Bylaws: 2026 Changes

The Bylaws Committee, Executive Committee, and Membership have recommended the following changes to the Minnesota Newspaper & Communications Guild’s (TNG-CWA 37002) Bylaws.

In summary, the membership approved:

  • Updating the membership meeting quorum to two-thirds the size of the Executive Committee;
  • Adding the past president to the Executive Committee (Past president is currently an officer, but not on EC.);
  • Increasing the size of the Executive Committee by two seats — one representing union staff units and the other nonprofits (These representatives would be elected by their constituencies, rather than the full membership.);
  • Stipulating that officers — president, vice presidents, treasurer and recording secretary — must have been members for at least one year to run (This requirement will not apply to other EC seats.);
  • Setting the minimum number of delegates the Local sends to TNG-CWA convention at two, one of which must be Local president (The current requirement is that one delegate must be president or staff.);
  • Stipulating that the number of Local-funded delegates to TNG-CWA convention be decided at January membership meeting, with election of delegates (both Local-funded and self-funded) taking place at a subsequent membership meeting;
  • Stipulating that unit elections, except in units with seats on the EC, be conducted at the discretion of each unit, rather than mandating secret ballots;
  • Stipulating that members of units who are still bargaining their first contract may vote in local leadership elections, as long as all candidates agree to this.