

SEC. 1. Any member of the AEIOU may prepare and circulate a petition for the purpose of causing a resolution of national importance or amendment to the Constitution to be brought to a vote to the whole organization.

SEC. 2. Before circulating such a petition, the Secretary of the AEIOU shall be notified in writing of such action and furnished with a copy or draft of the proposed question, resolution or amendment.

SEC. 3. If such petition is subscribed to by signatures of five percent (5%) of the members of AEIOU, the Secretary must submit such referendum or amendment to the constitution to a referendum vote.

SEC. 4. The proposition and a sample ballot shall be published to the membership at least one (1) month before being put to the referendum.

SEC. 5. Upon receipt of a petition for a referendum vote the Secretary shall verify its validity to the best of her or his ability and having done so shall certify to the President that a petition has been duly filed.

SEC. 6. If more than one (1) referendum is initiated in the same 30 day period, all questions shall come to a vote at the same time.

SEC. 7. Arguments for or against a referendum shall be published to the membership at least 3 days before the vote is conducted.

SEC. 8. It shall require a majority of votes cast to decide all questions, including amendments to the constitution,

ARTICLE 12

Amendments

SEC. 1. This Constitution may be amended by a majority vote of those voting by referendum. Amendments approved by referendum become effective immediately following announcement of the official vote unless otherwise specified.

ARTICLE 13

Strike Sanction

SEC. 1. REQUEST FOR STRIKE SANCTION.

Whenever any group for at least ten (10) members contemplates the possibility of a strike due to unresolved grievances, these members shall promptly advise the President and request counsel and/or assistance of the National Executive Leadership.

SEC. 2. APPROVAL FOR STRIKE SANCTION. A strike sanction request by members must first be authorized by a majority vote of the affected members in good standing. The request shall set forth the issues in writing, including such information as may be pertinent and required by the National Executive Leadership . The decision of the National Executive Leadership shall be communicated to the affected members by the Secretary. Strike sanctions granted by the National Executive Leadership shall be for a one hundred twenty (120) day period. No strike may be called thereafter without a renewal for the strike sanction by the National Executive Leadership. No union members shall call a strike without the strike sanction having been granted by the National Executive Leadership.