New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America Chapter Bylaws and Code of Conduct

New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America Chapter Bylaws and Code of Conduct

Amended and Ratified by the General Membership 10/9/2017 
Amended by the General Membership: 12/4/2017, 6/18/2018, 4/2/2019, 6/24/2019, 6/26/2020, 1/9/2021, 6/26/21, 6/25/22, 6/24/23, 9/23/23, 6/29/24, 6/28/25, and 6/27/26.

Preamble

All working people, simply because they work, are responsible for the reproduction and persistence of our societies, economies, and cultures.

However, working people are not guaranteed access to the direction and planning of society, be it on matters of public investment, environmental destruction, or imperialist wars.

Therefore, all workers, through all forms of labor, irrespective of nationality, have a class interest in expanding their democratic rights in society.

But, workers and capitalists are in an irreconcilable struggle over political-economic enfranchisement.

Democratic Socialists aim to transform this situation by expanding working-class influence in Southeast Louisiana and society as a whole through the support and creation of genuine working-class institutions that foster values of equality, justice, and peace.

Through these methods, we aim to reorganize society where all people have natural, political, and economic rights, for the purpose of uniting humanity under principles of peace, love, solidarity and prosperity, in harmony with the ecosystems upon which we depend.

Article 1: Name

The name of this organization shall be the New Orleans Democratic Socialists of America, also known as New Orleans DSA, and referred to throughout this document as the Local or Chapter.

Article 2: Basic Organization and Conventions

Section 1: General Membership. The General Membership of the Local, meeting in a synchronous Convention, Special Meeting or General Meeting shall be the highest decision-making body of the organization, providing that Special Meetings shall have the authority to deal with only those matters for which they may be called.

Section 2: General Meetings. The Local will hold meetings on a regular basis to conduct the business of the Local. These will be considered General Meetings. An annual schedule of these meetings will be publicized to members in good standing.

Section 3: Conventions. The Local shall meet in Convention annually during the first six months of the year, with at least thirty days’ notice given to all members. The Convention shall meet to elect officers and to debate and decide primarily, but not exclusively, Local issues, the political orientation of the organization, and program direction.

Section 4: Special Meetings. By call of forty percent of the Local Council or petition of ten percent of members, a Special Meeting shall be called, with notice given to all members at least ten days prior to the meeting. The call to the Special Meeting shall specify the matters to be discussed therein and no other matter may be brought to the floor.

Section 5: Informational Meetings. The Local Council may call additional Local-wide Informational Meetings for a variety of reasons but at which official business will not be conducted and policies will not be set. For the purposes of these bylaws, Local-wide Informational Meetings should not be considered General Meetings.

Section 6: Rules. All resolutions and reports presented to the Local’s membership at the Convention will allow for a question and answer period. All rules covering the conduct of a Convention or Special Meeting shall be developed by the Local Council and at the outset of said meeting, may be amended, but must be ratified by a 2/3rds majority vote.

Section 7: Electoral Endorsements. The General Membership in Convention or Special Meeting or via online vote is the only body authorized with making electoral endorsements on behalf of the Local. Unless otherwise authorized, members or committees of New Orleans DSA are forbidden from campaigning as representatives of DSA for candidates or ballot measures that have not been officially endorsed by the Local, a Regional Organization to which the Local belongs, or National DSA.

Section 7(a): Runoff Procedure. Should members decide that the political calculus, stakes, conditions, or other considerations shift once an election goes to a runoff, a special runoff endorsement process can be initiated no later than two weeks before the runoff election date at the written request of at least 10% of membership for a given endorsement. The Local Council is then obligated to vote on the question of endorsement. The Local Council can only authorize the endorsement by a supermajority of at least two-thirds of the Local Council.

Section 8: Quorums. A quorum of ten percent of the membership in good standing shall be required for valid meetings of the Convention, Special Meeting, or General Meeting. A quorum of at least twenty-five percent of the membership in good standing shall be required for Electoral Endorsement votes. 

Section 8(a): Asynchronous Voting. If a General Meeting, Special Meeting, or Local Convention is not quorate, a member in good standing may move for an individual officer election, resolution, or bylaw amendment to be considered asynchronously. Another member may second the motion to put the request for asynchronous voting up for consideration by the members present. If a majority of present members in good standing approve the motion for asynchronous voting, the members present may debate the proposal before it is put to an online vote, using group discussion platforms, OpenSlides, OpaVote, or any other online voting platform approved for chapter use by the Local Council. The voting period shall last for at least 72 hours from the end of the meeting in which the proposal was introduced. Only those who are verifiably members in good standing through the entire voting period, including at the time of initiation of voting, are permitted to vote. 

Section 9: Revenue and Funds. The chapter will collect and disburse funds, as authorized by the General Membership and, between General Meetings, the Local Council. The Local Council, through a Finance Committee, is responsible for setting financial control policies for the organization, as approved by the General Membership.

