CONSTITUTION
of the
SOCIALIST LABOR PARTY
of AMERICA
Adopted at the
Eleventh National Convention
New York, July, 1904Amended at the
National Conventions
1908, 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928,
1932, 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948, 1952,
1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976,
1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982,
1983, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993,
2001, 2005, 2007
ARTICLE I
Name and EmblemSECTION 1. The name of this organization shall be Socialist Labor Party.
SECTION 2. Its emblem shall be the uplifted Arm and Hammer.
ARTICLE II
ManagementSECTION 1. The affairs of the Party shall be conducted by the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Office, the local Sections, the National Conventions and the membership.
SECTION 2. At all elections and in all voting, unless otherwise provided, a majority (more than half) of the votes cast shall be required to decide.
ARTICLE III
MembershipSECTION 1. (a) Any person who has reached the age of 18, accepts the Constitution, principles, policies and discipline of the Party, will support and participate in its activities, and severs all connection with other political parties, is eligible for membership.
(b) Applications for membership must be submitted to the subdivision—Section or NEC—having jurisdiction over the territory in which the applicant resides. Applicants must fill out the regular application form in its entirety and answer all the questions in the affirmative.
(c) Copies of the Party's Constitution, current Organizational Norms and Procedures, and Handbook on Intervention and Union Work shall be provided to each applicant at the time of application.
SECTION 2. Members must belong to the Section which has jurisdiction over the territory in which they maintain permanent residence. The NEC, however, shall have the authority to make such exceptions to this provision as in its judgment would best serve the Party's interests.
SECTION 3. (a) Members residing in areas having no organized Section may, at the discretion of the NEC, be attached to the most accessible Section as out-of-town members. Applications for such out-of-town membership must be submitted to the NEC.
(b) Out-of-town members shall cooperate fully with the Section to which they belong, and make an earnest effort to attend Section meetings.
SECTION 4. (a) Members residing in areas where no Section is accessible to them shall be attached to the organization as members-at-large, and shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the NEC.
(b) All NEC decisions in disputes involving members-at-large shall be final, except as otherwise provided in Article V, Section 12(a).
SECTION 5. Where from two to four members reside in one locality they shall where practicable constitute themselves a committee to work under the direction of the subdivision—Section or NEC—having jurisdiction over them.
SECTION 6. A member in good standing shall have the right to attend and speak at the meetings of any Section, provided, that a Section in executive session may decline the floor to a visiting member. Visiting members shall not be allowed to vote.
SECTION 7. A member may transfer from one subdivision to another when moving, provided the transferring subdivision has no organizational or other claim against that member. The Financial Secretary of the transferring subdivision shall initiate the transfer on the member's card, and the member shall, without delay, report to the receiving subdivision to complete the transfer. No transfer shall be considered complete until the receiving subdivision has notified the initiating subdivision of its completion.
SECTION 8. It shall be the duty of every Party member to support Party publications by donations and securing of subscriptions to the best of his/her ability.
SECTION 9. No former member, or person whose membership has been suspended, shall be accorded the privileges of a member unless properly reinstated.
ARTICLE IV
SectionsSECTION 1. The Section shall be the unit of organization. Its area of jurisdiction shall be determined by the NEC.
SECTION 2. (a) Five or more persons may form a Section, provided they accept the Constitution, principles, policies and discipline of the Party, and sever all connection with other political parties.
(b) Applications to form a Section must be submitted to the NEC, and must contain the name, address, age, occupation, previous political affiliation (if any), and signature of each applicant.
SECTION 3. Sections may make rules for their action, provided these do not conflict with any rules of the National Organization. All rules of the Sections must be approved by the NEC.
SECTION 4. Each Section shall hold a regular business meeting at least once a month.
SECTION 5. (a) One-third of the membership of a Section shall constitute a quorum at all business meetings of the Section. Out-of-town members need not be included in this figure.
