Welcome to Rochester Paraprofessionals

MSEA/ROCHESTER PARAPROFESSIONALS
BARGAINING UNIT
OPERATING POLICY

ARTICLE I
NAME The name of this Minnesota School Employees Association (MSEA) Bargaining Unit shall be MSEA/Rochester Paraprofessionals.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE
As an MSEA Bargaining Unit we strive:
Section 1. To work for the welfare of school children, the advancement of education, and the improvement of instructional opportunities.

Section 2. To develop and promote the adoption of such ethical practices, personnel policies, and standards of preparation and participation as mark a profession of Paraprofessionals.

Section 3. To unify and strengthen Paraprofessionals and to secure and maintain the salaries, retirement, professional, and sick leave, insurance and other working conditions necessary to support the continuation of the said supportive staff.

Section 4. To enable members to speak with a common voice on matters pertaining to the Paraprofessional and to present their individual and common interests before the local association and the Board of Education or other legal authorities.

ARTICLE III
MEMBERSHIP/DUES
Section 1. Membership Status.

A. All Paraprofessionals employed by Independent School District #535 shall be active members.

B. Active membership shall be continuous until the member leaves I.S.D. #535, resigns from the Bargaining Unit, fails to pay membership dues, or takes a leave of absence.

C. Active members of the Bargaining Unit shall be members of Minnesota School Employees Association and shall have all the rights and privileges provided according to their membership status with MSEA.

1. Full-share membership status with MSEA refers to those who pay 100% MSEA dues.

a. Full-share members of MSEA shall have the right and privilege to vote and hold elective or appointive office.

b. Full members hall have the right to vote on the Bargaining Unit contract with MSEA.

c. A member may choose to pay $25.00 dues per year to MSEA while on leave and shall be accorded a voice and vote in MSEA affairs.

2. Fair share membership status with MSEA refers to those who pay 85% of MSEA dues.

a. Fair share members of MSEA shall NOT have the privilege of voting.

Section 2. Dues will be collected by payroll deduction.

A. All members must provide the Membership Steward with a written authorization allowing dues to be deducted from their payroll checks.

B. Members who wish to convert from full-share member status to fair-share member status need to write a letter of intent to convert to the MSEA office between June 1 and September 1 of each year.

C. The local Bargaining Unit dues of this Bargaining Unit, if any, shall be set with the approval of the membership at a regular or special meeting. Notice must be provided in advance of the regular or special meeting at which this action will be voted on.

ARTICLE IV
BARGAINING UNIT DUES AND BUDGET
Section 1. Establishment of Dues.

A. The local Bargaining Unit dues of this Bargaining Unit, if any, shall be set with the approval of the membership at the regular or special meeting. Notice must be provided in advance of the regular or special meeting at which this action will be voted on. All dues amounts will be collected through payroll deduction.

Section 2. Each year a budget describing the expenditures of local dues will be submitted to the MSEA Executive Director.

ARTICLE V
BARGAINING UNIT STEWARDS; DUTIES AND POWERS
Section 1. The stewards of this Bargaining Unit shall be the Chief Steward, Vice Steward, Secretarial Steward, Membership Steward, Past Chief Steward and Building Stewards.

Section 2. The term for each executive steward shall be two (2) years. Stewards will assume office on September 1 following their election at the spring general meeting.

Section 3. Executive Stewards shall be elected in alternating years; the Chief Steward and Secretarial Steward one year and the Vice Steward and the Membership Steward the alternating year.

A. The appropriate stewards shall be elected by written ballot in accordance with procedures approved by the Executive Committee.

B. If the position of both Chief Steward and Vice Steward become vacant between elections, a member of the remaining Executive Committee shall be chosen as Chief Steward Pro Tempore until the vacancy can be filled by election.

Section 4. Chief Steward - The Chief Steward shall preside over meetings of the Executive Committee and the general membership. With the help of the Executive Committee he/she shall prepare an agenda for general membership meetings. He/She shall appoint the chairpersons and the members of standing committees with the approval of the Executive Committee, and shall be an ex-officio member of all committees. The Chief Steward shall represent the Bargaining Unit before the public either personally or through delegates, and shall perform all other functions that are usually attributed to this position.

Section 5. Vice Steward - The Vice Steward shall work closely with one or more standing committees as the Chief Steward may suggest. He/She shall be responsible for attending Insurance Committee meetings as called by I.S.D. #535. In the event of the absence of the Chief Steward, the Vice Steward shall assume the responsibilities of the Chief Steward.

Section 6. Secretarial Steward - The Secretarial Steward shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Executive Committee and General Membership meetings. He/She shall assist the Treasurer/Membership Steward with the unit’s correspondence and sunshine.

Section 7. Treasure/Membership Steward - The Membership Steward shall maintain the official financial and membership records of the Bargaining Unit. He/She shall distribute payment for all unit expenditures and make an itemized financial report at each Executive Board meeting and general membership meeting. He/She shall track new members and insure they receive new membership kits and contract information; and inform and campaign fair share fee payers to convert to full member status.

Section 8. Building Stewards - The Executive Committee shall appoint Building Stewards, or an active member may volunteer to represent his/her building.

A. Building Stewards’ responsibilities shall include attending meetings when called by the Executive Committee, relaying information to Paraprofessional employees in the building, or to the Executive Committee, and keeping the Membership Steward informed of Paraprofessional employment changes in his/her building.

B. Building Stewards shall find a substitute from their building if unable to attend a called meeting.

C. Representation of buildings shall include one steward from each building of I.S.D. #535 where Paraprofessionals are employed.

