Delegates to the 22nd Constitutional Convention passed, by more than a two-thirds majority, the following 8 amendments to the TWU International Constitution.

Constitutional Amendment # 1
Amendments Relating to Organizing

1. Amend Article II of the TWU Constitution by adding a new (d) as follows:
(d) To organize unorganized employees in the transportation and other industries.

2. Amend Article V Section 1 by adding to it the following:
He/she shall appoint a Director of Organizing and shall establish an Organizing Department in the International Union. The Organizing Director will be responsible for coordinating and directing the organizing activities of the International Union, and will report directly to the International President.

3. Amend Article XVI Section 1 by adding to it the following:
He/she shall be chairperson of the Local’s Organizing Committee.

Constitutional Amendment # 2
Amendments Related to Political and Legislative Activity

Amend Article II by changing Section C to read as follows:
To promote legislation advancing the interests of the Union and its members at the local, state and national levels, to engage in political education of the membership, and to engage in such other activity (specifically including sponsoring and supporting grassroots programs at the International and Local levels, using our resources and the voting strength of our members to gain the support of the public and of legislators for our views, and supporting political candidates who share our views), as may be necessary or advisable t safeguard the economic security and social welfare of working people and to protect and extend our democratic institutions, civil rights and liberties, and to perpetuate the cherished traditions of our democracy.

Amend Article V Section 8 by adding to it the following:
He/she shall establish a Department of Legislative and Political Affairs in the International Union.

He/she shall also have the power to assign such staff to the Department of Legislative and Political Affairs as to him/her may appear appropriate.

Constitutional Amendment # 3
Amendments to Article VI

Amend Article VI, Section 4 to read as follows:
Section 4. SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1He/she shall have the power to inspect and audit the financial records of each Local Union. He/she shall have the power to establish the rules and standards for any inspection and audit of the financial records of a Local Union, including one conducted pursuant to Article 16 Section 4.

Constitutional Amendment # 4
Associate Membership

Amend Article XIII by adding to it the following Section 12:
Section 12.
(a) A member in good standing who retires because of age or disability and who has not continued his/her good standing membership status shall be eligible to become an Associate Member in the International Union for the purpose of participating in Associated Member Organizations (see (d) below) and in the programs established for the members of such Associate Member Organizations. An Associate Member under this Section 12(a) who returns to regular employment shall be reinstated to membership without payment of fee, if such employment would otherwise make him/her eligible for membership in this Union.

(b) An individual who is not employed within a collective bargaining unit represented by the International or any of its locals and is not covered by a collective bargaining agreement to which the International or any of its locals is a party, but is within any category of employees defined by the International Administrative Committee and designated by the International Administrative Committee as appropriate for Associate membership, shall be eligible to become an Associate Member of the International Union for the purpose of participating in Associate Member Organizations and in the programs established for the members of Associate Member Organizations.

(c) An individual who is eligible to be an Associate Member shall become an Associate Member by joining one of the Associate Member Organizations created pursuant to (d) below. The International Administrative Committee shall assign any eligible individual who wishes to apply to become an Associate Member to the appropriate Associate Member Organization. Any eligible individual may join the appropriate Associate Member Organization by filling out an application provided by the International Secretary Treasurer or the Associate Member Organization. An eligible individual who has applied for Associate Membership may maintain that status by paying dues of $50 per year to be paid annually. The International Executive Council shall have the power to change the dues requirements for Associate Members, provided that any increase in dues for Associate Members approved by the International Executive Council shall be effective only until the next International Convention.

(d) The International Administrative Committee may issue charters for Associate Member Organizations based on a geographic, industry or any other basis, which charters shall contain such provisions as the International Administrative Committee may require. The International Administrative Committee may revoke a charter issued for an Associate Member Organization. Each Associate Member Organization shall be governed by its charter and the Organization’s By-Laws, as approved by the International Administrative Committee. The By-Laws shall provide for the election of the Associate Member Organization’s principal officers every three years by the Organization’s Associate Members. An Associate Member shall be allowed to: (a) vote in any election for any elective office in the Associate Member Organization to which he/she was assigned, (b) be nominated for and elected to any such elective office or to hold any office (if appointed) in such Associate Member Organization, and (c) participate in member meetings in such Associate Member Organization, subject to the provisions of the By-Laws and charter. Only Associate members who are members of an Associate Member Organization may hold office in or vote in that Organization. An Associate Member Organization shall not become or function as the collective bargaining representative of any group of Associate Members or employees, nor deal with or attempt to deal with any employer concerning grievances, labor disputes, wages, rates of pay, hours or other terms of employment.

