Retiree Advocate/UFT - Save our Medicare!

Bylaws

(Provisionally Adopted December 29, 2025)

1. Name

• Retiree Advocate / United Federation of Teachers (RA/UFT)

2. Membership 

• Rights:
  • To participate in work/campaigns 
  • To join open RA committees
  • To suggest the formation of additional standing and temporary committees
• Requirements: 
  • Acceptance of the Retiree Advocate Mission Statement
  • During UFT or RTC elections members cannot campaign against Retiree Advocate or run against Retiree Advocate.
  • Dues $50 per year. ($25 per year for retired paras). Membership starts upon receipt of dues. Contributions to Retiree Advocate received between July 1 2025 and December 31 2025 will be credited as dues paid January 1, 2026.

3. Organizing Committee

• Organizes the work of the caucus
• Meets once a month (may meet more frequently - as the Organizing Committee determines)
• Organizes membership meetings
• Forms and recruits to Retiree Advocate committees
• Provides regular updates to members
• Makes minutes available to members 
• Oversees other publications (ex. Leaflets, newsletter)

4. Elections to Organizing Committee  

• 15 members
• 3-year terms, staggered
• annual elections (September)
• Five (5) Organizers elected each September (unless there are additional vacancies)
• Terms end September 30. New terms begin October 1, unless otherwise noted.
• To be a candidate for the Organizing Committee a Retiree Advocate member: 
  • Must be a Retiree Advocate member in good standing 
  • Must have been a Retiree Advocate member for at least one year
• Filling Vacancies
  • If a vacancy on the Organizing Committee arises, it will be filled at the next regular election.
• Transitional Elections
  • First election 
    • 2 months after these bylaws are adopted the first Organizing Committee election will be held. Five (5) members will be elected. If there are fewer than 5 vacancies, current Organizers may volunteer to end their terms (they may stand for reelection). If there are still not 5 vacancies, sufficient Organizers will be selected by random process to end their terms (they may choose to stand for reelection). 
    • To be eligible to be a candidate in the first election someone must already be a member of Retiree Advocate
    • Terms of those elected will begin one week after the Organizing Committee certifies the election.
    • The terms of Organizers elected in this election will end September 30, 2028.
  • Second election
    • In September 2026 the second Organizing Committee election will be held. Five (5) members will be elected. We will take volunteers from among current Organizers to end their terms. If there are still not 5 vacancies, sufficient Organizers will be selected by random process to end their terms (they may choose to stand for reelection).  The terms of all remaining unelected Organizers will end September 2027.
    • Eligibility: Candidates in the second election for Organizing Committee must have been a member of Retiree Advocate for at least 6 months.
    • The terms of Organizers elected in this election will end September 30, 2029.

5. Decisions

• The Organizing Committee makes decisions by voting. Items are approved with a vote of over two-thirds of those present. 
• The Organizing Committee makes majordecisions informed by membership meeting discussions. The Organizing Committee may refer major decisions for approval by the membership (majority of those voting by email).
• Changes to the Mission Statement require a vote of the Organizing Committee, and require over two-thirds to vote in favor, followed by approval (majority of those voting by email) of the membership.
• Decisions about UFT election participation require a vote of the Organizing Committee, and require over two-thirds to vote in favor, followed by approval (majority of those voting by email) of the membership.

6. Membership meetings

• Minimum of 4 membership meetings a year to be held virtually. 

7. Organizers

• Expected to attend Organizing Committee meetings
• Expected to attend membership meetings
• Expected to participate in at least one other Retiree Advocate committee
• Expected to treat other RA Organizing Committee members with mutual respect and courtesy

8. Media

• RA will have publications and social media platforms. These will include:
  • an RA membership Listserv
  • A newsletter
  • Member Updates
  • Any other publications (including leaflets) and social media platforms as decided by the Organizing Committee
• The Organizing Committee may establish committees or designate individuals to set-up or manage social media accounts, or edit or produce and distribute publications.

9. Amendments to these Bylaws

• An amendment to these bylaws will be considered with the support in writing of at least one-third of the Organizing Committee or at least 10% of the membership
• An amendment under consideration will be presented at one Organizing Committee meeting, and voted on at the next Organizing Committee meeting.
• If at least two-thirds of the Organizing Committee vote in favor of the amendment, it will be presented at the next Membership Meeting, and then submitted for a membership vote within a week of that meeting.
• The amendment will be adopted if it receives over 50% of the membership votes cast.

10. Ratification

• These Bylaws will be provisionally adopted when approved by over two-thirds vote of the previous Retiree Advocate Organizing Committee, and at that time go into effect.
• These Bylaws will be subject to a ratification vote by the membership of Retiree Advocate, to be conducted within six months of the Bylaws provisional adoption. These Bylaws will be ratified if supported by a majority of those members voting via email.
• If these bylaws are not so ratified, the Organizing Committee will assemble a Bylaws Committee made up of members, both from the Organizing Committee and from the membership at large. The Bylaws Committee will organize discussions among the membership, and draft and present a proposal for the Bylaws.
• The Bylaws Committee dissolves when its proposal is presented. The proposed Bylaws are subject to the ratification process described in this section, and before they are ratified, the provisional Bylaws remain in effect.