Article 3: Membership

Section 1: Definition. The Membership of New Orleans DSA shall be composed of all DSA members residing within the jurisdiction of the Local. Members in good standing will include all DSA members who have paid dues within the last year or who have paid lifetime dues, as verified by the National Office, and are not currently suspended or terminated from the Local.

Section 2: Voting and Office. All Members in good standing comprise the Membership and shall be eligible to vote on Resolutions, Bylaws, and other chapter-wide motions, as well as all committee-level votes.

Once members have been in good standing for 30 days, they may also:

  1. Be elected or appointed to office in the Local;
  2. Be appointed as delegates from the Local to any Regional, State, or National DSA convenings; and
  3. Vote in elections for chapter officers or delegates to Regional, State, or National convenings.

In elections for chapter officers or national delegates, all voters and candidates must be a current member in good standing of National DSA 30 days prior to (and until) the election in order to participate.

Section 3: Proxy Voting. Members in good standing who cannot vote in an election due to unavoidable conflicts must notify the Local Council in advance of the vote, naming the proxy voter. A member who is present at an election meeting may only hold up to two proxies.

Section 4: Member Discipline, Suspension, and Expulsion. Pursuant to the National DSA constitution, the Local Council shall have the power to suspend or expel members from the Local. A two-thirds vote is required to suspend or expel a member and votes must be a matter of record. The Local Council alone will have the power to suspend or expel a member from the Local. In all cases, prior to discipline, the Local Council should consider and abide by the principles of privacy, accountability, and restorative justice. Members can be suspended or expelled:

  1. If they are found to have maliciously inflicted serious emotional or physical harm against another member or otherwise violate the Code of Conduct;
  2. If they are found to be in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization, including, but not limited to, engaging in behavior or speech that violates DSA’s commitment to anti-racism, feminist socialism, and equality;
  3. If they consistently engage in undemocratic, disruptive behavior; or if they are found to be engaging in intentionally subversive activities or acting on behalf of or under the direction of another organization or body aiming to disrupt the Local’s activities, membership, or events.

Nothing included in the Chapter Code of Conduct or Chapter Bylaws, and no actions taken by the Local Council or HGOs, shall overrule or violate the National Unified Grievance Policy, National Code of Conduct for Members, or other national-level policies. Any local policy or action by Local Council or HGO(s) which appears to contradict national guidance should be reported to Local Council.

Section 4(a). Harassment and Grievance Officers (HGOs): In line with the Unified Grievance Policy, the chapter will have at least two HGOs available to assist with the cases in which a member reports harassment or alleges violations of the National or Local Code of Conducts. Responsibilities include: 

  1. Maintaining and monitoring the hgo@neworleansdsa.org email, accessible only to HGOs, which serves as a hotline for reporting complaints;
  2. Investigate formal complaints and disciplinary referrals by Local Council or an HGO in line with the Unified Grievance Policy, including recommending any preliminary actions be taken by Local Council and producing a confidential report for LC detailing the outcomes of the investigation;
  3. Maintain strict confidentiality protocols protecting the rights, safety, and dignity of all parties involved;
  4. Recuse themselves from any matter in which they have, or are likely to have, a conflict of interest, and report such to Local Council;
  5. Monitor for retaliation as described in Section 10(c) in the Unified Grievance Policy and open new complaints into any person(s) engaged in retaliatory conduct; and
  6. Serve as a resource for Local Council and other members to ask questions regarding concerns not yet elevated to a formal grievance.

HGOs may not simultaneously serve on Local Council. HGOs will be appointed by Local Council on an annual basis and affirmed by General Membership at the following meeting. 

First-time HGOs are expected to review the Chapter Meeting Code of Conduct, National Code of Conduct for Members, and Unified Grievance Policy within a month of their appointment. Within three months of appointment, first-time HGOs must also: 

  1. Attend a training by DSA’s National Committee for Grievance Officers (CGO);
  2. Read the “Informers and Infiltrators” section of “Bugs, Taps And Infiltrators”
  3. Read the article “Why Misogynists Make Great Informants”; and
  4. Review the document “White Supremacy Culture in Organizations.” 

All HGOs are expected to attend at least one training by the CGO during their year-long term. For experienced HGOs, or new HGOs with unavoidable time conflicts, CGO trainings may be replaced with a non-DSA training related to addressing conflict within community organizations (or related topic) and/or a reading assignment with permission from Local Council and in consultation with the other HGO(s).

Section 4(b). Political Discipline: Political discipline and expulsion is that which is done on the basis of the first criterion of Article I, Section 3 of National DSA’s Bylaws, “substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization.”

HGOs and national bodies which are primarily responsible for components of the grievance process have no role in the investigation or adjudication of a member’s political conduct. DSA’s political decision-making bodies, namely the Local Council, chapter general bodies, National Political Committee, and the National Convention, have sole authority over political expulsions. No article of the Unified Grievance Policy applies to disciplinary processes on the basis of political disagreement, except for Section 13: Political Discipline.

