WCTA Building (Association) Representative Election

Electing union reps at school locations rather than “selecting” them enhances democratic accountability, strengthens member trust, and ensures reps are responsive to the specific, local needs of educators at each building. Elected reps are tasked with increasing engagement with members and providing the vital communication link between the WCTA President, Board, and members.

While historically, WCTA members have selected their reps at their schools without annual elections with ballots, over the past two years, the WCTA office has facilitated a more formal election process. This has been done to ensure access to the position of building rep to all interested members and to seek the input of WCTA members in the nomination process.

For more information about association governance, click here.

The excepts below are from the current WCTA Bylaws. These bylaws are now under review and revision. If you have recommendations for language regarding Building Rep elections, rep responsibilities, or the purposes and duties of the representative council, please email Carol or contact any WCTA Board member or your building rep.

ARTICLE VII – REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

 Section 1. Representative Council

The Board of Directors and one or more Association Representatives from each school facility shall constitute the Representative Council and shall be the legislative and policy forming body of the Association.

Section 2. Meetings

1. The Representative Council shall meet no fewer than five (5) times during the school year pursuant to a calendar prepared by the President and approved by the Board of Directors. The President shall prepare the agenda for each meeting and shall circulate it to all members at least one (1) week prior to the meeting except in emergency situations, so that Representatives have time to discuss it with faculty members.
2. Special meetings of the Representative Council shall be held at the call of the President or upon request to the Board of Directors from ten (10) Representatives. Special meetings held upon request of ten (10) Representatives shall be called within ten (10) days of the receipt of such request by the Board.
3. Each member of the Representative Council shall have one vote.
4. In the absence of a Representative, one designated Alternate from the absent Representative’s school facility shall have the same rights and privileges as the Representative.
5. Any member of the Association who is not a member of the Representative Council may attend its meetings, but may not offer motions or vote.

Section 3. Vacancies

1. When an Association Representative seat in the Representative Council becomes vacant, the seat shall be declared vacant by the Board of Directors except as provided in Article XV.
2. The President shall work with members at the school facility affected by the vacancy to facilitate the selection of an Association Representative.

ARTICLE VIII – DUTIES OF THE REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL

The Representative Council shall be the primary policy making body of the Association.  The Representative Council shall:

1. adopt the legislative program;
2. adopt the agenda and its rules for governing the meetings;
3. adopt the resolutions and other policy statements;
4. receive the reports of committees;
5. adopt amendments to the bylaws in accordance with Article XVIII;
6. adopt procedures for implementing the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession including the disciplining, suspending, and expelling of members and appeals from such action;
7. enact such other measures as may be necessary to achieve the objectives of the Association although not specifically provided for under these bylaws.

ARTICLE IX – ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVES AND ALTERNATES

Section 1. Number of Representatives

Members in each public school facility shall have one (1) Representative to the Representative Council for each twenty (20) members or major fraction thereof. There shall be at least one (1) Representative from each facility.

Section 2. Selection of Representatives

Members in each facility shall select their Representative(s). The method of selection shall be agreed upon by a majority of members in the facility and the results of the selection process shall be forwarded to the President by May 30 of each year. The Representative(s) shall assume their position as of June 15. A majority of members in a facility may appeal the selection process and/or results by petitioning the Board of Directors by June 1.

Section 3. Number of Alternates

The number of Alternates shall not be limited.

Section 4. Selection of Alternates

Members in each facility shall select Alternates. The method of selection shall be agreed upon by a majority of members in the facility and the results of the selection process shall be forwarded to the President by May 30 of each year. The Alternates shall assume their position as of June 15. A majority of members in a facility may appeal the selection process and/or results by petitioning the Board of Directors by June 1.

Section 5. Duties

1. The Association Representative shall attend the regular meetings of the Representative Council. An Association Representative who has three (3) unexcused absences from the regular meetings of the Representative Council may be considered grossly negligent of duty.
2. The Association Representative shall:
3. call faculty meetings of the Association members to discuss Association business;
4. implement the method endorsed by the members at their school facility for selecting subsequent Association Representatives and Alternates;
5. enroll members;
6. serve as grievance representative;
7. distribute Association information.
8. An Alternate shall attend the meetings of the Representative Council in the absence of the Association Representative.