Perhaps conflict of interest.

[Guest Tammie]

Our Vice President should go to President. If we follow Robert's Rule.

Well we have a conflict of interest here.

The President and Vice President are close friends. The President is taking on a role of Administration. If we have any union problems the Vice President would have to direct the problems, which could involve his best friend. Conflict of interest.

Which the majority of the membership is upset over.

The Vice President is best friends with the President, who is leaving. Who will then be our Boss.

How is this person going to be able to do his job and represent the whole body of his union brothers and sisters. When that would require him to go against his best friend.

The union feels, we should have a re election of Union President.

Is this possible.

Roberts Rules states that Normally the Vice President moves up to President. Could the Vice President act as President until we had another election. To make sure the whole of the union body wants this to happen as to keep that person on. Or to have a new President.

[tctheatc]

RONR is silent on the issue of how good friends may influence one another via their friendship while running an organization's affairs.

personally, I think you are taking the definition of 'conflict of interest" way too far.

[sMargaret]

You said that "If we have any union problems the Vice President would have to direct the problems, which could involve his best friend. Conflict of interest." Do your bylaws actually state that the President has that authority? In many organizations, it would be the Board or the general membership that would make decisions, not just one person on the board.

If your bylaws are silent on who takes over if the President leaves office, then yes, the Vice President automatically becomes President according to RONR. Conflict of interest doesn't enter into it, even if this was considered to be a conflict of interest. Not sure why you think this is the case.

You could possibly ask the current vice president to resign, so as to hold an election (assuming that would be the way to fill the resulting vacancy), to ensure that he has the mandate of the members when acting as President? That might be a method that could serve your purpose. It would be entirely up to the current VP, however.

[Gary Novosielski]

Roberts Rules states that Normally the Vice President moves up to President. Could the Vice President act as President until we had another election. To make sure the whole of the union body wants this to happen as to keep that person on. Or to have a new President.

No, you've correctly noted what happens. Strike the word "normally". There is no way around it without amending your bylaws to provide a different rule for handling the filling of vacancies in the office of president in particular.

If you can't do that before the president's resignation or disqualification becomes effective, then the VP will become president and you will have a vacancy to fill in the office of vice president.