ARTICLE IV

INTERNATIONAL OFFICERS

　

A. Officers

The Officers of the Union shall be the International President, International Vice President and International Secretary-Treasurer.

B. Eligibility

Active and executive active members who have been active or executive active members in continuous good standing for at least two (2) years immediately preceding nomination shall be eligible to hold the offices of International President, International Vice President, and International Secretary-Treasurer; provided that active and executive active members who have been furloughed at any time during the two (2) years immediately preceding nomination shall be eligible if in continuous good standing as active or executive active members immediately prior to and after furlough for a total of at least two (2) years immediately preceding nomination with the only break in such continuous good standing caused by the furlough; provided further that an active or executive active member on an airline where the Union has been the bargaining representative for less than twenty-six (26) months shall be eligible if s/he has at least two (2) years seniority on the airline and has been in continuous good standing as an active or executive active member since sixty (60) days after the Union became bargaining representative. Any person holding International Office shall thereafter be eligible to hold any elective office in the Union by election or reelection.

　

C. The International President

1. Jurisdiction and Duties

a. The President shall be the Chief Executive and Administrative Head of the Union. The President shall supervise the affairs and functions of the Union, and shall coordinate its activities. The President shall be responsible for and supervise the managerial functions within the Union. The President shall consult with and be assisted by the Vice President and the Secretary-Treasurer in furthering the objectives and policies of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. The President shall have such other assistants as s/he may deem necessary.

b. The President shall determine and implement the organizational structure of the International Office in accordance with the declared policies of the Board of Directors and Executive Board. The President and Secretary-Treasurer shall jointly appoint a properly qualified employee of the Union to see to the administration of the fiscal affairs and records of the Union and perform such other duties as are assigned by the President or the Secretary-Treasurer.

c. The President is charged with carrying out the policies of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board. The President shall, unless otherwise provided in this Constitution and Bylaws, serve as Chairperson of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.

d. The President shall call regular meetings of the Board of Directors and Executive Board as required by this Constitution and may call special meetings at any time.

e. The President shall be the official spokesperson for the Union in all its external relations and may authorize counsel or other agents of the Union to speak for the Union in her/his place and stead. When such external communications have direct bearing on a carrier the President will notify that carrier's Master Executive Council President before speaking on its behalf.

f. The President may appoint Assistants to the President when necessary. Such appointment shall be approved by the Executive Board in session or by mail ballot. If a mail ballot is circulated, the ballot will be mailed within thirty (30) days of said appointment.　

g. The President may ballot the Board of Directors or the Executive Board for any cause the President deems necessary. Should flight security problems of an international, regional or operational character require, or for any other reason in which only a portion of the membership is concerned, the President may ballot the Master Executive Council involved. Should these flight security problems be of such a serious nature that the President may desire to call a withdrawal of service of all carriers, the President shall be so authorized after conducting a ballot of the Executive Board.

h. The President shall be required to ballot the Board of Directors as provided in Part I.A. of the Strike Benefit and Assessment Policy.

i. The President may establish, charge and appoint committees for services as needed in the furtherance of Union projects. Such committees shall be known as Presidential Committees and shall report directly to the President. Interim reports of committee progress shall be periodically provided to the Executive Board. The President may terminate Presidential Committees at any time.

j. Additionally, the President shall perform any duties mentioned elsewhere in the Constitution and Bylaws.

　

D. International Vice President

1. Jurisdiction and Duties

a. The Vice President shall function under the jurisdiction of the President in carrying out the policies of the Board of Directors and the Executive Board.

b. The Vice President shall remain current on all Union activities.

c. The Vice President shall assist the President by performing such duties that may be specifically assigned to the Vice President by the President.

d. In consultation with the International President, the Vice President shall be responsible for the oversight and administration of all of AFA-CWA’s leadership development and training programs.

e. The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President in the President's absence.

f. The Vice President shall be available to the Master Executive Council and Local Council Officers of the Union for consultation.

　

E. International Secretary-Treasurer

1. Jurisdiction and Duties

a. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be directly responsible to the International President and shall be held accountable to the Executive Board and shall be charged with the keeping of the general records and correspondence of the Union. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the minutes of the meetings of the Executive Board and Board of Directors. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be custodian of the Union records and its seal and shall affix the latter when required. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for keeping the Union membership records up to date at all times and for showing thereon all pertinent information concerning membership.

b. The Secretary-Treasurer shall exhibit at all reasonable times these general records to any Officer, member of the Board of Directors or active member in good standing of the Union upon application at the International Office during business hours. All membership cards shall bear the signature of the Secretary-Treasurer.

c. The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall include the general financial administration of the Union and affiliated financial matters. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be charged with the efficient administration of financial and fiscal policies as set forth.　

d. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause a thorough certified financial audit of the books of account each year to be prepared by a firm of Certified Public Accountants and shall cause the audit report and the recommendations of the auditors to be presented to the Executive Board and the Board of Directors.

e. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause an accounting system to be maintained that conforms with modern accounting practices.

f. The Secretary-Treasurer shall submit a quarterly financial report, that includes actual income and expenses, to the members through their respective Local Executive Councils. The Secretary-Treasurer shall provide Master Executive Council members with a quarterly statement of Master Executive Council and Master Executive Council President expenses incurred by all airlines. (Board 2009)

g. The Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare a budget that is in line with modern budgetary practice and shall list the previous year's actual expenditures, revenues, and the probable expenditures for the next fiscal year with suitable provision for contingencies. The Secretary-Treasurer shall present this budget to the Board of Directors for review and approval prior to its implementation. The Secretary-Treasurer shall cause adequate reserves to be built up and maintained at a satisfactory level through careful business management to the best of that person's ability. These reserves may be kept in the form of interest bearing securities, stocks, and bonds, as allowed by law in such cases. The Secretary-Treasurer shall have the care and custody of, and be responsible for, all of the funds and securities of the Union. The Secretary-Treasurer shall exhibit at all reasonable times that person's books and accounts to any Officer, member of the Board of Directors or active member in good standing of the Union upon application at the International Office during business hours. (Board 2009)

h. The President and the Secretary-Treasurer shall jointly appoint a properly qualified employee of the Union to see to the administration of the fiscal affairs and records of the Union and perform such other duties as are assigned by the President or the Secretary-Treasurer.

i. The Secretary-Treasurer shall perform such other functions as are assigned from time to time by the President or the Executive Board and such other duties required elsewhere in the Constitution and Bylaws.

j. The Secretary-Treasurer shall send to each Local Council President and Master Executive Council President an estimated monthly allocation, following the Board of Directors meeting, but prior to the new fiscal year.

　

F. Term of Office

1. The regular term of office for the Officers of the Union shall be four (4) years, and shall commence the first (1st) day of June following election, except that in 2011, the term of office shall commence on January 1, 2011 and terminate on May 31, 2014.

2. The term of office of the President, if elected as a result of a vacancy, shall be for the balance of the unexpired term and shall commence immediately upon election. (Board 2008)

3. The term of office of the Vice President, if elected as a result of a vacancy in the office for any reason, shall be for the balance of the unexpired term and shall commence immediately upon election.

4. The term of office of the Secretary-Treasurer, if elected as a result of a vacancy in the office for any reason, shall be for the balance of the unexpired term and shall commence immediately upon election.
　

G. Vacancy in Office

1. The International President

When a vacancy in the office of the President occurs, such vacancy shall be filled by the Vice President for the remainder of the term or until an election to fill the position produces a successful candidate. If the vacancy occurs more than 270 (two hundred and seventy) days, or less than 30 (thirty) days prior to the next Board of Directors meeting, the Acting International President will call for a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors for the purpose of conducting an election to fill the position no later than 60 (sixty) days after the opening has arisen. The less-than-30 (thirty) day provision will not apply if the next Board of Directors meeting is the regularly scheduled Election Board. If the vacancy occurs less than 270 (two hundred and seventy) days, but more than 30 (thirty) days, prior to the next scheduled Board of Directors meeting, the Acting International President will call for the election for the position of International President to take place at that meeting. The Vice President’s vacancy will not be determined until this process is completed. (Board 2008)

2. The International Vice President

When a vacancy in the office of Vice President occurs for any reason, within thirty (30) days from the date the vacancy occurs, the President will appoint an active member to serve in said office. A mail ballot will be sent to the Board of Directors to confirm the appointee within thirty (30) days. Pending said Board of Directors' ratification, the appointee or that person's successor shall continue to serve as Acting Vice President.

3. The International Secretary-Treasurer

When a vacancy in the office of Secretary-Treasurer occurs, within thirty (30) days from the date the vacancy occurs, the President will appoint an active member to serve in said office. A mail ballot will be sent to the Board of Directors to confirm the appointee within thirty (30) days. Pending said Board of Directors’ ratification, the appointee or that person's successor shall continue to serve as Acting Secretary-Treasurer.

4. International President and International Vice President

In the event there is a vacancy in the offices of President and Vice President, the Secretary-Treasurer shall function as Acting President and immediately cause a special Board of Directors meeting to be called for the purpose of electing said Officers.　

5. In the event that all three offices become vacant, the Master Executive Council President of the largest airline membership shall immediately cause a special Board of Directors meeting to be called for the purpose of electing said Officers.

　

H. Compensation for International Officers

The compensation of the Officers shall be established by the Board of Directors while in session. The compensation may be adjusted, supplemented by retirement, annuity payments or other monetary benefits approved by the Board of Directors in session.

　

I. Bonding

The International Officers shall be bonded for an amount determined by the Executive Board.