(b) Where a Section cannot secure a quorum, it may meet and transact routine Party business, subject to the approval of the NEC. No business meeting shall convene and consider Section business, whether routine or nonroutine, unless attended by at least three members of the Section.
SECTION 6. The Section shall adopt an order of business including, but not necessarily limited to, the following: Reading of minutes, membership recruitment, financial report and report on delinquent members, correspondence, report of Organizer, report of committees, roll call, unfinished business, new business.
SECTION 7. (a) Every Section shall elect from its members an Organizer, Financial Secretary, Recording Secretary, Grievance Committee of three members, and such additional officers and committees as needed to carry on the Party's work in keeping with this Constitution and decisions of the NEC.
(b) Only those who have held continued membership in the Party for at least six months shall be eligible to hold any of the aforesaid offices within the Section. This, however, shall not apply to newly organized Sections.
SECTION 8. (a) The Organizer shall conduct the local organization and agitation, subject at all times to the decisions of the membership. The Organizer shall also conduct the correspondence with the NEC.
(b) Section Organizers shall transmit promptly to their respective Sections and members all official matters and communications sent to them from the NEC for that purpose.
SECTION 9. The result of every election within the Section, as well as changes in membership, must be communicated at once to the NEC.
SECTION 10. All officers and committees of a Section shall be subject to removal at the will of their constituents.
SECTION 11. Sections may elect a Membership Committee of three members to determine the fitness of any applicant for membership. Such committee shall report its findings and make a recommendation to the Section.
SECTION 12. A two-thirds vote of those present at a regular business meeting shall be necessary to admit an applicant to membership.
SECTION 13. Sections are responsible for the integrity of their own members, and shall have jurisdiction over them, except in the cases of National Officers, NEC members and National Organizers, who shall be dealt with as provided for elsewhere in this Constitution.
SECTION 14. Acquaintance with the current affairs of the Party being essential for intelligent discharge of the duties and responsibilities of Party membership, each Section shall relentlessly insist upon each member being a regular reader of the Party organ, except when none such is published in the language read by the member. The Section shall order the paper at its own expense, if necessary, for the benefit of unemployed members.
SECTION 15. It shall be the duty of each Section to acquire as soon as possible an assortment of the Party literature dealing with the fundamental principles of the Party and to stimulate their careful study by the members either individually or jointly.
SECTION 16. (a) Each Section shall send to the NEC a report of its numerical and financial condition, and the names and addresses of members in good standing and otherwise, as of December 31 of each year. The report will be due as of January 31 of the following year.
(b) Each Section shall also send to the NEC a report on its progress and prospects once every month.
SECTION 17. (a) When a Section falls below the required minimum of five members it may, at the discretion of the NEC, meet and transact routine Party business for up to one year. If by the end of that year the Section has failed to attain minimum strength, the remaining members shall constitute themselves a committee as provided by Article III, Section 5, of this Constitution.
(b) In case of the dissolution or expulsion of any Section, all property of the same must be delivered to the NEC.
ARTICLE V
National Executive CommitteeSECTION 1. A National Executive Committee composed of five members shall conduct the agitational, educational, organizational and executive work of the Party.
SECTION 2. (a) The NEC shall be elected for a two-year term by the National Convention, each of those elected to be specifically approved by a General Vote of the whole Party.
(b) In the event the period between Conventions is altered in a manner that would affect the term of the incumbent NEC, that term shall be automatically extended or shortened to expire with the next Convention.
SECTION 3. All members of the NEC shall be members who have held continued membership in the Party for at least 18 months, and must be citizens of the United States.
SECTION 4. (a) Any member of the NEC may be removed from office through the procedure provided in Article XII, Section 2, but any member of the NEC who in the judgment of the NEC has proven to be incompetent or disloyal shall be at once suspended by that Committee.
(b) The NEC shall promptly inform the membership of its action with a complete explanation for that act. The Committee's action shall be submitted for a General Vote.
(c) If the Committee's action is approved by a majority vote the vacancy shall be filled according to the procedure provided in Section 5 of this Article.