Members facing political expulsion must receive specific written notice of the charges against them and must be given the opportunity to be heard before the body responsible for adjudicating the charges. There is a general policy of transparency for all political disciplinary processes. The pertinent political information used to justify any political expulsion must be disclosed to the general membership.

Section 4(c). Right to Appeal: In cases of formal grievance processes, a complaining member, accused member, or chapter HGO may appeal the Local Council’s adjudication to the National Political Committee. Members may not appeal temporary discipline pending the outcome of a grievance decision unless 120 days have passed since the member was notified of the temporary discipline measure. This will be done through working with the National Grievance Panel; chapters and/or parties are not permitted to “lobby” the NPC about their desired outcome on appeal and efforts to do so may be considered retaliation.

A member expelled on political grounds may appeal their expulsion. Political expulsion by the Local Council may be appealed to the chapter general body. Political expulsion by a chapter general body may be appealed to the National Political Committee. Political expulsion by the National Political Committee may be appealed to the National Convention.

Section 5: Anonymous Membership. The Local Council may vote by two-thirds majority to admit a new member on a year-to-year anonymous basis, provided that individual has specific security concerns precluding them from safely enrolling as a member through the standard means. Anonymous Members will pay dues directly to the Local Council by whatever means available to them, and Local Council will allocate one-third of total Anonymous Member dues to the national organization through direct contributions to national. Anonymous Members will enjoy all rights, privileges, and responsibilities in the chapter as afforded to typical members in good standing, but will not be listed by name in any chapter records. The Membership Chair will maintain an anonymous tally of Anonymous Members, and, together with the Local Council, will work to maintain Anonymous Members’ good standing across Local Council terms.

Article 4: Election of Officers

Section 1: Nominations and Notice. All Officers of the Local Council shall be elected at the Local’s annual Convention or a General Meeting with at least 30 days notice to membership, Calls for nominations should be announced 45 days before any election, and nominations announced 15 days before the election. All leadership positions shall be elected at Local Convention or in a General Meeting and voted on by all members who have been in good standing for at least 30 days prior to the election, in accordance with the rules specified in these Bylaws.

Section 2: Process. The elections process shall be fair, transparent, and democratic. The Local Council will be responsible for ensuring that elections are held, and may appoint an Elections Committee to oversee the process. No candidate may run their own election. The process of the election shall be ranked choice for every contested position. All nominees are expected to disclose other organizational and political affiliations.

Article 5: Local Council

Section 1: Purpose. The New Orleans DSA Local Council serves as the democratically elected leadership of the Local and shall have responsibility for management of the overall direction of the Local as stipulated by general membership, and shall, collectively or through a representative appointed as needed by majority vote of the Local Council, act as the public spokespersons for the Local.

The Local Council shall manage the day-to- day affairs of the Local between General Meetings.

Section 2: Officers. The Local Council shall consist of two (2) co-chairs, one (1) membership chair, one (1) secretary, one (1) treasurer, one (1) communications chair, two (2) Campaign Coordinators, and a chair representing each of the official committees.

Section 2(a). Co-Chairs: The Co-Chairs shall preside over all official meetings of the organization and the Local Council, and shall interpret the bylaws as well as the policies and priorities set by the Membership, subject to appeal by the Local Council. The Co-Chairs are responsible for scheduling all Local Council meetings and preparing all agendas thereof. The Co-Chairs are responsible for consistent communications with all committee leaders and facilitating collaboration and coordination between them. Additionally:

  1. The Co-Chairs will also act as, or appoint, the official representatives of the Local to the National office and to other DSA Locals. This does not apply during official business at DSA Conventions at the state, regional, and national level when Local Delegates may act independently on behalf of the Local’s membership.
  2. The Co-Chairs serve as executive officers of the Local. The Co-Chairs are ultimately responsible for financial management of the Local.
  3. At least one Co-Chair must not identify as white, cisgender, and male; both Co- chairs must also identify as working-class.

Section 2(b). Membership Chair: The Membership Chair is responsible for assisting the Co-Chairs with all their duties. If both Co-Chairs are unable to perform their duties, the Membership Chair shall perform all duties and assume all responsibilities of the Co-Chairs until such a time as one or both Co-Chairs are able to resume their posts. In the event that the two Co-Chairs disagree on a course of action, the Membership Chair may be called upon to break the tie. The Membership Chair shall be required to audit the financial records of the local and the Treasurer biannually. Additionally, the Membership Chair is responsible for maintaining the Local’s official membership roster and verifying if a member is in good standing, and shall establish coincidentally with the announcement of the annual Convention the members in good standing who are eligible to vote.

