Change of meeting dates

[Guest Tom]

I am part of a union, where we meet once a month. Our bylaws state we meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month at a named location. A new president and executive board has been elected in and are now changing meeting dates and locations whenever they feel like it. What(if any) rules are being broken that we can bring up at our next meeting and possibly charge the new officials with breaking?

[Gary Novosielski]

On 9/6/2023 at 4:32 PM, Guest Tom said:

I am part of a union, where we meet once a month. Our bylaws state we meet on the 3rd Thursday of the month at a named location. A new president and executive board has been elected in and are now changing meeting dates and locations whenever they feel like it. What(if any) rules are being broken that we can bring up at our next meeting and possibly charge the new officials with breaking?

On most breaches of the rules, if you wait for the next meeting you could be out of luck. It's important to raise a Point of Order as soon as a breach is noticed, right then.

But if meetings are not properly  held, it could invalidate everything that was done at that meeting. Still it may be better to start slow.  Do you have a designated union rep you would normally approach with a problem, who can take your concern to the next level, presumably that board?   Are you the only one who has noticed this probem or are other members also concerned?

There's a saying known as Hanlon's razor:  "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."   Is it possible that these new people are not aware that the rules in the bylaws are not optional?  Are you sure there is no exception allowed in the bylaws?  Are you properly distinguishing between an executive board meeting and a membership meeting?  (I.e., do you have a vote at these monthly meetings?)  

Your answers may suggest how to proceed.