UTLA House to Vote on Revised Constitution

In December, the UTLA House of Representatives will vote on revisions to the UTLA Constitution, which establishes the fundamental principles that govern UTLA operations. Most of the revisions are minor and update the constitution to reflect current practices. While the House of Representatives is the body that will vote on the constitutional revision, because of its importance, we are holding two all-member open forums to provide additional opportunities for comments, questions, and clarification about the Constitutional revision.

Online member forums on Constitution

November 9, 6-7:30pm

November 30, 6-7:30pm

Forum registration links and more information on the constitution at: utla.net/about-us/constitution-bylaws

Pro-Con Statements

As part of the process, UTLA members submitted pro and con statements on the constitutional revision. Due to space considerations, additional statements are posted on utla.net/about-us/constitution-bylaws

Pro Statement

The UTLA Constitution, written in 1970, establishes the fundamental principles which govern UTLA operations and the specific rules of guidance by which we operate. It is a foundational document that must be consistent and
reflective of our current practice and state law. While it has been amended many times, it has never gone through a comprehensive revision (rewrite) to bring it to current and best practices in Governing Documents.

The Constitutional revisions that will be presented to the
House of Representatives for approval on December 7,
2022, have been worked on by a Presidential-appointed
Constitutional Committee since 2017. This committee was established with our legal advisors and parliamentarian to review the entire Constitution and make recommendations to remove archaic language and inconsistencies in the
document, add current practices such as functional committees in operation (i.e., Constitution Committee and Negotiations Committee), and to be legally compliant with state law.

The only substantive change made that is recommended is dictated by state law. The change differentiates the legal duties of the Board of Directors as fiduciary, and the House of Representatives as the policy-making body of UTLA. Otherwise, the rights of our Areas, House of Representatives, Board of Directors, and extensive committee structure will remain the same.

Unnecessary and obsolete language and ancillary documents which no longer apply have been removed and this document is now consistent with our current practice.

The Constitution Committee recommends a yes vote on the Constitutional revision.

John Perez and Arlene Inouye, co-chairs Ingrid Gunnell, Claudia Rodriguez, Matthew Kogan, Mallorie Evans, and Mel House

The 45 members of the UTLA Board of Directors urge the House of Representatives to adopt the revision.

Con Statement

We applaud the five appointed members of the Constitution Committee for cleaning up the language of the UTLA Constitution and bringing it into the 21st Century. However, we do have concerns about the lack of transparency with the process and some of the proposed revisions that will substantively change the way that UTLA functions, how the House of Representatives (HOR) makes policy, and would ultimately be harmful to the entire membership.

Thus, we propose modifications which will result in a stronger representative and democratic Union by ensuring a balance of power:

  1. Remove the strike-outs in Article IV: Board of Directors • Section 8: Powers and Duties: • H. (Retain final approval by the HOR of the budget proposed by the Board of Directors (BOD)
  2. Remove the strike-outs in Article V: House of Representatives • Section 10: Functions and Duties: • A. (Retain the authority of the HOR to override actions of the officers and BOD) •H. (Retain the voting authority of the HOR to approve the annual UTLA budget)
  3. Remove the additions in Article VII: Standing Function Committees • Section 2: Negotiations Committee • c. (Remove the Committee’s full autonomy not bound by the policies of HOR) • Section 5: Rules and Reference Committee • F. (Remove the 2/3 vote and make all rulings by majority vote)
  4. Remove the strike-outs in Article VIII: Standing Policy Committees • Section 3, C (Retain list of all Committees)

Respectfully Submitted,
Jennifer Albright, Ginger Rose Fox, and James Rozsa