Section 2(c). Secretary: The Secretary is responsible for taking minutes of all General Membership and Local Council meetings, and shall be responsible for publishing these minutes, as well as resolutions, reports, and other official records of the Local. The Secretary may appoint, but must oversee, a temporary proxy minutes-taker for any meeting. That proxy may not vote on behalf of the Secretary. Additionally:

  1. The Secretary shall transfer official records in good condition to their successor;
  2. The Secretary will assume the responsibilities of one of the Co-Chairs, if both Co-Chairs and the Membership Chair are unable to do so;
  3. The Secretary shall report to National DSA all amendments to the Bylaws, the results of elections for Local Council members, and any resignations or removals of Local Council members within 30 days of any elections, appointments, or changes; and
  4. The Secretary shall submit to National DSA the minutes of chapter general body meetings at which votes are taken, including monthly General Meetings and Local Convention, within 30 days of their approval.

Section 2(d). Treasurer: The Treasurer will be responsible for administration of funds, budget, and financial organization of the Local, including overseeing fundraising activities for the Local. The Treasurer will:

  1. Provide a report to the Local Council on the financial status of the organization at each Local Council meeting, according to the agreed uniform system of bookkeeping;
  2. Present the financial status of the organization at each General Meeting, in accordance with the financial controls and policies developed by the Finance Committee;
  3. Develop and publish to membership a budget updated annually; and
  4. Maintain transparent and open financial reports available to the entire membership upon request by an officer of the Local Council.

Section 2(e). Communications Chair: The Communications Chair is in charge of directing the internal and external communications of the Chapter. They may establish and maintain a ‘communications working group’ dedicated to fulfilling the various components of communications work needed by the chapter. 

Section 2(f). Committee Chairs: Each Committee shall elect a designated chair, who will be responsible for communicating and incorporating the work performed in a committee in Local Council activities and will carry a vote on the Local Council. Each Committee shall nominate a chair for approval by General Membership. Committees may determine their own procedures and internal leadership structure, including other Committee leaders, subject to approval by majority vote of active Committee members, as long as those procedures and structures are in accordance with these Bylaws. 

Section 2(g). Campaign Coordinators: At least one Campaign Coordinator must not identify as white, cisgender, and male. Each Campaign Coordinator will be responsible for serving as points of contact and facilitators for Chapter work existing outside of a specific Committee, with responsibilities including:

  1. Assisting in membership mobilization and engagement, and
  2. Assisting in the coordination of projects involving multiple committees or caucuses. Each Campaign Coordinator will be additionally expected to report on any projects, concerns, and needs resulting from this work.

Section 3: Vacancies. In the event of a vacancy on the Local Council, the Local Council may as decided by majority vote of the Council either appoint a replacement to serve until the following election, or schedule an election.

Section 4: Terms and Term Limits. All Local Council members, including those representing Committees or Campaigns, shall be elected at the annual convention and their terms shall last until the completion of the following annual convention, approximately one year later. Members elected to the Local Council midterm in a Special Election to fill a vacancy, upon Campaign initiation or renewal, or for a newly created role will end their terms at the next Local Convention. No member may hold the same office for more than two consecutive full terms. No member may serve in multiple Local Council roles concurrently.

Section 5: Rights and Duties. 

The Local Council shall produce and distribute to membership monthly written reports of chapter activities, including records of all votes taken by the Local Council and voting record of each LC member, excepting those which would violate the confidentiality of an ongoing grievance process.

The Local Council shall maintain an up-to-date archive of all recorded minutes, agendas, rules and procedures adopted for meetings of the Local Council, and ensure this archive is easily accessible to all members.

The Local Council shall maintain an up-to-date archive of all Bylaws Amendments and Political Resolutions passed by the Local, and ensure this archive is easily accessible to all members

No member holding voting rights on the Local Council shall be prevented from adding items for discussion or vote to a Local Council meeting agenda.

Any member holding voting rights on the Local Council shall maintain the right to extend discussion time on any item during meetings of the Local Council, unless overruled by a vote of two-thirds of the Local Council.

The Local Council is responsible for presenting a State of the Local Address each year at the annual Convention.

Section 6: Conflict Resolution. The Local Council is responsible for fairly adjudicating disagreements between members or groups of members within the Local. This shall include developing and overseeing an accountable and fair mechanism of conflict resolution.

Section 7: Voting. All elected and appointed members of the Local Council have full and equal voting rights for Local Council decisions.

Section 8: Termination of Officers. The Local Council or the General Membership may petition to remove an Officer from the Local Council in the event that the member is unable or unwilling to perform their duties. A petition to recall one or more Officers, signed by 51% of the Local Council or no less than thirty (30) percent or fifty (50) members of the General Membership, whichever lower, should be presented to the Local Council for validation so they may give notice of not less than 15 days to the General Membership. The General Membership will then be required to vote on this question at their next meeting. Removal of a Local Council member requires a fifty-one percent majority vote by the General Membership with a minimum 20% quorum. If that meeting fails to reach quorum, the Local Council may vote for termination by a three quarters vote. Grounds for termination include but are not limited to:

  1. Missing more than two Local Council meetings without an acceptable excuse; or
  2. Gross incompetence, witting mismanagement of funds, consistently acting or encouraging action in contravention of the best interests of the organization.

