Article I            NAME, PURPOSE, AND AFFILIATIONS

Section 1.            Name           

The name of this association shall be the EL CENTRO ELEMENTARY Teachers Association/California Teachers Association/National Education Association in Imperial County, California established May 12, 1976.

            Section 2            PURPOSE

A.                 The Primary Purpose of this Association shall be:

1.                  To represent its members in their relations with their employer, and to be the exclusive representative of its members in all matters relating to employment conditions and employee-employer relations including, but not limited to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.

2.                  To form a representative body capable of developing group opinion on professional matter to speak with authority for members.

3.                  To represent, protect and promote the interests of all members including ethnic-minority members, by bargaining collectively with their employer, the El Centro Elementary School District, and to secure better working conditions and benefits for its members.

B.                 The Association shall seek to:

1.                  Provide an opportunity for continuous study and action on problems of the profession.

2.                  Encourage cooperation and communication between the profession and the community.

3.                  Foster good fellowship; promote ethical conduct and professional attitudes among members.                       

                        Section 3            AFFILIATION

A.                 The El Centro Elementary Teachers Association shall be chartered chapter # 0942 of the California Teachers Association (CTA), Imperial Service Center Council and a member of the Imperial County Teachers UniServ. (SCC/UniServ)

ARTICLE II            MEMBERSHIP

Section 1            Qualifications

All certificated employees of the El Centro Elementary School District, other than those listed below as exceptions, are eligible for membership in the Association.  Exceptions are as follows:

                        A.            Individuals who serve as negotiators for a public school employer.

                        B.            Those designated as Management

The Executive Board of the Association shall be responsible for maintaining and publishing a current list of personnel whose membership is prohibited by A and B above.

The El Centro Elementary Teachers Association accepts as members only those who are members of the National Education Association and the California Teachers Association, or who simultaneously apply for local, state, and national membership.

Classes of membership eligibility in the El Centro Elementary Teachers Association shall be Active, Student Teacher, Associate, Retired and Staff.  Association members shall adhere to the Code of Ethics of the Education Profession.

                        A.            Active Membership.  Active membership shall be open to any person who is engaged in or who is on limited leave of absence from professional educational work and whose primary assignment is such as not to hold supervisory responsibility over other certificated employees or to such an extent as not to be represented in negotiations process by the teacher bargaining unit.

                        B.            Associate Member.  Associate membership shall be open to any person who is interested in advancing the cause of public education, but who is not eligible for any other class of membership in the Association.  Persons whose eligibility for Active membership has been withdrawn because of holding a supervisory position may be enrolled as Associate members in accordance with policies adopted by the Representative Council.

                        C.            Staff Membership.  Staff membership shall be open to any person employed by the Association in a professional staff position.

            D.            The Association membership year shall be September 1, of any given year to August 31, of the next calendar year.

            E.            Membership in a given class or category of ECETA/CTA/NEA shall be continuous after initial enrollment until delinquent or until a change in professional status shall make the member ineligible for that class or category of membership. If by October 31^st of any calendar year a member has not either paid the established annual membership dues for the current membership year, or made satisfactory arrangements for payment, that person’s membership shall be considered delinquent and the name dropped from the rolls. (CTA Standing Rule 4 -1 and CTA Standing Rule 5 – 4)

            F.            Membership may be granted upon initiation of payroll deduction or upon payment of annual Chapter/CTA/NEA dues.

            G.            The right to vote and to hold elective or appointive office or position shall be limited to active members only. Active members shall be eligible to vote in all elections, hold office or appointive position, receive special services, obtain assistance in the protection of professional and civil rights, and receive reports and publications of the Association.

            H.            Members of the Association may not be disciplined without a due process hearing, which shall include an established appellate procedure.