Article V - The International President

Section 1. The International President shall be the chief executive and administrative officer of the Federation, and shall conduct the affairs of the Federation in accordance with this Constitution and in accordance with policy decisions of the Convention and the International Executive Board. The International President shall, with the approval of the International Executive Board, procure suitable offices for the transaction of Federation business. The International President shall, under policies established by the International Executive Board, employ, terminate, fix the compensation and expenses, and direct the activities of such office staff, administrative assistants, technical and professional assistants, field staff, organizers and representatives as are required to carry out effectively the functions of the International President’s office. The International President shall, with the approval of the International Executive Board, engage such technical and professional services, including legal counsel, as may be required. The International President shall report regularly to the International Executive Board on all official actions taken. The responsibility of the International President may not be delegated, but the International President may delegate to a person or persons the execution of such duties as the International President may deem warranted, subject to the limitations of this Constitution. The International President shall sign all checks and electronic fund transfers, authorizations for expenditures, contracts, and other official documents of this Federation. The International President may, with the approval of the International Executive Board, designate a deputy or deputies to sign such documents instead. The International President and any authorized deputy or deputies shall be covered by surety bonds in amounts to be determined by the International Executive Board and at the expense of the Federation. The minimum bond shall be not less than 10 percent of the assets handled by the Federation annually, except that no bond shall be required in an amount greater than $500,000.

Section 2. The International President shall be elected at the 1972 regular biennial convention and at every second regular biennial convention thereafter. The International President shall receive a minimum annual salary of $37,500 and shall receive expenses in accordance with policies established by the International Executive Board.

Section 3. The International President shall be the presiding officer at all conventions, but may call any delegate to preside instead. The International President shall, at each convention, present a written report to the delegates, in printed or electronic format, provided that a printed copy shall be provided to any delegate who requests it, concerning the President’s activities during the period since the preceding convention. Prior to the convention, the International President shall, with the approval of the International Executive Board, appoint a Credentials Committee, a Committee on Rules and Order of Business, a Constitution Committee, a Sergeants-at-Arms Committee, and such other committees as shall be authorized by the Executive Board, designating at least one member of each committee as the Chairperson. At the Convention, the International President shall, with the approval of the International Executive Board, appoint any additional committees required under the rules of the convention, designating at least one member of each committee as Chairperson, and any special committees and the Chairpersons thereof required by any resolution adopted by the Convention, unless such resolution provides for a different method of appointment. At each convention at which elections are to be held, the International President, with the approval of the International Executive Board, shall appoint a Committee on Elections, designating at least one member of the Committee as Chairperson. The International President shall be an ex-officio member of all convention committees, except the Credentials Committee and the Committee on Elections, and of any interim committees that may be established by the Convention.

Section 4. The International President shall preside at all meetings of the International Executive Board, but may call any other member of the International Executive Board to preside instead. The International President shall serve as Chairperson of the Executive Committee, as Chairperson of the Finance Committee, and as an ex-officio member of all other committees of the International Executive Board.

Section 5. In advance of each fiscal year, the International President shall submit to the International Executive Board a proposed budget for the coming year, setting forth the anticipated income and the source thereof and the anticipated expenditures and their purposes. A copy of the proposed budget shall be transmitted to the International Secretary-Treasurer at least one week prior to its submission to the International Executive Board. The proposed budget shall be subject to revision and approval by the International Executive Board. Insofar as possible, the International President shall adhere to the budget adopted by the International Executive Board.

Section 6. The International President, subject to the approval of the International Executive Board, shall issue charters to subordinate bodies of the Federation and shall, subject to an appeal to the International Executive Board, determine all matters relating to the jurisdiction and proper affiliations of subordinate bodies. The International President, subject to the approval of the International Executive Board, shall have the authority to negotiate and consummate, on such terms and conditions as the President considers appropriate, mergers or consolidations with organizations representing public employees or other appropriate groups of workers. The terms and conditions of such mergers or consolidations may include waiver of other provisions of this Constitution for such merging organizations for such periods of time as shall be set forth in the agreement of merger or consolidation.

Section 7. The International President shall have the power to direct the International Secretary-Treasurer to conduct an examination and audit of the books and accounts of subordinate bodies, whether chartered or not, including any books and accounts concerning health and welfare, pension, insurance or other benefit programs covering members of such subordinate bodies, at any time. The International Secretary-Treasurer, either in person or by designee, shall undertake such examination and audit as promptly as possible. In appropriate cases, the International President may direct that the authority to conduct such examination and audit be delegated to the council with which such subordinate body is affiliated, or, in the case of a subordinate body of a local union that is not affiliated with a council, to such local. When such a delegation is made, the costs of the examination and audit shall be the responsibility of the International Union, unless the audit is requested by the council or local to which the delegation is made, in which case such council or local shall be responsible for the costs. The results of the examination and audit, and any written report, shall be transmitted to the International President as promptly as possible.