Section 9. Reimbursement of MSEA Union Dues- MSEA state-wide union dues will be paid out of local funds at the end of the school year for four Executive Board Members; Chief Steward, Vice Steward, Membership Steward, and Secretary Steward. Attendance at the Executive Board meeting is required in order to qualify for reimbursement of the MSEA statewide union dues. This will be done at the end of each school year.

ARTICLE VI
STEWARD SELECTION
Section 1. Nominations for various executive steward positions in the Bargaining Unit may be submitted to the Building Stewards, Nominating Committee or the Executive Committee. Nominations may also be placed at the spring general membership meeting, until a majority vote is cast to close nominations.

Section 2. Members shall vote for executive steward positions by secret ballot according to the method determined by the Executive Committee.

Section 3. Voting will take place at a spring general meeting.

Section 4. The names of all stewards and their addresses shall be filed by the Chief Steward with the office of the Minnesota School Employees Association in St. Paul, immediately on their election.

ARTICLE VII
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following stewards: Chief Steward, Vice Steward, Secretarial Steward, Membership Steward, and Past Chief Steward.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall meet whenever needed, but a suggested schedule of at least once a month is recommended. Special meetings may be called by the Chief Steward or a majority of the members of the Committee.

Section 3. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for the management of the Bargaining Unit. It will establish and carry out appropriate policies and assign tasks to appropriate committees. The Executive Committee shall administer the policies established by the general membership.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall appoint special committees as needed. These committees shall operate according to the direction and rules approved by the Executive Committee.

Section 5. The Executive Committee shall be the executive, legislative and policy-making body of the Bargaining Unit as directed by the membership. It shall be responsible to management of the Bargaining Unit, approve the budget, and its expenditures, act on reports of committees, and adopt resolutions and other policy statements and report its transactions to the membership.

Section 6. If a vacancy occurs in any office of the Executive Committee, the Executive Committee shall appoint a person to fill the vacancy until elections are held.

Section 7. The Executive Committee shall meet at a time, place and date to be established by the Executive Committee. A quorum shall consist of at least three members.

Section 8. If an Executive Committee member is absent from three consecutive meetings of the Executive Committee meetings of the Executive Committee without a valid excuse, his/her position may be declared vacant by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE VIII
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS
Section 1. At least two (2) meetings of the general membership shall be called annually. The Executive Committee will set the agenda for these meetings.

Section 2. The Chief Steward upon petition of at least ten (10) members must call a meeting of the general membership.

Section 3. Contract Ratification.

A. When a tentative agreement is reached, the chair of the Negotiations Committee shall immediately notify the Chief Steward of the MSEA/Rochester Paraprofessionals, who will in turn notify the remaining Executive Committee members. The Chief Steward shall then call a general membership meeting to take place within three (3) working days of the tentative agreement reached by the Negotiation Committee. The MSEA representative would at this time, explain this agreement to the membership. A written summary of the agreement should be given to each full member.

B. A second meeting and/or special voting session shall be called by the Chief Steward within seven (7) working days of the tentative agreement for the purpose of answering and explaining questions and to vote on the contract negotiated by the Negotiations Committee and I.S.D. #535. There will be an open poll balloting and no absentee ballots. A majority of those voting shall be required to ratify the contract.

C. The Negotiation Team shall operate according to the Negotiation Team Policy.

Section 4. All actions taken by the Executive Committee are subject to review and change by the membership at any properly called meeting. Section 5. A quorum shall consist of a majority of all members present at a general meeting.

ARTICLE IX
STANDING COMMITTEES
Section I. Nominating Committee.

A. This committee shall be comprised of full-share members who shall seek nominees to fill upcoming vacancies.

B. The Nominating Committee shall seek nominees in the following ways:

1. Full-share members may nominate candidates in writing to the Nominating Committee.

2. A full-share member may volunteer to be a nominee by contacting the Nominating Committee and/or the Executive Committee.

3. Nominations shall be open at the general meeting when elections are scheduled.

C. The Nominating Committee shall verify the consent of all nominees and provide brief information on each candidate to the members.

D. The Nominating Committee shall carry out the process of electing stewards and shall report the results to the Executive Committee and the general membership.

Section 2. Negotiation Committee.

A. This committee shall include at least one full-share member from each classification by self-appointment or by appointment of the Bargaining Unit.

B. Each person shall represent all members of the Bargaining Unit in a responsible, fair, and objective manner in the negotiation meetings.

C. The MSEA representative shall be designated as the Chief Negotiator, and the Chairperson shall be voted on by the Negotiation Committee.

Section 3. A committee of at least two (2) full-share members shall volunteer or be appointed by the Chief Steward of the Bargaining Unit to review the unit local dues and sunshine expenditures every year.

ARTICLE X
DELEGATES TO THE DELEGATE ASSEMBLY
Bargaining Unit delegates to the Delegate Assembly of the Minnesota School Employees Association shall be selected by the membership in accordance with the numbers and method prescribed by the MSEA.

ARTICLE XI
PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall be the parliamentary authority for all questions not covered by the Operating Policy, and such standing rules and the Executive Committee may adopt.

ARTICLE XII
AMENDMENTS
The Operating Policy of MSEA/Rochester Paraprofessionals may be amended by majority vote of those present and absentee ballots at any regular meeting of the general membership. Proposed amendments must be sent to full-share members at least two (2) calendar weeks in advance of the meeting at which the proposed amendment(s) are to be voted upon.

ARTICLE XIII
STATE AFFILIATION
The Bargaining Unit shall affiliate with the Minnesota School Employees Association, a state organization.

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Revised May 9, 2003