Constitution Committee Reviews Convention Resolutions

The union’s Constitution Committee convened at APWU headquarters in Washington, DC, on June 16 to begin reviewing resolutions submitted by APWU state and local unions to amend the APWU Constitution and Bylaws. The resolutions will be debated and voted on by delegates to the union’s 19th Biennial National Convention in Las Vegas, Aug. 18-22, 2008.

The committee is analyzing more than 100 measures that were referred to it by the convention’s resolution Screening Committee, which met last week. The panel will evaluate the resolutions and may make recommendations for or against adoption by the convention. 

The resolutions include a variety of proposals designed to streamline national union operations and enhance representation for APWU members, reports committee chairperson Kevin Gallagher. 

In assessing whether a resolution merits the delegates’ approval, the committee considers the implications and likely results, he noted. The panel may solicit input from the union’s resident officers or consult the APWU’s lawyers. 

The committee analyzes the proposed constitutional changes and attempts to identify the benefits and drawbacks for each before recommending support or rejection for each resolution, Gallagher said. “But it will be the delegates to the convention who will decide whether or not to adopt them.” 

The APWU Constitution and Bylaws govern the union, outlining its structure, rules, and dues, as well as the rights of members and the responsibilities of officers.