AMO members approve amendments to union's constitution

The following two amendments to the American Maritime Officers National Constitution were voted on during the monthly membership meeting held at AMO headquarters on November 8. The text of each amendment was read and discussed during the meeting by AMO National Vice President, Government Relations, Christian Spain. Both amendments had been approved by the AMO National Executive Board prior to being presented to AMO members in attendance of the November 8 meeting for a ratification vote. Each amendment was approved by a majority vote of members in attendance of the meeting.

The first amendment removes the requirement for charges and specifications to be presented at "successive regular monthly membership meetings," recognizing that only one regular membership meeting has been scheduled per month since the removal of Toledo as an AMO constitutional port in 2011.

Article XIII, Section 2 previously read:

"(b) The charges and specifications shall be presented at successive regular monthly membership meeting at Headquarters, signed by two (2) or more members in good standing and, if accepted by a majority vote of the attending members, the National Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the accused member immediately that charges have been preferred against the member and shall serve or cause to be served upon the accused by mail, directed to the accused's last known address with the postage prepaid, a copy of the charges and specifications, together with a notice directing the accused to be present at a meeting of the Trial Committee. The notice shall specify the date and time of the hearing before the Trial Committee which shall take place at National Headquarters not less than 30 days from the date the notice is mailed. For good cause, the Trial Committee may extend the time at which the hearing will take place. In the event the accused does not attend the hearing, the Trial Committee may proceed in his absence."

Article XIII, Section 2 has been amended to read:

"(b) The charges and specifications shall be presented to the membership at the next regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting at Headquarters, signed by two (2) or more members in good standing and, if accepted by a majority vote of the attending members, the National Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the accused member immediately that charges have been preferred against the member and shall serve or cause to be served upon the accused by mail, directed to the accused's last known address with the postage prepaid, a copy of the charges and specifications, together with a notice directing the accused to be present at a meeting of the Trial Committee. The notice shall specify the date and time of the hearing before the Trial Committee, which shall take place at National Headquarters not less than 30 days from the date the notice is mailed. For good cause, the Trial Committee may extend the time at which the hearing will take place. In the event the accused does not attend the hearing, the Trial Committee may proceed in his absence."

The second amendment provides for electronic voting and other methods of voting on union-wide referenda. This amendment does not alter the requirement for use of paper ballots and voting by mail for union-wide elections of officials. The latter requirement remains in place.

Article XXV previously read, in part: "Such submission may be to the membership at regular monthly membership meeting at Headquarters or by mail ballot referendum as the National Executive Board may determine."

Article XXV has been amended to read, in part: "Such submission may be made to the membership at the next regularly scheduled monthly membership meeting at Headquarters or by conducting membership referenda including voting, tallying and certifying of results by an independent third-party vendor using secure internet, electronic and/or telephone balloting systems as the National Executive Board may determine."