The Local Council must notify the Officer in writing of the termination and they may request to appeal the decision at the next general membership meeting. Reinstatement of a terminated Officer requires a two- thirds vote at a general membership meeting.

Section 9: Treasurer Trustees. Two trustees shall preside over the local’s finances, in cooperation with the Treasurer. Trustees shall oversee Treasurer activities, and report any irregularities directly to the Local Council. Trustees shall be responsible for co-authoring the annual financial report to the annual convention along with the Treasurer. Trustees shall be elected through the same procedures as Local Council Officers, which is detailed in Article 4 of the Bylaws. Vacancies shall also be addressed in the same way as Local Council vacancies, which are detailed in Article 5, Section 3 of the Bylaws.

Section 10: Local Council Quorums. 

Section 12(a). Local Council Meetings. At Local Council Meetings, a majority of vote holding members of the Local, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. 

Section 12(b). Decisions Outside of Local Council Meetings. For all decisions discussed outside of Local Council meetings, a two thirds majority of vote holding members of the Local, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Article 6: Committees and Campaigns

Section 1: Committees. Committees facilitate long-term organizing work in the Chapter. Committees shall be formed by the General Meeting, Special Meeting, the Convention, or by two-thirds vote of the Local Council (pursuant to Article 5 Section 5) to address a specific operational need. Any proposed Committee will produce a Written Statement of Purpose in the form of a resolution which will prescribe the Committee’s activities, and must be signed by at least ten (10) New Orleans DSA members.

Section 2: Campaigns. Campaigns facilitate specific short-term Chapter organizing; for example, endorsed candidate campaigns in a given campaign cycle, legislative advocacy campaigns, millage campaigns, and so on. Campaigns shall be formed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, or Chapter Convention, or by a two-thirds vote of the Local Council on a Campaign Charter resolution signed by at least ten (10) members. When appropriate, Campaigns may be assigned to specific preexisting Committees, in which case the Committee Chair will be responsible for managing that Campaign and reporting on its activities to the Local Council and General Membership. Campaigns that are not assigned to a specific Committee shall be the responsibility of the Local Council Campaign Coordinators, pursuant to Article 5, Section 2(g). Campaign Charter Resolutions may designate internal Campaign leaders, however these designees will not serve on the Local Council.

Campaigns expire after six months without renewal by a simple majority vote of General Membership, unless another length of time is specified in the Campaign Charter. General Membership may also elect to elevate a Campaign to Committee status by simple majority vote at least one year after the Campaign’s initial approval, at which point the new Committee must fulfill all duties requisite of a chapter Committee, pursuant to Article 6, Section 3.

Section 3: Function and Responsibilities. Each Committee or Campaign shall be responsible for its own activities, subject to evaluation by General Membership. The Committee or Campaign is free to determine its internal leadership and structure by majority vote of its participants. Each Committee and Campaign is responsible for:

  1. Carrying out the program of the Committee as prescribed by the Written Statement of Purpose or Campaign Charter resolution
  2. Regularly reporting their activities to the General Meeting.
  3. Nominating a Committee or Campaign Chair to serve on the Local Council, subject to approval by a majority vote of General Membership, who will liaise with other Local Council members to coordinate Committee activities with other Chapter activities and facilitate regular Committee work.
  4. Coordinating with the Treasurer to fundraise for committee needs and establish oversight of any committee funds. Committees or Campaigns may request Local Council approval for expenses under $1000. Expenses above $1000 require approval by General Membership.
  5. Committees or Campaigns shall not institute any dues system or recurring collection of funds outside that of the Local.

Section 4: Working Groups. Working Groups shall be formed by a simple majority vote of a General Meeting, Special Meeting, Chapter Convention, or the Local Council, to coordinate work on a specific task or area of work relevant to the Local. The Treasurer, Membership Chair, or Secretary may unilaterally create a working group to assist in the specific duties of their role. Each Working Group shall be responsible for its own activities, subject to evaluation by General Membership. The Working Group is free to determine its internal leadership and structure by majority vote of its participants. Each Campaign Group is responsible for regularly reporting their activities to the General Membership.

Section 5: Dissolution. The General Meeting shall dismiss any Committee, Campaign or Working Group by a two-thirds majority vote. The Steering Committee may dissolve any internal body by a simple majority vote if it does not have an active Chair and has not met for at least six months.

Section 6: Other Internal Bodies. The Local encourages the formation of informal internal associations to promote a vibrant democratic culture and community building within the organization. With or without consent from or recognition by any official Local leadership or the Local itself, members may self-organize into temporary or permanent caucuses, associations, and other group formations according to shared identities, interests, affinities, and/or political goals. If a group wishes to have representation via establishing a channel in the group discussion platform, they may provide to the Steering Committee a channel name and a brief Statement of Purpose with at least five (5) New Orleans DSA members signed-on. A channel, open to all members, will be established upon satisfaction of these requirements. 

Article 7: Delegates

Section 1: Election. Delegates to National, Regional, and State bodies shall be elected by the General Membership at a General Meeting. The delegate election process will conform to DSA National bylaws and the National Convention calendar.

