Convention delegates to consider amending PEF’s constitution, dues
Two proposed amendments to the PEF Constitution will be presented to PEF delegates for action at their September annual convention. These amendments relate to representation of retired PEF members on the union’s Executive Board.

In addition, PEF Secretary-Treasurer Arlea Igoe will propose altering PEF’s PS&T dues to address an inequity in the current dues structure by removing the $900 cap on dues for those in the top salary grade of 38. No other changes are proposed. The current dues structure was adopted at the PEF convention September 11, 2000.

The first of the proposed amendments to the constitution results from a petition that received the required number of signatures of delegates to the 2009 PEF convention. It calls for adding two additional Executive Board seats to the one now authorized for retiree representation.

The second amendment was proposed by the PEF Constitution and Bylaws Committee on advice of PEF counsel and would limit the matters on which the retiree representatives could vote.

The chair of the PEF Constitution and Bylaws Committee will present those proposed amendments at the convention.

It will require a 60 percent vote to adopt the change in the dues, and a two-thirds vote to adopt each of the constitutional amendments. (Underlined language would be added and language in brackets would be deleted.)­

Proposed amendment 1 to PEF Constitution
Article VII Executive Board
C. Composition – The Executive Board shall be composed of the Officers, Board Representatives, [and] a Retiree Representative appointed by the President[.], and two additional Retiree Representatives appointed by the PEF Retiree Executive Board.

Proposed amendment 2 to PEF Constitution
Article VII Executive Board
C. Composition – The Executive Board shall be composed of the Officers, Board Representatives, and a Retiree Representative appointed by the President[.]; provided, however, that no Retiree Representative shall be entitled to vote on the PEF budget or on matters affecting the terms and conditions of employment of Regular members, including but not limited to contract negotiations, contract ratification and contract enforcement.

Proposed change to PEF dues
The union will modify its dues structure effective April 1, 2001, to .9 percent of salary with no cap on earnings. [Grade 38 employees will be capped at $900 annually in consideration of their lack of job rate and longevity payments.] All funds raised by this dues structure will be incorporated in PEF budgets approved by the Executive Board and will be accounted for annually in a written report to the membership. The funds apportioned to the Members’ War Chest may not be spent outside of contract fight-back activities unless approved by a three-quarter vote of the Executive Board.