SECTION 5. If for any reason a vacancy on the NEC should occur six months or more before the National Convention, the NEC shall at once proceed to nominate the best qualified member available to fill the post permanently, and submit the same to a General Vote of the whole Party, the vote to close within six weeks from the date of submission for such General Vote.
SECTION 6. (a) The NEC shall meet once in regular session between National Conventions, the exact date to be determined by the NEC. The NEC can meet in special session upon motion made by any NEC Member, without the need for a second, or upon recommendation made by the National Secretary, such motion or recommendation to be promptly submitted to the entire NEC for action.
(b) All meetings of the NEC shall be held in executive session and only members in good standing may attend.
(c) The site of the NEC Session, regular or special, shall be determined by the NEC.
SECTION 7. A majority shall constitute a quorum for regular and special sessions of the NEC.
SECTION 8. The NEC shall have the following duties:
(a) To carry out the resolutions of the National Convention and those adopted by a General Vote.
(b) To supervise the agitation throughout the country, organize new Sections and supply suitable charter application forms.
(c) To render final decisions in all appeals made by members disciplined by a Section or refer them to the next National Convention.
(d) To establish proper relations and communication with Socialist parties of other countries.
(e) To make all necessary preparations for the National Convention.
(f) To submit propositions to a General Vote, other than those specifically provided for elsewhere in this Constitution.
(g) To be represented at the National Convention by the National Secretary, who shall have a voice in all its proceedings, but no vote, and shall bear no other credentials.
(h) To issue application blanks bearing a plain exposition of the principles of the Party and the duties required from the applicant.
(i) To issue membership cards, and also to provide transfer cards to members.
SECTION 9. The NEC shall have final jurisdiction on agitational, policy and organizational matters between Conventions.
SECTION 10. The NEC shall have the authority to act as a commission of inquiry in all organizational matters between Conventions. Members must respond to such inquiries.
SECTION 11. (a) The NEC shall have the power to appoint representatives to investigate organizational controversies. Such representatives shall report their findings to the NEC, which shall make the final decision on action to be taken, subject to review as provided by Section 12(a) of this Article. Such representatives shall not be given undefined discretionary powers.
(b) While the NEC may review disciplinary matters, it may not bypass the Section's initial jurisdiction over grievances, nor deprive a member of his/her organizational rights as stipulated in this Constitution. However, if a Section is unable to conduct an impartial investigation and hearing of charges because of the direct involvement of most of its members, the NEC shall assume the responsibility for doing so.
SECTION 12. (a) The NEC shall have the authority to impose organizational sanctions up to and including suspension on a member or members. All suspensions made by the NEC shall be submitted to the following Convention for review, which alone shall have the power to order expulsion.
(b) This limit on the NEC's disciplinary action shall not affect the power of Sections to expel members nor the NEC's authority to render final decisions on appeals from such Section action.
SECTION 13. With the exception of the suspensions mentioned under 12(a) and the decisions on appeals mentioned under 12(b), all NEC rulings on disciplinary matters can be appealed to a National Convention by majority vote of a Section.
SECTION 14. All NEC rulings shall be binding until Convention review. Refusal to abide by such rulings will be grounds for immediate expulsion.
SECTION 15. The NEC in all its activities shall work in conjunction with the National Secretary.
SECTION 16. The NEC shall appoint such special committees as the Party's needs may require. They shall be subject to removal by a majority vote of the NEC.
SECTION 17. The expense of the NEC Members while attending sessions shall be paid out of the general fund.
ARTICLE VI
National SecretarySECTION 1. (a) The National Secretary shall be elected by the National Convention, the election to be specifically approved by a General Vote of the whole Party.
(b) No member shall be eligible to hold the office of National Secretary who has not held continued membership in the Party for at least two years.