Article 8: Financial Management 

Section 1: Financial Oversight. Financial oversight is the responsibility of the Treasurer and Co-Chairs. The Local Council may establish a Finance Committee chaired by the Treasurer and including both Treasurer Trustees to develop, enforce, and maintain financial controls of the organization’s funds. Finance reports should be provided at every Steering Council meeting and to the General Membership its oversight activities at least quarterly. All policies generated by the Committee must be approved by the General Membership.

Section 2: Local Dues. Pursuant to Article II, Section 5 of the National DSA Constitution, the Local may institute, change, or abolish voluntary Local Dues by a majority vote of the Local Council at a Local Council meeting.

Section 3: Local Council spending and National Conventions. The Local Council may only approve expenses above $1000 without an approval vote from General Membership if those costs are necessitated by Chapter participation in National Conventions. Specifically, the Local Council may unilaterally approve any costs for delegate travel, lodging, and registration fees by a simple majority vote. 

Article 9: Amendments

Section 1. The bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of members in good standing at an annual Convention. They may also be amended if a Special Meeting is called according to the procedures outlined in Article 2, Section 3.

Section 2. Any member of New Orleans DSA may propose Amendments.

Section 3. The Local Council shall also put forward to the next General Meeting Amendments proposed and endorsed by no fewer than twenty members or 10% of membership, whichever is lower.

Section 4. No amendment to these bylaws may be in conflict with the National DSA Constitution and Bylaws. The Chapter will provide the amended bylaws to the DSA National office within 30 days of a change being made.

Article 10: Rules of Order

Section 1: Majority Vote. Unless specified otherwise in these bylaws, decisions are made by a simple majority vote (any amount over 50%).

Section 2: Rules for Meetings. The Local Council and other official bodies may operate by Robert’s Rules of Order, or by Progressive Stack, or by a different set of rules. Members of a voting body may decide by a simple majority vote to adopt rules for their body or for the duration of any specific meeting.

Section 3: General Principles. The New Orleans Local values the voices of all members. Facilitators and leaders of all official and unofficial gatherings will seek to balance the participation and voices so that all members have their voice heard at meetings and in the general operation of the Membership.

Section 4: Rules of Conduct. All members are subject to the National DSA Code of Conduct for Members. Additionally, the Chapter must maintain a public Chapter Code of Conduct which provides expectations for all those who participate in DSA meetings, conferences, and other public-facing events, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. That includes DSA members, allies, vendors, donors, supporters, and others. These Rules of Conduct must be easily accessible on their own page on the New Orleans DSA website and be accompanied by the Jemez Principles as described further in Article 11, Section 5.

In order to amend the Rules of Conduct, one must satisfy the same requirements as for amending bylaws as described in Article 10, Section 1.

Section 5: Jemez Principles. New Orleans DSA is committed to the Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing as established in December 1996 at the “Working Group Meeting on Globalization and Trade” with the intention of improving equitable, democratic organizing between participants from different cultures, politics, and organizations. These are as follows:

  1. Be Inclusive
  2. Emphasis on Bottom-Up Organizing
  3. Let People Speak for Themselves
  4. Work Together In Solidarity and Mutuality
  5. Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves
  6. Commitment to Self-Transformation

New Orleans DSA shall have the Jemez Principles, with extended descriptions as provided by the host of the 1996 meeting, the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice (SNEEJ), easily accessible on the same page as the Code of Conduct on the New Orleans DSA website.

DSA MEETING CODE OF CONDUCT

[drafted by Ana Avendaño and reviewed by NHGO Paula Brantner, grievance program consultants; presented for consideration at NPC meeting, April 11-12, 2020, amended for New Orleans DSA and ratified by the General Membership on 1/9/2021.]

1. Purpose

A primary goal of DSA is to be welcoming and inclusive to our members and others who share DSA’s core values of liberty, equality, solidarity, as well as our commitment to restructuring gender and cultural relationships to be equitable and not oppressive within the context of building a diverse working class movement. As such, we are committed to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all.

This code of conduct outlines DSA’s expectations for all those who participate in DSA meetings, conferences, and other public-facing events, as well as the consequences for unacceptable behavior. That includes DSA members, allies, vendors, donors, supporters, and others.

We invite all DSA members and allies to help us create welcoming and positive experiences for everyone.

