Collective Bargaining Network

BYLAWS OF THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SECTION
LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS ASSOCIATION

The Collective Bargaining Section is a constituent organization of the Labor and Employment Relations Association (LERA). The Section shall provide a forum for the exchange of ideas about collective bargaining and for the professional education of practitioners and researchers in collective bargaining. The goal of the Section is to advance and disseminate knowledge about collective bargaining, and to improve its processes. Activities of the Section include:

1. Organizing and conducting sessions at meetings of LERA and its chapters.
2. Organizing and conducting other meetings, workshops and training sessions.
3. Encouraging professional interaction and collaboration among collective bargaining practitioners and researchers.
4. Contributing to the LERA newsletter, Perspectives on Work, research volumes and other publications.
5. Providing a bridge between LERA and related academic and professional organizations.
6. Operating an Internet discussion list.
7. Any other related activities.

Membership is open to all members of the national LERA who are interested in advancing knowledge in the field of collective bargaining.  An annual Section meeting will be held at each LERA annual meeting.

Section policy, consistent with the bylaws, will be determined by a simple majority of Section members present at each annual Section meeting.  A quorum of ten (10) members shall be sufficient.  The meeting shall be open to action based on a postal or e-mail survey of members.  Minutes of each meeting may be prepared if deemed necessary by those present.  A secretary may be designated for this purpose.

In the period between annual Section meetings, the Section shall be governed by the Chair and any advisory board that the Chair may create.  The Chair shall be elected for a three-year term, and the Chair or the Chair’s designee shall preside at the annual Section meeting.  Candidates for Chair shall be nominated from the floor at the annual Section meeting and the Chair shall be elected by a simple majority of those present.  Nominations may also be submitted to the Chair in writing or by e-mail in advance of the meeting.

These bylaws will take effect at the 2005 annual meeting of the Section and may be amended by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at each annual Section meeting, provided that the proposed amendments are posted on the LERA website at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.  They may also be amended by a simple majority of those voting in a postal or e-mail ballot of the Section members.

Consistent with the LERA Constitution and tax laws that govern 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organizations, this Section may act as a forum for constructive dialogue on policy matters, but it will not act in a lobbying capacity unless there is a consensus among Section members and written advance approval from the LERA Executive Board.

Draft 12/6/04