SECTION 2. (a) The term of office of the National Secretary shall be for two years from the date his/her election is approved by the General Vote; provided, however, that an incumbent National Secretary shall continue to serve in that office for up to six additional months, if necessary, to complete the referendum vote on a successor.
(b) In the event the period between National Conventions is altered in a manner that would affect the term of the National Secretary, the NEC may extend or shorten the term of the incumbent National Secretary, up to a maximum of one year.
SECTION 3. The National Secretary shall not be a member of the NEC but shall attend all its meetings and shall have a voice in all its proceedings, but no vote.
SECTION 4. (a) The National Secretary may be removed from office through the procedure provided in Article XII, Section 2, but any National Secretary who in the judgment of the NEC has proven to be incompetent or disloyal shall be at once suspended by that Committee.
(b) The NEC shall promptly inform the membership of its action with a complete explanation for that act. The Committee's action shall be submitted for a General Vote.
(c) If the NEC's action is approved by a majority vote, the Committee shall call for nomination and election of a National Secretary.
(d) In the interim the NEC shall appoint a temporary National Secretary.
SECTION 5. In case of vacancy in the office of National Secretary, the NEC shall fill the vacancy temporarily, and at once proceed to nominate the best qualified member available to fill the post permanently, and submit the same to a General Vote of the whole Party, the vote to close within six weeks from the date of submission for such General Vote.
SECTION 6. The National Secretary shall deliver formal reports to National Conventions.
SECTION 7. The National Secretary shall at the earliest possible moment transmit to the Sections the results of a referendum vote.
ARTICLE VII
National ConventionSECTION 1. (a) National Conventions of the Party convene on the second Saturday of July in odd-numbered years at a place designated by the NEC. This provision may be suspended or a special Convention called by a General Vote initiated under Article V, Section 8(f) or Article XII, Section 2.
(b) National candidates may be nominated by the Convention held during the year preceding the national elections.
SECTION 2. National Conventions are composed of the members of the NEC, the Organizers of the Sections and of delegates elected by a General Vote of the whole membership. The number of delegates elected by the General Vote shall not exceed 10 percent of the average membership for the preceding year.
SECTION 3. The Party elects delegates by the following procedures during Convention years:
(a) The National Office calls upon all eligible members of the Party to stand for election as delegates, the call to go out by January 15.
(b) The National Office issues a ballot containing the names of all eligible members who respond to the call by March 1. The National Office submits the ballot for a General Vote of the whole membership by March 15.
(c) The General Vote closes on May 15 and a committee of three appointed by the NEC tabulates the results by May 21. The National Office reports the tabulated results of the vote to the membership by May 30.
(d) Should more than the apportioned number of candidates receive the required majority of votes cast, the member or members elected are those who receive the largest majority.
SECTION 4. When the Organizer of a Section is not a citizen, or cannot attend the Convention, the Section elects an alternate. Alternates must be members of the sections electing them; they cannot be delegates but they must meet all the qualifications of a regularly elected delegate.
SECTION 5. (a) Delegates must be citizens of the United States. They must be members in good standing of the Party since July 1 of the year immediate preceding the Convention and they must pledge themselves to attend the Convention in its entirety if elected as delegates.
(b) NEC members and Section Organizers are not eligible for election as delegates.
SECTION 6. No charges shall be entertained by any subdivision against a member who has been elected a National Convention delegate, but the Convention shall investigate these charges and decide whether or not the delegate should be seated.
SECTION 7. The expenses of NEC members, National Officers, Section Organizers and elected delegates shall be borne by the National Organization, provided doing so does not conflict with federal or state laws.
SECTION 8. Each member of the NEC, Section Organizer and elected delegate has but one vote in the National Convention.
SECTION 9. The National Convention shall frame the National Platform, decide the form of organization, and investigate and decide all difficulties within the Party submitted to the Convention.
SECTION 10. (a) NEC members, Section Organizers and delegates may present resolutions on the floor of the Convention under the proper order of business as adopted by the Convention.