(e) Except as provided in Section 12(d), an Associate Member (1) shall have no vote in any election for any office in the International Union or any Local union, (2) shall not be eligible for nomination or election to any office in the International Union or any Local Union, nor may he/she hold any such office, and (3) shall have neither voice nor vote on any collective bargaining or other issue or any referendum of the International Union or any Local Union. An Associate Member is entitled to attend membership meetings sponsored by the International Union or held by the Local Union of which he/she was a member when he/she retired, provided that the International Administrative Committee may vote to exclude Associate Members from a membership meeting sponsored by the International Union and the Local Union Executive Board may vote to exclude Associate Members from Local Union meetings. Each Associate Member Organization shall be entitled to send one non-voting observer to the convention of the International Union.

Constitutional Amendment # 5
Local Unions

Amend Article XIV by adding to the following Section 15.
SECTION 15. No Local Union shall disaffiliate from the International Union. No Local Union, or its officers or Executive Board, shall take any steps to cause or attempt to bring about the disaffiliation or withdrawal of the Local Union or of any members or group of members from the International Union (including through a decertification effort), including by holding or planning to hold a vote connected to a disaffiliation or withdrawal effort, by spending or planning to spend monies of the Local Union on a disaffiliation or withdrawal effort, or by transferring or planning to transfer property or assets of the Local Union to a union not affiliated with the International Union or to any other third-party in connection with a disaffiliation or withdrawal effort. Notwithstanding the foregoing in this Section 15, the International Executive Council may, through written resolution, permit a Local Union to disaffiliate from the International Union and/or permit a Local Union, or its officers or Executive Board to take steps to cause or attempt to bring about the disaffiliation or withdrawal of the Local Union or of any members or group of members from the International Union.

Constitutional Amendment # 6
Discipline

Amend Article XIX Section 5 (d) to read as follows:
ARTICLE XIX Section 5 (d)
SECTION 5. ( d) Advocating or attempting to bring about the withdrawal or disaffiliation from the International Union of any Local Union or any member or group of members;

Constitutional Amendment # 7
Civil and Human Rights Department

Amend Article XXIX, beginning with Section 5 to read as follows:
Section 5. Within the Department there shall be established the TWU Working Women’s Committee. The TWU Working Women’s Committee shall be composed of representatives from each division, Airline, Transit, Utility, University & Service, and Railroad. The International President shall appoint the Chairperson of the TWU Working Women’s Committee. The TWU Working Women’s Committee shall meet at least once a year during the Civil and Human Rights conference to engage and educate the women of the TWU on issues that affect working women today. The Chairperson to the TWU Working Women’s Committee, along with the Director of the Civil and Human Rights Department, shall develop the program and agenda for the TWU Working Women’s Committee.

Section 6. The Director, with the approval of the President, shall create constituency groups and approve all priorities and programs.

Section 7. The Civil and Human Rights Department shall meet once a year along with all constituency groups:
APRI—A. Philip Randolph Institute
APALA—Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance
PAW—Pride at Work
CLUW—Coalition of Labor Union Women
CBTU—Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
LCLAA—Labor Council for Latin American Advancement
ARA—Alliance for Retired Americans
And other groups if deemed necessary.

Constitutional Amendment # 8
COPE

Add the following Article XXXI, COPE
Section 1. A Local Union with a Local COPE Fund my maintain and continue that COPE Fund only if the Local Union enters a written agreement with the International Administrative Committee regarding the appropriate level of and mechanism for contributions by the Local Union COPE Fund to the TWU Cope Fund. The Local Union must enter into such an agreement within six (6) months of receiving notice from the International Administrative Committee that the Local Union must enter such an agreement. In determining an appropriate level of contributions by the Local COPE fund to the TWU Cope Fund, the International Administrative Committee shall consider among other things (1) the importance to the Local Union members of contributions from the Local COPE Fund to political candidates at the state or local level, (2) the history of contributions by the Local COPE Fund to the TWU Cope Fund, (3) the amount of funds in the Local COPE Fund and the political contribution needs of the Local Union, and (4) the political contribution needs of the International Union and TWU Cope Fund.

Section 2. No Local COPE fund may make a contribution to a candidate for federal office without prior written approval of the International Administrative Committee.

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