Okeechobee County Education Association Local Union No 1604

“The rules for membership in this organization shall be: 1: currently employed certified school personnel, including all teachers,librarians, and counselors as defined in an appropriate bargaining unit, are eligible for membership in this organization. 2: currently employed noncertified school personnel, including all eligible education support personnel as defined in an appropriate bargaining unit, are eligible for membership in this organization. 3: all members of this organization are guaranteed full membership rights, benefits, and privileges, including the right to vote upon receipt of the first month's dues. See article iv, section 3 for members' rights to hold office. 4: supervisory personnel with the rank of assistant principal or above shall not obtain membership. Members who are promoted to a position with the rank of assistant principal or above are automatically removed from membership on the effective date of the promotion. 5: school personnel in public or private institutions outside the jurisdiction of this organization may be admitted to membership until such time as an organization is chartered in their jurisdiction. 6: no discrimination shall ever be shown toward individual members or applicants for membership because of age, race, creed, sex, sexual orientation, social, political or economic status, or national origin. 7: a member may be expelled for acts detrimental to the organization upon presentation of written charges signed by at least one- fourth of the total membership and approved by at least three-fourths of the executive council. The member shall have the right to appeal the decision to the membership at the following membership meeting and shall be reinstated with full rights if a majority of the members present vote to reinstate. 8: any member who fails to pay dues upon their expiration, plus a 30-day grace period, shall be dropped from the rolls and his/her name removed from the records at the national and state offices. The member may be reinstated upon submitting a new application 9: any member will be given a grace period of up to 90 daysfor their paid dues during temporary leave approved by the school board. 10: all members may attend any executive council meeting as a non- voting observer.”

“All members of this organization are guaranteed full membership rights, benefits, and privileges, including the right to vote upon receipt of the first month's dues. All members may attend any executive council meeting as a non-voting observer.”

“No review was or will be conducted.”

“Availability of constitution the constitution shall be made available as follows: 1: three copies of this constitution and all future amendments shall be submitted to the national office of the american federation of teachers and to the state office of the florida education association. 2: copies shall be made available to the other affiliated organizations upon request. 3: an online copy will be available to all members on the ocea website. Written copies shall be made available to all members of this organization upon request. 4: copies shall be made available to perc and other public agencies as required.”

“The purpose of this organization shall be: 1: to bring associations of teachers and education support personnel into relations of mutual assistance and cooperation. 2: to obtain for teachers and education support personnel the rights to which they are entitled. 3: to raise standards by securing the conditions essential to the best professional service provided by teachers and education support personnel. 4: to promote the welfare of children by providing progressively better educational opportunities for all. 5: to set the standard for excellence in public education in okeechobee. 6: to be the most influential voice in the public education policy debate. 7: to be a responsive, efficient, and credible organization.”