(b) Conventions shall consider all other resolutions in the following order of priority:
1. Resolutions endorsed by Sections.
2. Resolutions from national members-at-large.
3. Resolutions defeated at Section level.
SECTION 11. (a) The following acts of the National Convention shall be submitted to the membership for a General Vote and shall not be effective until thus approved:
1. All Constitutional changes.
2. All resolutions and statements setting forth Party policy, position or analysis of political and/or theoretical questions.
3. Election of National Officers.
4. Election of NEC members.
(b) The following acts of the National Convention shall be final:
1. Agitational and internal organizational decisions.
2. Nomination of national candidates.
3. All decisions relating to Party press and literature (i.e., contents of leaflets, pamphlets, The People, etc.).
(c) Should any doubt arise, the Convention shall rule specifically on whether a matter is to be submitted for referendum.
SECTION 12. (a) Acts and decisions of the National Convention approved by referendum and those acts and decisions final with the Convention are binding on all Party members and all Party subdivisions. Publicly, all members shall represent and defend the majority viewpoint as the Party's policy.
(b) Sections or members seeking to change binding acts and decisions must proceed only through available Party channels.
ARTICLE VIII
Financial SecretarySECTION 1. (a) A Financial Secretary shall be elected by the National Convention, the election to be approved by referendum.
(b) No member shall be eligible to hold the office of Financial Secretary who has not held continued membership in the Party for at least two years.
SECTION 2. (a) The Financial Secretary's term of office shall coincide with that of the National Secretary's; provided, however, that an incumbent Financial Secretary shall continue in office for up to six months if completion of the referendum on a successor so requires.
(b) In the event the period between Conventions is altered in a manner that would affect the term of the Financial Secretary, the NEC may extend or shorten the term of the incumbent Financial Secretary up to a maximum of one year.
SECTION 3. (a) The Financial Secretary shall have the responsibility of having the books and records audited annually, and of issuing to the membership an annual report of the Party's finances.
(b) The Financial Secretary shall render a written report to the National Convention.
SECTION 4. The Financial Secretary shall not be a member of the NEC but shall attend all its meetings and have a voice but no vote in all its proceedings.
SECTION 5. (a) The Financial Secretary may be removed from office through the procedure provided in Article XII, Section 2, but any Financial Secretary who in the judgment of the NEC has proven to be incompetent or disloyal shall be at once suspended by that Committee.
(b) The NEC shall promptly inform the membership of its action with a complete explanation for that act. The Committee's action shall be submitted for a General Vote.
(c) If the NEC's action is approved, the Committee shall call for nomination and election of a Financial Secretary.
(d) In the interim the NEC shall appoint a temporary Financial Secretary.
SECTION 6. In case of a vacancy in the office of Financial Secretary, the NEC shall fill the office temporarily, and at once proceed to nominate the best qualified member available to fill the post permanently, and submit the same to a General Vote of the whole Party, the vote to close within six weeks from the date of submission for such General Vote.
ARTICLE IX
The Party PressSECTION 1. The People (and such daily and/or weekly paper as the Party may at any time publish) shall be the official Party organ.
SECTION 2. The management of official Party organs shall be administered by the NEC, said Committee to hold the property of the official Party organs in trust, subject to the Constitution and resolutions of the Party affecting their management.
SECTION 3. Between Conventions, the NEC shall have control of the contents of all Party organs, and shall act on grievances connected with the same.
SECTION 4. (a) The Editor of the official Party organ shall be elected by the National Convention, the election to be specifically approved by a General Vote of the whole Party.
(b) No member shall be eligible to hold the office of Editor who has not held continuous membership in the Party for at least two years.
(c) The term of office of the Editor shall be for two years from the date his/her election is approved by the General Vote; provided, however, that an incumbent Editor shall continue to serve in that office for up to six additional months, if necessary, to complete the referendum vote on a successor.
(d) In the event the period between Conventions is altered in a manner that would affect the term of office of the Editor, the NEC may extend or shorten the term of the incumbent Editor up to a maximum of one year.
