Council 40 Convention

SPECIAL ATTENTION PLEASE - 2010 COUNCIL 40 CONVENTION

The 67th Annual Convention of Wisconsin Council 40, AFSCME, AFL-CIO, will convene at the Madison Marriott West Hotel and Conference Center, 1313 John Q. Hammons Drive, Middleton (map) at 1:30 pm on FRIDAY, APRIL 16, 2010, and will continue until all business has been completed on SUNDAY, APRIL 18, 2010. I urge your Local/Chapter to elect delegates to this important Convention at your next monthly membership meeting.

Please note the following in connection with our upcoming Convention:

LOCAL UNION/CHAPTER REPRESENTATION

It is very important that you comply with Article VI of the Council 40 Constitution, which provides that Locals/Chapters shall be entitled to representation at the Convention on the following basis:

Section 1. Member Local Unions or Chapters thereof shall be entitled to delegates on the basis of membership as follows: 50 or fewer, two delegates; more than 50 but not exceeding 100, three delegates; more than 100 but not exceeding 200, four delegates; more than 200 but not exceeding 300, five delegates; more than 300 but not exceeding 400, six delegates; more than 400 but not exceeding 500, seven delegates; more than 500 but not exceeding 600, eight delegates; more than 600, one additional delegate for each 200 additional members or fraction thereof.

Section 2. Member Local Unions or Chapters thereof shall be entitled to one vote for each member. Locals or Chapters may send fewer than their quota of delegates, and delegates present may cast the entire vote of the Local or Chapter on all recorded votes and elections coming before the Convention. In any case, the number of votes to which a Local or Chapter is entitled shall be divided equally among the delegates, with any remaining votes to be cast by the chairperson of the delegation as designated by the Local or Chapter. No fractional votes shall be permitted.

Section 3. No Local Union or Chapter shall be entitled to representation in the regular annual conventions of the Council unless all per capita tax payments and other accounts due the AFSCME and this Council as of the end of the twelve month calendar year preceding the opening of the convention shall have paid in full by or on the day the delegate seeks to register at the convention. Delegate strength and voting strength, as set forth in Sections 1 and 2 above shall be determined on the basis of the average per capita tax paid for the twelve month calendar year preceding the opening of the convention. Any Local or Chapter formed within the twelve month period shall be entitled to representation based on the average per capita tax paid for those months during which such Local or Chapter was affiliated. Any Local or Chapter formed after the end of that twelve month period shall be entitled to one fraternal delegate, without vote. Section 5. No organization or person seceded or expelled from the AFSCME or from its Local Unions and no Local Union suspended by the Executive Board of this Council shall be allowed representation or recognition at Council Conventions.

Section 6. A delegate must be a member of the Local Union or Chapter affiliated with Council 40 the delegate represents and must be currently employed within the jurisdiction of the Local Union; provided, that two or more Local Unions or Chapters may unite in sending to Conventions of the Council a delegate who meets the above requirements in one of such Locals or Chapters. Any such delegate may cast the votes to which the Local Unions or Chapters the delegate represents are individually entitled. No delegate shall represent more than five Locals or Chapters.

Section 7. All delegates to Conventions of this Council shall be elected by the respective Local Unions or Chapters they represent. The names of such delegates shall be certified by the proper officers of Local Unions or Chapters to the Executive Director of the Council at least fifteen days prior to the time of the Convention.

Section 8. Any member of the Council Executive Board who is not elected as a delegate representing the Board member's Local or Chapter shall nevertheless be entitled to all the rights and privileges of a delegate except the right to vote.

DELEGATE ENTITLEMENT AND VOTING STRENGTH

The enclosed Delegate Entitlement and Voting Strength (green sheet) sets forth the number of delegates that your Local/Chapter is entitled to send to the Convention, as well as the Convention voting strength of your Local/Chapter. These figures are based upon Article VI, Sections 1-3, of the Council 40 Constitution, which are quoted above. Please note that the total number of votes your Local/Chapter is entitled to remains as indicated on the green sheet, whether you elect one delegate or the total number of delegates to which you are entitled.

DELEGATE CREDENTIAL PRE-REGISTRATION DEADLINE - MARCH 19

One SET OF CREDENTIALS is enclosed for EACH DELEGATE to which your Local/Chapter is entitled. Please complete the credential form in full, have it signed by your PRESIDENT and SECRETARY, and distribute it as follows:

A) ORIGINAL (WHITE) COPY: This copy should be returned to the Council 40 office in Madison in the blue envelope provided no later than March 19.

B) DUPLICATE (BLUE) COPY: This copy should be retained by your Local/Chapter delegate(s) for presentation at the Convention registration table.

Your Local/Chapter should take action to elect delegates as soon as possible in order to meet the March 19 pre-registration deadline.

Your compliance with this timetable will be greatly appreciated, and will allow us time to appoint and properly notify those delegates who will serve on the various Convention committees. A Convention Committee Assignment Request form (lavender) is enclosed. On the back of the form lists the responsibilities of each committee. If any of your delegates would like to serve on one of the Convention Committees, please complete the form and return it to the Council 40 office along with their credentials. Remember that only delegates can serve on Convention Committees – observers are not eligible.
OBSERVER PRE-REGISTRATION DEADLINE - MARCH 19

Your Local/Chapter may wish to send observers (visitors) to the Convention. If so, please fill out the enclosed OBSERVER REGISTRATION FORM and distribute it as follows:

A) ORIGINAL (YELLOW) COPY: This copy should be returned to the Council 40 office in Madison in the blue envelope provided no later than March 19.

B) DUPLICATE (WHITE) COPY: This copy should be retained by your Local/Chapter observer(s) for presentation at the Convention observer table.

REGISTRATION FEE

The registration fee for each delegate and observer that attends the Convention from your Local/Chapter is $50.00. This registration fee includes the cost of the banquet and entertainment on Saturday night. Note: Even if your delegates and observers choose not to attend the Convention banquet, they must still pay the $50.00 registration fee in order to be properly seated and receive Convention kits. Please make your check for the registration fees payable to Wisconsin Council 40, and return it along with the WHITE copy of the delegate credential and the YELLOW copy of the observer registration form in the enclosed, stamped return-addressed, blue envelope. DO NOT include Convention registration fees with any Per Capita Tax payments due Council 40. Registration fees must be paid by separate check.

Please advise your delegates and observers that Convention registration times are as follows:

April 15 (Thursday) ................... 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
April 16 (Friday) ................... 8:00 am to 2:00 pm
April 17 (Saturday) ................... 8:00 am to 9:00 am