2. Expected Behavior

The following behaviors are expected and requested of all persons–including general members and elected leaders– who participate in DSA meetings, conferences, online spaces, and other events:

  • Refrain from demeaning, discriminatory, or harassing behavior and speech;
  • Participate in an authentic and active way. In doing so, you contribute to the health and longevity of DSA;
  • Exercise consideration in your speech and actions;
  • Share analysis and opinions rather than ad hominem attacks;
  • Comply with applicable Community Agreements;
  • Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants. 
  • Alert a DSA chapter officer if you notice a dangerous situation, someone in distress, or violations of this Code of Conduct, even if they seem inconsequential;
  • Commit to proactively dealing with interpersonal tensions and supporting each other to do so. Work to address tensions directly and encourage others to do the same.
  • Navigate sexual and romantic relationships within the chapter with openness, honesty, frankness, gentleness, thoughtfulness, respect, and kindness; recognize that serial dating within the organization can be deeply harmful to the organizing space; be cognizant of how power manifests in organizing spaces and how that might influence romantic and personal relationships; commit to addressing these dynamics directly, openly, and with humility. 
  • Engage in discussion honestly and openly without fear that genuine contribution and engagement with unfamiliar concepts or histories will invalidate your role in the chapter, but also commit to addressing areas of ideological, strategic, or political disagreement rather than more comfortably avoiding them. We commit to approaching each other with a collaborative spirit, and will not alienate comrades based on different lived experiences or education pertaining to theory or background.
  • We will prioritize strategic assessments over disputes about inflexible ideologies or dogmas.
  • Commit to respecting chapter-wide decisions and processes 
  • Commit to assuming ‘good faith’ in other chapter members 
  • Be receptive to feedback. Empathize with your comrades’ perceptions, while valuing your own. 
  • Acknowledge and be held accountable for harm.
  • Prioritize marginalized people’s safety over privileged people’s comfort. This means we will not act on complaints regarding the following: a. “Reverse”-isms, b. Criticism for racist, sexist, cissexist, or otherwise oppressive behavior or assumptions. c. Reasonable communication of boundaries, such as “leave me alone,” “go away,” or “I’m not discussing this with you. d. Communicating in a tone someone does not find agreeable.
  • We will prioritize harmed parties in seeking steps toward repair and transformation from harmful behavior.
  • We will agree to be called-in when we do harm. We will strive to call-in our comrades for unacceptable behavior in ways that hold them accountable.
  • We will strive to resolve conflicts through deescalation and mediation, offering to help others act better in the future and facilitating their reconciliation with those aggrieved.
  • Trust your gut if you notice someone who might be an infiltrator, and let a DSA chapter officer know. **For some guidance as to what infiltrators historically do, please read this and this.

3. Unacceptable Behavior

The following behaviors are unacceptable within our community and may lead to the person being subject to our harassment policy or code of conduct and expulsion process:

  • Violence, threats of violence or violent language directed against another member;
  • Sexist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, ableist or otherwise discriminatory jokes and language;
  • Posting or displaying sexually explicit or violent material in our spaces, in which “spaces” are designated channels and “rooms” on digital platforms (e.g. Discord, Zoom) or physical spaces in which we discuss and/or conduct chapter business;
  • Posting or threatening to post other members’ or participants’ personally identifying information (“doxing”);
  • Personal insults, particularly those related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or disability;
  • Inappropriate photography or recording. You should have members’ or participants’ consent before taking their photograph and/or recording their voice;
  • Inappropriate physical contact. You should have someone’s consent before touching them;
  • Unwelcome sexual attention. This includes: sexualized comments or jokes; inappropriate touching, groping, objectification, and unwelcome sexual advances;
  • Deliberate intimidation, stalking, invasions of privacy and space, or following (online or in person);Intentionally undermining, harming, or sabotaging organizing efforts,
  • Ignoring or directly contravening chapter policies or processes, including those related to conflict resolution, 
  • Intentional and sustained disruptions of meetings and organizing spaces, 
  • Misappropriation of funds or materials or access to communications or data of the chapter, 
  • Disruption of community events, including meetings, talks and presentations; including by anyone who is in substantial disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization, as provided by the DSA Constitution.Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior;

4. Consequences of Unacceptable Behavior

Unacceptable behavior from any person who attends a DSA meeting, conference, or event will not be tolerated. Anyone asked to stop unacceptable behavior is expected to comply immediately.

Infiltrators will be removed from meetings, conferences, and all other events immediately. An infiltrator is defined as anyone who is in substantial, disrespectful and vocal disagreement with the principles or policies of the organization which lead to insurmountable differences in goals or tactics, as provided by the chapter bylaws.

If a person engages in unacceptable behavior, DSA leaders/organizers may take any immediate action they deem appropriate to immediately address the behavior, including expulsion from the meeting, conference, digital or in-person forums, or event, and without refund in the case of a paid event. Until the chapter can investigate whether the unacceptable behavior violated DSA’s harassment policy and/or any applicable code of conduct, the person may be prohibited from further participation in the organization.

The Local Council and the HGOs can take further action to address unacceptable behavior per the chapter bylaws. The LC and HGOs are committed to addressing members’ or leaders’ unacceptable behavior while creating a process for everyone to account for their actions, transform their behavior, and respond to accusations, as long as that process does not allow further harm to thrive. This will be done in accordance with DSA’s National Unified Grievance Policy. Additionally, the LC and HGOs will work with community members who experience harm to contribute to shaping this restorative process, if they desire to do so.