(e) The Editor shall not be a member of the NEC, but shall attend all its meetings and have a voice, but no vote, in all its proceedings.
SECTION 5. The Editor shall be required to render a written report to the National Convention.
SECTION 6. (a) The Editor of an official Party organ may be removed from office through the procedure provided in Article XII, Section 2, but any such Editor who in the judgment of the NEC has proven to be incompetent or disloyal shall be at once suspended by that Committee.
(b) The NEC shall promptly inform the membership of its action with a complete explanation for that act. The Committee's action shall be submitted for a General Vote.
(c) If the NEC's action is approved, the Committee shall call for nomination and election of an Editor.
(d) In the interim the NEC shall appoint a temporary Editor.
SECTION 7. (a) In case of vacancy in the office of Editor of the Party's official organ, the NEC shall temporarily fill the said office and at once proceed to nominate the best qualified member available to fill the post permanently, and submit the same to a General Vote of the whole Party.
(b) In the continued absence of an Editor the NEC shall designate an editorial staff to continue publication of The People until such time as a qualified Editor is installed.
(c) During such period the National Secretary shall be responsible for employee relations in the editorial department.
SECTION 8. The election of editors of other publications recognized as Party organs shall be subject to the approval of the NEC. The NEC shall demand from the publishers the immediate removal of an editor who in its judgment has proven to be incompetent or disloyal, and in case of noncompliance with this demand, the NEC shall at once take charge of such publication and appoint an editor, pending election of a new editor by the group publishing such paper.
SECTION 9. No member, committee, or Section of the Party shall publish a political paper without the sanction of the NEC, and then only on condition that all the property of such paper be vested in the NEC free from any financial or legal liability, the editor of such paper to be subject to the provisions of the preceding section.
ARTICLE X
Dues and AssessmentsSECTION 1. (a) The Sections shall levy upon each of their members dues of at least $1.00 a month, these to be receipted for by stamps to be furnished by the NEC at the rate of $1.00 each.
(b) Members who are two months in arrears in payment of dues, unless known to be sick or unemployed, shall be notified in writing of their delinquency by the Financial Secretary of the Section. At the end of the third month s/he shall stand suspended. At the end of the fifth month, written notice shall again be sent warning that at the end of the sixth month s/he will be dropped for nonpayment of dues. At the end of the sixth month a continued failure to pay dues shall result in dropping the person from membership by motion duly made and carried.
SECTION 2. (a) The NEC shall collect a National Convention Mileage Fund by means of a special annual assessment of $10.00 on each member, for which a stamp shall be issued. This mandatory assessment shall be paid by December 31 of each year.
(b) Members who fail to pay this assessment by March 31 of the following year, unless known to be sick or unemployed, shall stand suspended. Those who fail to pay this assessment by June 30 of that year shall be dropped from membership. Written notice to delinquent members shall be sent prior to their suspension and prior to their being dropped from membership by motion duly made and carried.
SECTION 3. Members known to be sick or unemployed and unable to pay dues or the annual assessment are excused from doing so. The Financial Secretary shall insert exemption stamps into the excused members' card, and the exemption shall be recorded in the minutes.
SECTION 4. Any person dropped for nonpayment of dues or the mandatory assessment may be readmitted to membership, provided that person's application is endorsed by the Section of which the applicant was formerly a member, or, if that Section has ceased to exist, by the NEC.
ARTICLE XI
Grievance ProceduresSECTION 1. (a) Any question coming before a subdivision dealing with matters that may involve the administering of censure or discipline, and all other internal Party matters, shall be handled in executive session. Only members in good standing shall be permitted to attend executive sessions.
(b) Motions relating to charges, expulsions, suspensions and other disciplinary matters shall require a roll call vote and the vote shall be recorded in the minutes.
SECTION 2. Section Grievance Committees shall investigate all charges referred to them, and report to their Section.
