Convention Delegates Approve Per Capita Increase
AFT convention delegates on July 12 approved a series of constitutional amendments and bylaws, including a per capita increase in each of the next two years. The increase of 65 cents per member per month, effective this September and again in September 2009, will go toward three different funds: 40 cents will go to the AFT general fund, 15 cents to the national Solidarity Fund and 10 cents to state affiliate Solidarity Funds.
"We are cognizant of the fact that these are tough times, but this is what has to be done to build a stronger AFT," said James Dougherty, an AFT vice president and member of the constitutional amendments committee. The 40 cents for the general fund "is absolutely necessary if we're going to continue doing things we've been doing and face the challenges in coming years."
With the increase, the amount going to the national Solidarity Fund will total $1.50 per member per month. Since 2003, more than $9 million has been disbursed from the fund to states to help defeat efforts such as tax limitations and anti-union initiatives as well as helping pass proposals such as a minimum wage increase in Ohio.
Marty Hittelman of the California Federation of Teachers said the Solidarity Fund has been a tremendous help to his union, which has faced a constant barrage of bad ballot initiatives. "We really need to stop the bad ideas in California so they don't spread," he said, noting that 11 initiatives--many of them opposed by his union--will be on the ballot in California this November.
The remaining amendment and bylaw changes dealt primarily with procedural changes relating to nominations, deadlines and committees. One amendment reflected today's changing technology by replacing the requirement that convention resolutions be submitted "in typewritten form, in quadruplicate" with an amendment allowing resolutions to be "mailed, e-mailed in PDF format or faxed to the president." [Dan Gursky]
July 13, 2008