Section 8. The International President shall have authority to make interpretations of this Constitution, subject to appeal to the International Executive Board.

Section 9. The International President shall be a delegate to all conventions of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations.

Section 10. The International President, with the advice and consent of the International Executive Board, may initiate, edit and manage a publication which may be in print or digital format, and which shall be the official publication of the Federation. Title of any such publication shall be vested in the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. A copy of the official publication shall be made available to each member, electronically or otherwise.

Section 11. As soon as practicable following the adoption of this language by the 1972 biennial convention, the International President shall, with the advice and consent of the International Executive Board, appoint a member of the Federation to serve as Chairperson of the Judicial Panel and eight other members of the Federation to serve as members of the Judicial Panel. As soon as practicable following final adjournment of the 2000 biennial convention, the International President shall, with the advice and consent of the International Executive Board, appoint two additional members of the Federation to serve as members of the Judicial Panel. Except as provided below, the terms of persons appointed in 1977 shall expire in 1980, and the terms of those members appointed in 1978 shall expire in 1981. Of those persons appointed to the Judicial Panel in 1980, three shall serve terms expiring in 1982 and three shall serve terms expiring in 1983. Of those persons appointed to the Judicial Panel to fill positions newly created in 2000, one shall serve a term expiring in 2002 and one shall serve a term expiring in 2003. At any general meeting of the International Executive Board during the year in which a panel member’s term is scheduled to expire, the International President shall, with the advice and consent of the International Executive Board, reappoint such member or appoint a successor. No two members of the Judicial Panel shall be members of local unions in the same Legislative District, as established in Article IV, Section 27 of this Constitution. At least three members of the Judicial Panel shall be from Legislative Districts located east of the Mississippi River and at least three members of the Judicial Panel shall be from Legislative Districts located west of the Mississippi River. No member of the International Executive Board and, except as provided in Article XI of this Constitution, no salaried employee of the International Union shall serve on the Judicial Panel.

Section 12. The International President, subject to the general direction of the International Executive Board, shall travel wherever required in the carrying out of the duties and responsibilities of the office.

Section 13. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the International President shall have the authority to order the immediate suspension, pending full investigation, of officers and staff employees of any subordinate body who, in the opinion of the International President, are engaged in conduct imminently dangerous to the welfare of the International Union or a subordinate body. Such action shall not affect the membership rights of an officer or staff employee so suspended. In all such cases, the International President shall immediately notify the members of the International Executive Board of such action, which shall be automatically reviewed and approved or disapproved by the International Executive Board, whether or not it is formally appealed to the Board. In any such situation, the order of the International President shall be in effect for no more than thirty days, and may not be renewed unless formal charges have been filed against the officer or staff employees so suspended within the thirty-day period.

Section 14. If a vacancy occurs in the office of International Secretary-Treasurer, the International President shall designate a member of the Federation to act as International Secretary-Treasurer until such time as the vacancy in office is filled as provided in this Constitution.

Section 15. The International President shall perform such other duties as may be required by this Constitution.

Section 16. The International Executive Board shall elect, in the same manner provided for the filling of a vacancy in the office of International Secretary-Treasurer, a temporary replacement for the International President should the President become temporarily incapacitated, except that, for the purpose of this election, the functions normally performed under Article VIII, Section 12, by the International President, shall be performed by the International Secretary-Treasurer. Such temporary replacement shall be selected if (1) the International President notifies the International Executive Board that, for reasons of health, the President is unable to perform the duties of that office or (2) the International Executive Board so finds, by a two-thirds vote of those voting after a full hearing. If the International Secretary-Treasurer is elected as temporary replacement for the International President, a temporary replacement for the International Secretary-Treasurer shall be elected in the same manner provided for the filling of a vacancy. Upon notification by the International President that the International President is able to perform the duties of that office or upon request by any member of the International Executive Board, a hearing shall be held by the International Executive Board to determine whether the International President is capable of resuming the duties of that office. Should the International Executive Board, by a majority vote, find the International President capable of performing the duties of that office, the International President shall immediately resume such duties. If the International Secretary-Treasurer temporarily replaced the International President, the International Secretary-Treasurer shall immediately resume the duties of the office of International Secretary-Treasurer.