SECTION 3. (a) All charges must be made in writing, signed by the individual member or members preferring same, and must be submitted to the Section having jurisdiction over the member in question.
(b) The charges must state briefly the nature of the offense alleged, but they shall contain no argument or statement that properly may be construed as discussion of the charges. They shall be accompanied with specifications, which may be read before the Section at the time they are filed, provided they are germane to the issue and do not constitute arguments as aforesaid.
(c) Charges shall not be debated until the committee has thoroughly investigated them and reported to the Section.
SECTION 4. (a) The committee shall deliver a copy of the charges and specifications to the accused, and shall proceed to investigate the case without unreasonable delay. The committee shall arrange a hearing at which the accused shall be cited to appear, and at which witnesses of both sides may be heard. Testimony by nonmembers shall not be permitted.
(b) No member who is not a party to the proceedings shall be allowed to be present at committee hearings, except upon invitation, or with the specific approval, of the committee.
SECTION 5. A detailed report of the committee's investigation, findings, and recommendations shall be submitted to the Section, which shall vote on the findings and recommendations separately.
SECTION 6. The accused shall be notified by the committee to appear at the Section meeting at which its report shall be rendered. After the committee has rendered its report with its findings, and recommendations, the accused shall be allotted a specific amount of time not to exceed 30 minutes to make a statement in his/her defense. The accused shall then be required to leave the meeting, whereupon the Section shall decide the matter. The Organizer shall inform the accused in writing of the Section's decision. The relevant parts of the Section's minutes and all documents concerning the investigation shall be delivered to the Organizer, who shall forward them to the National Office.
SECTION 7. A majority of the members voting upon this question at any business meeting shall be necessary to expel, or to suspend, any member for a definite period. Expulsions and suspensions shall be reported at once to the NEC, giving cause for action.
SECTION 8. A notice shall be sent by the National Office to all Sections of suspensions and expulsions as soon as they have been put into effect.
SECTION 9. A member under charges is suspended and deprived of all membership rights pending decision on the charges. No such member shall hold any office, or serve in any capacity whatever in the Party, until all charges are disposed of, except in the case of a National Officer, an NEC member, National Organizer and Convention delegate, who shall be dealt with as provided for elsewhere in this Constitution.
SECTION 10. (a) Any member under charges who, when cited to appear before the Grievance Committee, either refuses to appear, or fails to do so for reasons not made known or not deemed valid by the Section, shall be declared guilty in default, and shall be expelled forthwith.
(b) Members-at-large against whom charges have been preferred, and who fail or refuse to respond to same, shall be declared guilty in default and expelled forthwith by motions duly made and carried.
SECTION 11. A suspended member shall pay dues (or request exemption stamps if sick or unemployed) and shall remain under the complete jurisdiction of the respective Section. If there is evidence of such member having committed breaches of Party principle or discipline, charges may then be filed against said suspended member, and if the facts are deemed to warrant it, such member may be expelled forthwith by motions duly made and carried.
SECTION 12. (a) A suspended member shall be required to be present at the Section business meeting next following the date of expiration of the suspension period, and shall thereupon be automatically reinstated, the reinstatement to be recorded in the minutes. If the suspended member fails to be present, s/he shall be notified immediately by certified mail that his/her membership will be forfeited unless present for reinstatement at the next regular meeting. If the member fails to attend (barring illness or other causes beyond his/her control) s/he shall then be dropped from the rolls without further action, provided there are no charges pending or to be filed against him/her.
(b) A suspended national member-at-large shall be reinstated upon motion duly made and carried by the NEC.
SECTION 13. (a) All decisions of the Section in connection with disciplinary matters may be appealed by either the member(s) charged or the member(s) who preferred the charges within one month to the NEC, which may rule on the appeal or refer it to the next National Convention.
(b) Resolutions or appeals in connection with disciplinary matters may be presented to a National Convention by (1) the NEC, or (2) by majority vote of a Section.
SECTION 14. No person shall participate in hearing or deciding an appeal who is a party to the proceedings.
