National Association of Air Traffic Specialists

Aviation Safety is Our Business

Date:         May 26, 2000

To:        All Regular NAATS Members

Subject:    Constitutional Amendments

From:        Wally Pike, President

Enclosed you will find five proposed constitutional amendments. These have been initiated by the Board of Directors in accordance with Article 13 of our Constitution.

The amendments are in Articles 6, 7, 8, 10 and 13. Individual votes are necessary for these articles to become effective with the exception of Articles 10 and 13 which are interrelated. Therefore, you are being asked for four separate votes:

1.    On the proposed Article 6 Section 3 amendment,
2.    On the proposed Article 7 amendment,
3.    On the proposed Article 8 amendment, and
4.    A final vote on the proposed Articles 10 and 13 amendments.

In order for these amendments to pass they must receive 2/3 of the votes cast.

Also enclosed are the "pro" and "con" statements required by Article 13 as well as a return envelope with postage paid to NAATS Headquarters. It is only necessary to return the ballots; please do not return the "pro con" statements or this cover letter.

NOTE -- Only regular NAATS members may vote. It is necessary for you to provide your name, facility and region on the ballots. If membership cannot be verified the ballot cannot be counted.

This ballot package will also be posted on our web page as well as in two consecutive editions of the NAATS News and at our facilities. I encourage you to read the amendments and statements carefully and cast your vote by Friday, September 1, 2000. Ballots received after September 1 will not be counted. It is requested that, if you vote no on any amendments, you provide a brief explanation for your vote. This is optional but it will be helpful in the future when amendments are discussed.





ARTICLE 6 - OFFICERS

Section 3.

The Board shall meet at least semiannually at times and places to be selected by the Board. A special meeting may be called by the President or by a majority of the members of the Board of Directors. The business of the Board may also be conducted by mail/fax vote, or by conference call. All conference call votes shall be documented. All Directors shall be given reasonable advance notice prior to the transaction of business of the Association. A quorum shall consist of two-thirds of the members of the Board of Directors. In no case shall block votes be accepted. In no case shall proxy votes be accepted, except that the Regional Coordinator may vote on behalf of their Director, in circumstances when a Director's illness or personal family emergency precludes their participation in a vote. Members in good standing shall be permitted to attend all meetings of the Board, except when the Board meets in executive session.

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I vote:    Yes_____________         No___________

If you voted no, please explain why _____________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________


Name _____________________        Facility __________________


Region ______________             Article 6 Section 3



    ARTICLE 7 - ELECTIONS

Section 3. Eligibility. Candidates for elective office shall:

    (d) Only seek or hold one office in any election; provided however, Regional Coordinators may also run for, and simultaneously hold office as, Facility Representatives or Alternates, and vice versa.

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I vote:    Yes_____________         No___________

If you voted no, please explain why ______________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________


Name _____________________        Facility __________________


Region ______________             Article 7



ARTICLE 8 - ADMINISTRATOR

Section 1. The National Headquarters and business office shall operate under the supervision of an Administrator. Under no circumstances may a member of the Board of Directors serve as the Administrator.

Section 2. The Administrator shall, in accordance with Association policy, be responsible for managing the day-to-day business of the Association under the supervision of the Board of Directors. More particularly, the Administrator shall --

    (a) Under suitable bond, cosign checks, drafts or orders for payment of money, receive and deposit funds;

    (b) Maintain accurate books and records, and safeguard the records of the Association;

    (c) Cause all applications for membership and renewals to be processed;

    (d) Assist in the formulation of annual budgets for approval by the Board of Directors; prepare periodic accounting, reports, and summaries of the Association's finances;

    (e) Consult regularly with the Board of Directors; keep its members fully informed concerning all significant matters on a timely basis; and obtain its prior approval for all significant policy-related or financial decisions;

    (f) Assist in the publication and distribution of informational communications to the members;

    (g) Perform other duties as assigned.

Section 3. The salary, benefits and terms of employment of the Administrator shall be determined by the Board of Directors.

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I vote:    Yes_____________         No___________

If you voted no, please explain why ______________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________


Name _____________________        Facility __________________


Region ______________        Article 8




    ARTICLE 10 - NATIONAL CONVENTIONS, MEETINGS AND SEMINARS

    Section 1. Periodic national membership meetings and conventions, among delegates chosen by the members, will be scheduled by the Board of Directors. A delegate convention will be held at least every two years at a location to be established by a majority of the votes at the previous delegate convention. Additional conventions/meetings may be scheduled by the Board of Directors upon 90 days notice to the members. The purpose of conventions will be to develop recommendations concerning Association policy for consideration by the Board of Directors and, when appropriate, to develop proposed constitutional amendments for membership referenda. Notices of such conventions and meetings shall be mailed to the Facility Representatives for posting in facilities at least 120 days prior to the scheduled event. Conventions may coincide with, occur during, or as a part of, national membership meetings. National educational training seminars for officers and facility representatives may also be scheduled by the Board of Directors. The President shall chair conventions and may invoke the rules in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised, to govern formal discussion or debate at such assemblies in order to insure orderly process.

    Section 2. Each AFSS shall be entitled to send one delegate to conventions and that delegate's vote shall be weighted to reflect the total number of members, in accordance with section 3, eligible to vote for a delegate. In the event of any tie votes during conventions, the President will cast the deciding vote.

    Section 3. No later than the 90th day prior to a scheduled convention, each Facility Representative shall conduct a membership meeting in his or her facility to discuss issues and to develop proposed resolutions for consideration by the convention; and s/he shall forward any proposals to the National Office in written form. Such proposed resolutions shall articulate a problem or issue that the facility's members wish the convention to address together with a specific recommended approach or outcome. Thereafter, the National Office shall compile all proposals received and, at least 60 days prior to the scheduled convention, send copies to all Facility Representatives who shall make them available to members. Between the 60th and 30th days prior to the convention, each facility wishing to send a delegate shall conduct a secret ballot election. This will insure all Union members associated with that AFSS and one additional delegate representing the collective membership permanently assigned to Alaskan FSS facilities and one additional delegate representing the collective membership assigned to FSDPS facilities; the opportunity to vote in accordance with the procedures employed when electing its Facility Representative and shall forward to the National Office the name of its duly elected delegate.

    Section 4. The Board of Directors
shall attend all conventions; members may also attend conventions but only delegates may address the floor and vote on convention resolutions. Within 120 days following a convention, the Board of Directors shall consider each resolution adopted by the convention and shall inform the membership of its disposition, by recorded vote, of the resolution.

    Section 5. The National Office shall provide every duly elected convention delegate with an MI&E per diem allowance at the current union rate for up to three days when attending conventions or meetings during which a convention is scheduled to occur.



    ARTICLE 13 - AMENDMENTS

Proposed amendments to this Constitution may be initiated either by a minimum of two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the Board of Directors, or by petition of 20 percent of the regular members whose signatures were accumulated over no more than a 120-day period, or by a convention. Once initiated, proposed amendments shall be reproduced in two consecutive issues of NAATS' periodic publication, together with a 500-word statement by the proponents and a second 500-word statement by the opponents, and shall thereafter be submitted within 30 days to the regular members for their approval or rejection by mail ballot referendum. Two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast must favor the amendment for it to be adopted. Unless otherwise specified, amendments shall become effective upon their adoption.

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I vote:    Yes_____________         No___________

If you voted no, please explain why _______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________


Name _____________________        Facility __________________ Region ______________

Articles 10 & 13

Walter W. Pike, President

This page was last updated on 24 November, 2000