Motion for a vote?

[Guest Ken]

A committee in our Union would like to bring to a vote a possible schedule change for our fire department. Everyone knows about this trial schedule change. I was wondering if it needs to be made a motion first which is voted on to take it to a vote or can we jsut announce that we will voting on this at the meeting next month. We have nothing in our blyaws that address this.

[Sean Hunt]

The committee should deliver a report to the next meeting recommending the change of schedule. Then someone should move the recommendation as a motion (or your chair can assume such a motion to have been made), and it will get debated. Then the motion is put to a vote like any other motion. If you want to use a mail ballot (or some similar procedure authorized by your bylaws) so that every member can participate, a motion should be made before the vote to use that different form of balloting. This motion is undebatable and takes a majority to adopt.

[Tim Wynn]

A committee in our Union would like to bring to a vote a possible schedule change for our fire department.

The committee members should decide on an exact wording for a resolution that clearly proposes the change the committee wants. This resolution should then be included as a recommendation in the committee's report. In the meeting of the general membership, after reading the report, the reporting member of the committee should move the adoption of the recommended resolution. See RONR(10th ed.), p. 496, l. 32 - p. 497, l. 24.

The vote required to adopt the resolution will depend on the nature of the change it proposes and contributing factors that may affect notice requirements, but it sounds as though this action may fall into the category of a proposal to Amend Something Previously Adopted. See RONR(10th ed.), Section 35.

[Guest Ken]

Here is a copy of our Bylaws pertaining to absentee voting. Am I correct in assumption that we cannot have absentee ballots for a vote other than collective bargaining agreement, bylaws, or officer election? What if there was a motion to do so as in the case I stated above?

Article 8: Absentee Voting

1. Members in good standing unable to attend a collective bargaining agreement, bylaw change, or officer election vote may obtain an absentee ballot from the Secretary/Treasurer up to seven (7) days prior to the vote in accordance with the following provisions:

2. The Secretary/Treasurer or his/her designee will issue all absentee ballots.

3. All ballots must be printed on official Delta Township Firefighters Union letterhead and delivered to absentee voters in an unsealed Delta Township Firefighters Union envelope.

4. The absentee voter shall seal the completed ballot in the envelope provided, sign/endorse across the seal the ensure integrity, and return in to the Secretary/Treasurer.

5. Completed absentee ballots must be submitted to the Secretary/Treasurer prior to the start of the meeting. Ballots submitted after the meeting is called to order will not be counted. The Secretary/Treasurer will maintain a complete record of all absentee ballots issued, returned by absentee voters, and those not submitted by the specified deadline.

6. Once all absentee ballots have been reconciled against the ballot record, Secretary/Treasurer shall open the sealed envelopes and deposit the completed ballots directly into the ballot box under the supervision of the appointed tellers. Votes shall then be tallied in accordance with the applicable provisions of Articles 9, 10, and 19.

7. Absentee votes shall count towards the quorum only for a collective bargaining agreement, bylaw change, or officer election vote.

[David A Foulkes]

Now, why does this sound familiar...... ?????

[Gary Novosielski]

Here is a copy of our Bylaws pertaining to absentee voting. Am I correct in assumption that we cannot have absentee ballots for a vote other than collective bargaining agreement, bylaws, or officer election?

You certainly appear to be, since in bylaws interpretation, if a list of (say) three things is authorized, and numerous other things are omitted, only the things specified are authorized, and the omissions are presumed to be intentional.

What if there was a motion to do so as in the case I stated above?

That motion would be out of order, unless the case stated above involves an amendment to the collective bargaining agreement, which I believe I answered some months ago.

<tap tap> Is this thing on??