Compliance of NYRLCA’s Constitution and By-laws with NRLCA

As the Executive board, we are responsible for the compliance of the NYRLCA’s Constitution and By-laws in respect to the NRLCA’s Constitution and By-laws. We are granted this power through our Constitution Article 8 Section 2.B. At the 2005 National Convention held in Minneapolis, MN several changes were adopted that required us to review our State C&B’s.

The first change involves the memberships’ eligibility for or entitlement to service as a National Delegate. NRLCA’s Bylaws Article XVIII Section 2.A.3 was amended to incorporate "good standing" as the only prerequisite for determining eligibility or entitlement to service as a National Delegate. NYRLCA’s Constitution Article VII Section 6.A is amended to read "Any elected National Convention Delegate(s), other than the National Paid Delegate(s),shall be paid mileage and per diem, as long as they are a member in good standing, as defined in Article III, Section1.A (Bargaining Unit Rural Carriers) and B(Retired Rural Carriers) of the NRLCA Constitution. Such "good standing" status shall be the sole prerequisite used in determining eligibility for or entitlement to service as a National Delegate or to a payment, benefit, or other entitlement of any kind. At National….

The next change pertains to when a member must be on the rolls of the State Secretary to receive a ballot for the election of delegates to the National Convention. A change was adopted to the NRLCA’s Bylaws Article XVIII Section2.A.5 that states "Members must be on the rolls of the state secretary at least forty (40) days prior to the opening of the State Convention to receive a ballot." NYRLCA’s Constitution Article VII Section 4.B is amended to read: The ballots shall be mailed to all NYRLCA members at least (20) days prior to the opening of the State Convention. Members must be on the rolls of the State Secretary at least forty (40) days prior to the opening of the State Convention to receive a ballot. The mailing will show…..

The final change passed at the National Convention involves the ratification of National Agreements. In the NRLCA Bylaws Article XIV Section 4 the last word was changed from ratified to rejected. The NYRLCA’s Bylaws Article X Section 5 is amended to read as follows. "In accordance with Article XIV Section 4 of the National Constitution and Bylaws the ballot vote of the members of this Association shall determine the ratification of the proposed National Agreement. In the event of a tie, the National Agreement shall be considered rejected.

There is also a change to the NYRLCA’s Bylaws that was passed at the 2005 State Convention and was inadvertently omitted from the last printing. Bylaws Article I Section 5 New C states "Retirement from the craft shall not constitute separation from service and shall not affect a member’s eligibility to serve as an elected or appointed position in the NYRLCA as long as the individual remains a member in good standing of the NYRLCA."