Southern Coordinating Committee Bylaws
As revised on May 2, 2022 by the Southern Regional Organizing Assembly.
1. Structure
a. Definition
The IWW Southern Coordinating Committee (SCC) shall be a coordinating and decision-making body voluntarily uniting branches and locals of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), General Defense Committee (GDC), and Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC) in the Southern US: Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, the District of Columbia and Oklahoma.
b. Organizations
i. Branches and Locals
Any chartered branch of the IWW (Branch) or local of the GDC or IWOC (Local) in the region outlined above may voluntarily vote to affiliate with the SCC.
ii. Local Initiatives
Local Initiatives – groups of three or more IWW members, including at least one delegate, in a local area who are not yet ready to charter a Branch – may also voluntarily vote to affiliate with the SCC.
2. Steering Committee
a. Eligibility and Term of Office
Each Branch and Local shall elect a delegate, or multiple delegates on a rotating schedule to be its representative on the SCC’s Steering Committee. In the case of multiple delegates they will only have one vote in the Steering Committee meetings. All delegates must be members of the IWW, GDC, or IWOC. Delegates who are members of the GDC or IWOC must meet the eligibility requirements for IWW membership, regardless of standing. Branches and Locals are encouraged to elect representatives for the period from one SROA to the next, but may choose to elect representatives for different intervals.
If a delegate has not participated in the Steering Committee for more than 3 months, they shall be deemed absent from the Steering Committee and not counted for quorum (see Communication and Voting, below). The Steering Committee shall then reach out to the delegate’s branch to inquire about the status of their delegate and to suggest the election of a new one. Any affiliated Branch or Local may recall their delegate to the SCC. The Steering Committee may recommend to any affiliated Branch or Local that their delegate be recalled.
b. Duties
The Steering Committee shall act as the decision-making body of the SCC between Southern Regional Organizing Assemblies. The Steering Committee shall oversee the Secretary-Treasurer and Committees and shall ensure that they are carrying out their duties diligently, or instruct them as needed. The Steering Committee shall be responsible for conveying SCC minutes and motions to their Branch or Local.
c. Communication and Voting
The Steering Committee shall hold monthly calls, open to all members, for the purpose of receiving Committee reports, discussing and voting on proposals, and reporting on activities of their Branches and Locals.
Proposals shall be made at least 7 days prior to the call, but emergency proposals may be added by majority vote. Quorum shall be greater than 50% of all delegates, with decisions made by majority vote of delegates in attendance.
The Steering Committee may also communicate, make, and pass motions electronically between calls.
3. Secretary-Treasurer
a. Eligibility and Term of Office
The Secretary-Treasurer must be a member of a Branch. Nominations for Secretary-Treasurer must be made by the Branch they are affiliated with. The Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected at the Southern Regional Organizing Assembly (SROA) and hold office from the close of that Assembly to the opening of the next one, or until they resign or are recalled.
If the Secretary-Treasurer has not participated in the Steering Committee for more than 3 months, their position shall be deemed vacant. In the event of a vacancy in the office, the Steering Committee may appoint an interim Secretary-Treasurer. Any affiliated Branch or local may move to recall the Secretary-Treasurer. The question shall be voted on at the next Steering Committee Meeting and decided by majority vote and quorum as defined in section 2C.
b. Duties
The Secretary-Treasurer shall collect dues and manage and disburse funds for the SCC, provide financial reports to the Steering Committee on a monthly basis and to the SROA, and assist with the proper functioning of the SCC. The Secretary-Treasurer’s branch will act as the Clearinghouse Branch (CB) for SCC funds. The Secretary-Treasurer shall maintain a repository of minutes and motions.
4. Committees
a. Chairs
Each Committee shall elect a Chair (or Co-chairs) from among its members to be responsible for bottom-lining the work of the Committee.
Committee Chairs are expected to participate in Steering Committee calls and give reports on the work of their Committees.
b. Standing Committees
i. Anti-Oppression Committee
All members who are not white, cisgender, hetero men may voluntarily join the committee. The Committee shall work to ensure that all bodies affiliated with the SCC maintain cultures free of oppressive behavior, that organizing within the U.S. South confronts non-class forms of oppression, and shall be a resource for the regional membership to assist with resolving conflict and to advocate against oppressive behavior. The committee shall also work closely with the IWW Gender Equity Committee and any other relevant bodies of the IWW in support of this mission.
ii. Workplace Organizing Committee
All members may voluntarily join the Committee. The Committee shall work with all bodies affiliated with the SCC to assist them with local workplace organizing, and to coordinate in the case of organizing campaigns that have a regional scope. The Committee shall also work closely with the IWW Organizing Department to support organizing in the U.S. South.
iii. GDC Committee
All members who are also members of the GDC may voluntarily join the Committee. The Committee shall maintain close contact with all affiliated GDC Locals as well as members who may be trying to form new GDC locals.
iv. IWOC Committee
All members who are also members of IWOC may voluntarily join the Committee. The Committee shall maintain close contact with all affiliated IWOC groups as well as members who may be trying to form new IWOC Groups.
c. Ad Hoc Committees
The Steering Committee or the SROA can create ad hoc Committees as deemed necessary.
5. Funds
a. Dues
Branches shall pay dues of $100 per year, plus $50 for each NARA Convention delegate they were allotted past the first to the most recent North American IWW Convention, up to a maximum of $300. However, Branches that chartered within six months prior to affiliating with the SCC shall pay $50 for their first year of SCC dues.
GDC and IWOC Locals shall contribute $25 per year.
Local initiatives shall report through the SCC. The portion of dues that would be kept as a branch share shall be set aside as the contribution to the SCC.
All dues are due January 1 , for the upcoming year, or whenever the body is accepted as an SCC affiliate, for the remainder of the year. Newly chartered branches who choose to affiliate with the SCC can wait until their first reimbursement to pay the SCC dues. Only $50 is required for branches that are reaffiliating and have not paid for the current year.
b. Managing and Disbursing Funds
The Clearing-house Branch (CB) can appoint a committee as deemed necessary to allocate SCC funds to conduct organizer trainings (OT), GDC trainings, other direct action or educational trainings, and SCC events as needed.
The CB is also responsible for using funds to purchase materials for revolutionary agitation (e.g., flyers, posters, literature, etc.).
Member branches and groups affiliated with the SCC can petition the CB for petty cash for purposes other than those defined above. Members of affiliated branches requesting funds for purposes not defined above must complete and submit a written proposal to the Steering Committee for approval.
The CB can issue dues assessment stamps and help allocate funds for regional retreats and social events.
The Steering Committee or members of the SROA can vote to allocate emergency funds to member bodies as needed.
6. Southern Regional Organizing Assembly
The SCC shall plan a Southern Regional Organizing Assembly (SROA) to take place every two years, during the summer of odd-numbered years. The SROA will be open to any member of an affiliated body, or any at-large IWW member in the US South. Proposals for the SROA shall be submitted at least 30 days prior to the SROA, but emergency proposals may be added by majority vote. The SROA shall be the highest decision-making body of the SCC and shall also include workshops, panels, and discussions on topics of interest to IWW, GDC, and IWOC members.
Each affiliated branch will have one vote and motions will need greater than 50% of all active delegate’s votes to pass.
7. Bylaws Amendments
In the event that amendments to the bylaws are proposed, the amendments should be voted on by the entire membership of the SCC. This includes the at large members and the members of affiliated branches. This can be done by utilizing NARA’s Communications Officer. Bylaw amendments will need greater than 50% of all votes to pass.