ARTICLE I - NAME
Section 1
The name of the Association shall be the Gloucester County Education Association, Incorporated, hereafter referred to as the Association.
Section 2
The Association shall be incorporated as a non-profit corporation under Title 15A: 2-8 New Jersey Domestic Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Section 3
The Association shall apply for tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code 501 c (5) and govern itself in a manner that will not jeopardize its tax exempt status. The Association may apply to NJEA to be included in a group exempt letter.
ARTICLE II - AFFILIATION
ARTICLE III - PURPOSE
- To provide support, training, and a forum to assist local associations in improving working conditions of members of the educational family in Gloucester County and to act as a liaison between all levels of the united school employees, and to coordinate the engagement of the educational community in county and statewide political organizing.
- To work for the welfare of students, the advancement of public education, and the improvement of educational opportunities for all.
- To unify all employees eligible for membership so as to enable members to speak with a common voice on all matters of mutual concern and to represent individual and common interests of members.
- To promote the general welfare of members, to advance educational standards and to establish and maintain good community relations.
- To develop and promote continuing programs to secure and maintain better employment benefits, uniform personnel practices, professional preparation standards, sound retirement systems, and improvements in terms and conditions of employment.
- To complement and supplement the New Jersey Education Association and the National Education Association.
ARTICLE IV - MEMBERSHIP
Section 1
All certified professional personnel employed in the Gloucester County Public Schools and the faculty of schools of higher education in Gloucester County may become active members in the Gloucester County Education Association by the payment of annual unified dues, where applicable. Active members in good standing shall be eligible to vote, to hold office, and to participate in the activities of the association.
Section 2
All Educational Support Professionals employed in the Gloucester County Public Schools or schools of higher education in Gloucester County, may become active members in the Gloucester County Education Association by the payment of annual unified dues, where applicable. Active members in good standing shall be eligible to vote, to hold office, and to participate in the activities of the association.
Section 3
An honorary member shall be a person who has rendered meritorious service in the cause of education and who is not regularly engaged in the public schools of Gloucester County. He shall have all the privileges of an active member except the holding of office, voting, and the payment of dues. Said honorary membership shall be awarded by the Representative Council.
Section 4
Rights of Membership - (a) The application of the one-person, one-vote principle for representation on all governing bodies except that there shall be a guarantee of ethnic-minority representation proportionate to the ethnic-minority membership. (b) Every member shall have the equal rights and privileges within the organization to nominate candidates for office; to vote in elections or on referenda of the Association; to attend membership meetings; to participate in the deliberations and voting upon the business of such meetings. (c) Every member shall have the right to meet and assemble fully with other members; to express any views, arguments, or opinions; to express views at meetings upon candidates in an election of the Association or upon any business properly brought before the meeting. (d) No member shall be fined, suspended, expelled or otherwise disciplined except for the nonpayment of dues without being served with specific written charges and given a reasonable time in which to prepare a defense which may be asserted at a full and fair hearing.
ARTICLE V - OFFICERS
Section 1
The officers of this association shall be the President, the 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice-President, (when there is NOT a full-time released President) the Secretary, and the Treasurer.
Section 2
The officers shall be elected by the General Membership as part of the regular annual NJEA election held in April
Section 3
All officers shall hold unified membership, if eligible.
Section 4
The County Nominating Committee will make a preliminary report at the January Representative Council meeting of all positions available.
Section 5
Nominations may also be made by petition. Petitions must contain the signatures of at least 5% of the total active membership of the GCEA or the signatures of at least 75 such members, whichever is less, with at least 5 such signatures from each of at least 5 local affiliates. Said petitions must be presented to the elections committee chairperson by the February Representative Council meeting.
Section 6
In the event of a vacancy in the presidency, the first vice-president shall become president and the second vice-president shall become first vice-president. If more than sixty (60) days remain in an unexpired term, a special election shall be conducted to fill the vacancy of the second vice-president. Such special election shall be conducted at the next regularly scheduled Representative Council meeting to fill the vacancy until the next general election.
Section 7
Should a vacancy occur in any of the other offices the vacancy shall be filled by appointment of the President with the approval of the Representative Council for the remainder of the term of office or until the next general election.
ARTICLE VI - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The voting members of the Executive Committee of the Gloucester County Education Association shall consist of the elected representatives for Gloucester County. These shall be: President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, NJEA Delegate Assembly members representing Gloucester County, Alternate NJEA Delegate Assembly members, Past President, NJEA Executive Committee member, and elected Members-At-Large. Additional members shall consist of GCEA/NJEA committee chairs, but shall not be voting members.
ARTICLE VII - REPRESENTATIVE COUNCIL
The Representative Council shall be the legislative and policy forming body and transact the business of the Gloucester County Education Association at regular meetings.
Section 1
The Representative Council shall consist of the GCEA Executive Committee and the local affiliate president from each member local and other members of that local in compliance with section Article IV Sections 1 & 2 above as selected by the president of that local association. NJEA committee members and GCEA committee members who are not representing their local are non-voting members. Representation will be determined on the basis of one representative for every 100 dues paying members in the GCEA or major fraction thereof in that local, total membership including active supportive staff, with every district entitled to at least one representative. In locals with more than 100 paid active-supportive memberships, at least one representative must be from active supportive staff. The ratio for representation should reflect the ratio of total membership within the local. The Local Association shall guarantee ethnic-minority representation at least proportionate to its ethnic-minority membership.
Section 2
Members of the Representative Council shall be elected/appointed yearly before the first meeting of the GCEA in September by each individual local association. Any member of the GCEA who is not a member of the Representative Council may attend its meetings but shall sit apart from the voting members and may receive permission to speak.
Section 3
In the event of an absence of a voting member, an alternate or proxy may represent that local affiliate provided said alternate/proxy has been selected by the local affiliate president and the Gloucester County leadership has received notice of such authorization.
Section 4
A quorum for the Representative Council shall consist of local representatives present at a duly advertised meeting.
ARTICLE VIII - AMENDMENTS