SECTION 15. A Section may, if it chooses, refuse a suspended member admittance at its business meeting.
SECTION 16. A person expelled from the Party, or who resigned, may be readmitted upon application properly made to the NEC. The NEC shall determine whether or not the applicant's record would warrant entertaining the application and, if the NEC decides that it does not, its decision shall be final. If the NEC authorizes consideration of the application, it shall be forwarded for processing.
ARTICLE XII
MiscellaneousSECTION 1. (a) This Constitution may be amended by the National Convention or the NEC, subject to approval by a General Vote of the membership, and such amendments shall not be effective until so approved.
(b) This Constitution may also be amended through the procedure provided in Article XII, Section 2.
SECTION 2. (a) A proposition sent by a Section for submission to a General Vote must be approved by a majority of the total membership of the Section voting by ballot.
(b) The National Office shall issue a call for seconds within 15 days after receiving the proposition. If the proposition is endorsed within six weeks by at least four other Sections, it shall be submitted to a General Vote within 15 days after the final date for submitting seconds.
(c) It shall require a majority vote of its entire membership voting by ballot for a Section to second such proposition.
(d) When a proposition has been seconded and is submitted for a General Vote, the NEC may express its views on the merits of the proposition and the premises advanced by the initiating Section.
(e) When a proposition calls for the removal or censure of a National Officer or NEC member, the member who is the subject of that proposition shall have a right to circulate a written reply with the ballot.
(f) The vote shall close within six weeks from the time the proposition is submitted to a General Vote provided, however, that any proposition received by the National Office during the four months immediately preceding a National Convention shall be referred to the National Convention, unless in the judgment of the NEC the Party's interests would best be served by submitting it to a General Vote.
SECTION 3. (a) Wherever voting on Party matters requires the use of ballots these shall be by secret ballot. Those charged with furnishing such ballots to members and tabulating their results shall record the number of ballots furnished and cast.
(b) The NEC shall determine when the use of ballots shall be required.
SECTION 4. Sections located in the same state may cooperate in conducting campaigns for statewide public office(s), the candidate(s) for such office(s) to be approved by a General Vote of the state membership. Such Sections may also cooperate in preparing state platforms and other campaign literature, such literature to be approved by the NEC. The NEC shall conduct all elections requiring a General Vote of the state membership.
SECTION 5. (a) Candidates for public office must have held continued membership in the Party for at least six months, except with the specific approval of the NEC.
(b) No Section shall enter into any compromise with any other political party. No candidate for public office shall accept any nomination from any other political party, nor allow such nomination to stand without public protest, except with the specific approval of the NEC or a National Convention.
(c) No Section shall endorse or attach itself to any issue-oriented movement or coalition without the specific approval of the NEC or a National Convention.
SECTION 6. No Section shall endorse or lend support of any kind to any trade or labor union without the specific approval of the NEC or a National Convention.
SECTION 7. No member of the National Executive Committee, nor any other National Officer, nor any of their appointees, shall have power to raise any loan or loans or otherwise incur any liability in the name of the Socialist Labor Party, without first securing the express approval of the membership of the Party by General Vote.
SECTION 8. All Organizers employed by the National Organization shall be under the complete control and jurisdiction of the NEC.
SECTION 9. The chairperson shall not cast his/her vote to produce a tie when the vote is other than by roll call or ballot. When, however, a tie is produced without the chairperson having voted on the question, the chairperson may then cast the deciding vote.
SECTION 10. All equipments, including machinery, office equipment, real estate, and all other things of value, which are held in custody by Sections or members of the Socialist Labor Party, shall be the property of the National Executive Committee of the Socialist Labor Party, which at all times shall have full jurisdiction over such properties without responsibility for any indebtedness incurred by the Sections or members.
SECTION 11. The latest edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall govern the organization insofar as special rules are not provided.
SECTION 12. All former provisions conflicting with this Constitution are rescinded.