CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS TO GOVERN RI BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL WOMEN’S COUNCIL ORGANIZED 2020

PREAMBLE

Whereas women are underrepresented in the skilled trades but have long been a part of the tradition and legacy of craftsmanship and excellence in the building trades; and

Whereas studies have shown that women are proven to persist in nontraditional fields when peer support and leadership opportunities are available; and

Whereas careers in the building and construction trades guarantee pay equity, honor labor equally, and create a path to excellence through apprenticeship for individuals; and

Whereas women have a unique experience on the job and in our communities and collectively sharing that experience can only strengthen our individual trades and our labor movement as a whole.

Therefore, now be it resolved that the RIBCTC WOMEN’S COUNCIL shall be established

●      to recognize the contributions of women to the trades,

●      to provide a voice for women on the job and in the Building Trades Council of Rhode Island,

●      to provide mentorship and peer support for women from apprenticeship to journeyworker,

●      to increase trade union participation and to further the goals of all working tradespeople,

●      to recruit new nontraditional people to the trades, and

●      to actively improve our communities through service.

The RIBCTC WOMEN’S COUNCIL shall work in service: to one another, to our trades, to the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island, and to our communities.

ARTICLE I

Name

This organization shall be known as: THE RHODE ISLAND BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL WOMEN’S COUNCIL a/k/a RIBCTC WOMEN’S COUNCIL

ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. Membership in RIBCTC Women’s Council shall be restricted (not limited) to women who are: members of a bona fide building and construction trades local union and international organization; who are themselves members in good standing of their local unions and the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island

Section 2. Any nonunion person who supports RIBCTC Women’s Council.

ARTICLE III

Meetings

Section 1. Regular meetings of this Council shall be held quarterly at such time and place as may be determined from time to time by majority vote of the RIBCTC Women's Council executive officers.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called by a) the Chair, b) written request of the Board, c) written request of 6 or more individual members, which request shall set forth the business to be settled; provided, however, that no other business will be considered or acted upon except that specified in the call.

ARTICLE IV

 Officers

Section I. The executive officers of the Council shall consist of Chair, Co-Chair, Recording Secretary, Treasurer.

Section 2. The Board of the Council shall consist of the executive officers and the Outreach Chair, Service Chair, Recruitment Chair, and two At-Large members.

Section 3. The executive officers of the Council shall be elected from among the members . In order to qualify to hold office in the Women’s Council , a Council member must be a member in continuous good standing in their Local Union for a period of at least one(1) year prior to their election or appointment as a delegate and must be a qualified building tradesperson who has completed apprenticeship according to their local unions guidelines. The Chair of the Women’s Council shall have the authority to waive this requirement in any case when, in the Chair's judgment, the circumstances warrant.

Section 4. The remaining Board of the Council shall be appointed by the executive officers with a consenting vote of the full membership of the Council.

Section 5. The Chair shall preside at the meetings of the Council and preserve order, and shall enforce the By-laws of this Council , and their policies and decisions. They shall appoint all additional Committees subject to the approval of the Executive Board. The Chair shall be paid all expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties, when properly submitted and attested to by receipts.

Section 6. The Co-chair , in the absence of the Chair , shall perform all duties pertaining to the office of Chair.

Section 7. The Recording Secretary shall keep a record of the proceedings of the Council and attest all orders signed by the Chair. They shall be custodian of the records and transmit monthly minutes to the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island.

Section 8. The Treasurer shall oversee and present budgets, accounts and financial statements to the officers and the Building Trades as requested.

Section 9. The Recruitment Chair shall work with all Council members and allied community organizations to engage in activities aimed at recruiting women and individuals to careers in the trades.

Section 10. The Outreach Chair shall work with all Council members and all affiliates of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island to reach women members of affiliates of the Council, to update them on activities of the Council, and to encourage participation in the Council.

Section 11. The Service Chair shall work with all Council members and allied community organizations to identify and fulfill community service projects in Rhode Island communities.

Section 12. The two At-Large Board Members shall work with all Council members, and with all members of the Board of the Council to fulfill the mission and activities of the Council.

Section 13. The Council shall elect officers for a term of two (2) years. The election shall take place bi-annually at a time determined by the Executive Officers.

Section 14. The election of executive officers shall be by secret ballot, and it shall require a majority of all votes cast to elect officers. In any election where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, there shall be a runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.

Section 15. Officers shall hold office for the period of their election and until their successors are installed.

Section 16 . Before the officers shall enter upon their duties, the Chair shall deliver the following obligation:

OBLIGATION OF OFFICERS

"I,,.pledge my honor that I will, to the best of my ability, fulfill the duties devolving upon me as an officer of this Council, and that I will act in my assigned capacity for the general benefit of the members, and that I will turn over to my successor all funds, books, records, and properties in my possession at the expiration of my official term."

Section 16. Vacancies in office shall lie filled for the unexpired term by a majority vote of the Council In any election where no candidate receives a majority of the votes cast, there shall be a runoff election between the two candidates with the greatest number of votes.

Section 17. The executive officers of the Council shall make appointments to fill open seats on the Board of the Council. Those appointments will be approved by a majority vote of Council members at the monthly meeting following appointments.

ARTICLE V

 Board of the Council

1 . The Board of the Council shall govern on all matters and business between meetings of the Council.

Section 2. In order to serve, or to continue serving on theBoard of the Council, a member shall be a member in good standing in their own Local Union; of a Local union that is a member of the Building and Construction Trades Council of R.I. If a member of the Council leaves the trade or the Local Union, that position on the Board of the Council shall automatically be considered vacant and shall be filled in the manner provided in Article IV Section 16 above.

Section 3. Members of the Board of the Council shall serve a term of two (2) years.

 ARTICLE VI

 Finances

Section 1. The members of the Budget Committee shall maintain ongoing discussion through the executive officers with the Building Trades Council of Rhode Island to discuss financial needs of the Council.

 ARTICLE VII

Miscellaneous

Section 1 . No previous statement in these by-laws shall be construed to disallow apprentices from full participation as members of the Council, as executive officers, or as members of the Board of the Council.

Section 2. The Council meetings are open to all nontraditional Tradesperson. Membership is limited to those tradesperson(s) who are in good standing with local or internationally recognized unions in the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island.

Section 3. The Council shall not discriminate against traveling or non-resident members that may be temporarily employed within the territorial jurisdiction of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Rhode Island.

Section 4. Council meetings shall be open to all members, to members of the Building and Construction Trades Council of R.I., all union members and to members of allied community organizations. Voting will be restricted to members of the Council. The Chair of the Council, may, upon request or by their own judgement, make a meeting or section of a meeting closed to all but members.

ARTICLE VIII

Rules of Order

Section 1. Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the meetings of the Council.

Section 2. Any additional committees shall be named by The Chair.

Section 3. The first named member of a committee shall be the chairperson .

Section 4. A motion to suspend the rules may be carried by the concurrence of two-thirds of the delegates present and shall be decided without debate.

ARTICLE IX

Amendments

Section 1. The Constitution and By-Laws can be amended at a special called meeting of the Council by a two-thirds vote of the members present providing such an amendment is presented in writing fifteen (15) days prior to the meeting. All amendments must be approved by the Council before becoming effective.