Resolution #1
RESOLUTION #1 from the GDC Steering Committee:
Amend GDC bylaws Article V, Sections 4 & 5 as follows (italics is proposed new language, language crossed out would be removed):
Article V
Section 4 Duties of the Steering Committee
A. The General Defense Steering Committee will be made up of five members elected by GDC referendum. Delegates from Chartered GDC Locals. Each Chartered Local with at least 5 members in good standing will have one voting Delegate on the Steering Committee. Delegates to the Steering Committee will have an additional vote for each additional 20 members in good standing in their chartered Local as verified by the GDC Central Secretary Treasurer (CST).
On the 45th day of each quarter the CST will announce on the GDC list how many members in good standing are in the GDC Central database for each chartered Local. This will dictate how many votes each Locals Steering Committee Delegate carries until the 45th day of the following quarter.
Since the GDC Steering Committee members do not directly handle GDC funds (like the Central Secretary Treasurer, Local Secretary Treasurers, & GDC Delegates), they will not be considered Officers who must also be members of the IWW to be elected. GDC Locals may choose to require such extra eligibility requirements if they so choose to by a vote of their members.
B. The Steering Committee shall have general supervision of all affairs of the GDC and shall watch vigilantly over the interests throughout its jurisdiction.
C. The Steering Committee shall consider petitions of those requesting aid from the GDC, and have the full power to provide whatever help is available up to and including 30% of non-earmarked funds from the Defense Fund of the GDC. Funds greater than 30% shall be approved by GEB vote. 13
D. The Steering Committee will have general oversight over all GDC publications and guide their policy.
E. Elected Representatives to the Steering Committee shall each serve a term of office of 1 year, which shall commence on January 1.
F. Each elected Representative to the Steering Committee is eligible for a maximum of five terms in succession. Members who have served five or more consecutive terms shall only have their names appear on the ballot in the event that three other qualified nominees cannot otherwise be secured.
E. Any voting Delegate elected by their chartered Local can make motions on the GDC email list to be voted on by the Steering Committee. Steering Committee motions are strongly encouraged to be posted as a draft for a 48-hour discussion period before being made as live motions. Motions can be made live without a draft period when deemed necessary by the motions author.
Draft motions will be titled with the author’s initials followed by a dash, two asterisks, “(DRAFT)”, and then the title of the proposed motion as shown in this example: “ZZ - ** (DRAFT) Charter Lunar Base IWW General Defense Committee Local 555”.
Live motions will be titles the same as draft motions while replacing the asterisks with numbers to reflect the number of motions made so far by the authoring Steering Committee Delegate and with “(DRAFT)” removed as shown in this example: “ZZ - 01 Charter Lunar Base IWW General Defense Committee Local 555”
Live motions made to the Steering Committee will have a voting time of 7 days. At the end of the 7 day voting period the CST will announce whether or not the motion has passed with a compiled list of votes cast. A motion will be considered passed if a majority of Steering Committee Delegates who cast a vote on the motion have voted in favor.
F. The GDC Steering Committee has the power to elect a Chair of the GDC Steering Committee who can be recalled by a motion of the GDC Steering Committee at any time.
G. The Chair of the GDC Steering Committee make procedural rulings such as ruling a motion out of order. Any ruling by the Chair can be overruled by a vote of the Steering Committee.
H. The Chair of the GDC Steering Committee has the power to call emergency meetings to take place off the GDC email list such as a telephone or video conference call.
I. The Chair of the GDC Steering Committee is responsible for submitting quarterly reports on behalf of the GDC to the IWW GOB and any GDC Bulletins.
Section 5 Election of the Steering Committee
A. Nominees for the Steering Committee shall each be a member of the GDC in good standing and must remain a member in good standing while serving on the Steering Committee.
B. Members of the GDC who are not eligible for membership in the IWW may be nominated to serve on the Steering Committee, but must have maintained membership in good standing for at least 2 years prior to nomination.
C. In the event that no nominee meets these requirements, then they shall be reduced to membership in the GDC at the time of nomination.
D. Nominations for the Steering Committee must be made to the Central Secretary-Treasurer no later than 11:59pm EST on Labor Day. The Central Secretary-Treasurer and Steering Committee will contact nominees regarding their acceptance before reviewing eligibility. A list of eligible nominees will be released with all proposed referendum resolutions via direct mailing to each GDC member in good standing. The referendum ballot shall include space for write-in candidates. All write-in candidates who meet the requirements of Section 5 A or B are considered qualified nominees. All write-in candidates shall be considered qualified nominees under Section 5 C provided two (2) or less candidates do not meet the requirements under Section 5 A or B.
B. Delegates on the Steering Committee may be elected and/or recalled by the membership of their chartered Local at any time. Whenever there is a change in who is an elected Delegate to the Steering Committee the CST will announce it on the GDC list as soon as the Local Secretary Treasurer of the chartered Local being represented has provided the appropriate meeting notes to the CST.
E. C. Any person elected to the Steering Committee must remain in good standing with the GDC while holding office.
F. No elected member of the Steering Committee will be permitted to run for or hold other office within the General Administration at the same time.
G. In the event of a vacancy on the Steering Committee, with all duly elected members or alternates already serving or being unavailable, the Central Secretary-Treasurer and the GEB Chairperson shall appoint a new committee member until another shall be elected by referendum.