Furthermore, the LC and HGOs are committed to ongoing development of all members, leaders, and allies to transform the political conditions that reinforce oppression, violence, and abuse. 

5. Reporting Guidelines

Anyone who is subject to or witnesses any unacceptable conduct should report that conduct to a chapter HGO (harassment and grievance officer) or Local Council member. They may do so through direct communication methods or by using the confidential email accessible to HGOs exclusively (hgo@dsaneworleans.org).

The HGO or Local Council member will determine whether the conduct violates the code of conduct and/or rises to a potential violation of DSA’s anti-harassment policy (Resolution 33), and if so, can assist with filing a grievance regarding the potential violation. The HGO will investigate violations of this code of conduct pursuant to the Unified Grievance Policy and standards established by National DSA for investigations under Resolution 33, and will make recommendations to the Local Council on remedial action. Such action can include, but is not limited to, no-contact orders, suspension, and, where appropriate, expulsion. Expulsions can be appealed to the National Political Committee (NPC) of DSA, following the appeals process authorized by Resolution 33 and described in the Unified Grievance Policy.

Solely as an option of critical need, depending on the nature of the conduct, DSA officers may help community members engage with local law enforcement or to otherwise help those experiencing unacceptable behavior feel safe. At in-person events, organizers will also provide escorts as desired by the person experiencing distress.

No confidential grievance information will be disclosed to law enforcement or any party to a civil lawsuit without a valid and enforceable subpoena requesting said information. If a subpoena or informal request for information or evidence from anyone outside of the parties or in relation to any legal, judicial, administrative or other kind of action is received, the Local Council will contact the National Grievance Chairs immediately.

6. Scope

We expect all community participants (DSA staff, members, allies, vendors, donors, supporters and others) to abide by this Code of Conduct in all community venues–online and in-person–as well as in all one-on-one communications or meetings pertaining to DSA business. This Code of Conduct applies to all of our ‘spaces’ but not beyond, in which “spaces” include both digital platforms (e.g. Discord, Zoom) or physical spaces in which we discuss and/or conduct chapter business

This code of conduct and its related procedures also applies to unacceptable behavior occurring outside the scope of community activities when such behavior has the potential to adversely affect the safety and well-being of community members.

JEMEZ PRINCIPLES FOR DEMOCRATIC ORGANIZING

The Jemez Principles for Democratic Organizing were originally drafted at the 1996 Working Group Meeting on Globalization and Trade. Also known as the Jemez meeting, it was hosted by the Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice with the intention of hammering out common understandings between participants from different cultures, politics and organizations, initially with environmental justice organizing in mind specifically. The participants adopted the following “Jemez Principles” for democratic organizing, which have since guided a wide variety of organizations struggling for social, racial, and economic justice:

  1. Be Inclusive
     If we hope to achieve just societies that include all people in decision-making and assure that all people have an equitable share of the wealth and the work of this world, then we must work to build that kind of inclusiveness into our own movement in order to develop alternative policies and institutions to the treaties policies under neoliberalism. This requires more than tokenism, it cannot be achieved without diversity at the planning table, in staffing, and in coordination. It may delay achievement of other important goals, it will require discussion, hard work, patience, and advance planning. It may involve conflict, but through this conflict, we can learn better ways of working together. It’s about building alternative institutions, movement building, and not compromising out in order to be accepted into the anti-globalization club.
  2.  Emphasis on Bottom-Up Organizing
     To succeed, it is important to reach out into new constituencies, and to reach within all levels of leadership and membership base of the organizations that are already involved in our networks. We must be continually building and strengthening a base which provides our credibility, our strategies, mobilizations, leadership development, and the energy for the work we must do daily.
  3. Let People Speak for Themselves
     We must be sure that relevant voices of people directly affected are heard. Ways must be provided for spokespersons to represent and be responsible to the affected constituencies. It is important for organizations to clarify their roles, and who they represent, and to assure accountability within our structures.
  4. Work Together In Solidarity and Mutuality
     Groups working on similar issues with compatible visions should consciously act in solidarity, mutuality and support each other’s work. In the long run, a more significant step is to incorporate the goals and values of other groups with your own work, in order to build strong relationships. For instance, in the long run, it is more important that labor unions and community economic development projects include the issue of environmental sustainability in their own strategies, rather than just lending support to the environmental organizations. So communications, strategies and resource sharing is critical, to help us see our connections and build on these.
  5. Build Just Relationships Among Ourselves
    We need to treat each other with justice and respect, both on an individual and an organizational level, in this country and across borders. Defining and developing “just relationships” will be a process that won’t happen overnight. It must include clarity about decision-making, sharing strategies, and resource distribution. There are clearly many skills necessary to succeed, and we need to determine the ways for those with different skills to coordinate and be accountable to one another.
  6. Commitment to Self-Transformation
    As we change societies, we must change from operating on the mode of individualism to community-centeredness. We must “walk our talk.” We must be the values that we say we’re struggling for and we must be justice, be peace, be community