Adopted March 4, 2022, Amended March 9, 2024

SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL MEMBERSHIP BRANCH OF THE INDUSTRIAL WORKERS OF THE WORLD BRANCH BYLAWS

ARTICLE I
About

Section 1: Name This organization shall be named the South Carolina General Membership Branch (GMB) of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). It may be referred to as “South Carolina IWW”, “South Carolina Branch”, “South Carolina GMB”, “GMB” or “branch”.

Section 2: Affiliation The South Carolina GMB is directly affiliated with the IWW and shall retain all the rights, benefits and privileges of a chartered IWW local. Dues shall be assessed at the General Union constitutional standards. These bylaws shall be made available to every South Carolina IWW member as soon as possible upon initiation and/or request.

Section 3: Purpose The objectives of the South Carolina GMB are to: Organize the workers across South Carolina without regard to race, gender, disability, nationality, ethnicity, creed, sexual orientation, age or religion. Eliminate all forms of injustice, bigotry and discrimination both on and off the job. Improve conditions for all workers and promote the interests of the working class. Educate fellow workers on the principles and purpose of solidarity unionism. Encourage non-member workers to join the IWW and become active. Nurture democratic, rank-and-file participation in workplace and industry organizing efforts throughout the area. Allow full freedom of expression while upholding the IWW’s Safer Spaces Policy. Study the principles, understand the purposes and pursue the objectives of the IWW. Organize industrially for the abolition of the wage system in accordance with the Preamble to the IWW Constitution.

Section 4: Indigenous Recognition This branch recognizes that all the lands concurrent with the borders of the settler-named state of South Carolina are, in fact, colonized lands once held in sacred trust by Native and Indigenous Peoples. As such, we acknowledge previous relationships with the land and honor other names for the area of operation defined in these bylaws conferred by Native and Indigenous Peoples, to include Catawba, Cheraw, Chicora, Congaree, Kusso, Lumbee, Pee Dee, Saluda, Santee, S’atsoyaha, Sewee, Sugaree, Tsalaguwetiyi, Yamassee, Waccamaw, Wateree, Waxhaw, Westo and Winyah. (This list is meant to be representative and not exhaustive.) We form this branch in solidarity with Native and Indigenous struggles and commit ourselves to creating space for Native and Indigenous voices to speak their needs. We acknowledge our obligations as benefactors of settler colonialism and affirm our duty to overthrow the system of capitalism which propelled a genocide of, and continues to oppress, Native and Indigenous Peoples.


ARTICLE II

Members

Section 1: Membership Membership of the South Carolina GMB shall be by voluntary association of IWW members in good standing. All IWW members who live or work in the state of South Carolina shall be considered branch members, unless they specifically request exclusion.

Section 2: Authority The authority of this branch lies in its membership. Only members of the South Carolina GMB in good standing may vote on branch business. Where express language is absent in any of these bylaws, a majority vote of South Carolina GMB members in good standing shall apply.

Section 3: Jurisdiction The South Carolina GMB shall have jurisdiction over all IWW members throughout the state of South Carolina, to include all 46 counties. If another GMB of the IWW should form within the boundaries described in this section, then these bylaws shall be modified by mutual agreement of both branches. Such an agreement shall be accepted by a majority vote as defined in Article IV Section 5 of these bylaws, as well as the rules of the other branch. An agreement, once ratified by both branches, shall automatically amend these bylaws to come into compliance with the agreed upon terms.

Section 4: Preemption Where these bylaws conflict with, or are preempted by, the IWW Constitution and General Bylaws, the provision of the South Carolina GMB bylaws in question shall be null and void.


ARTICLE III

Meetings

Section 1: Regular Meetings The South Carolina GMB shall meet at least once monthly to conduct business and make branch decisions. Meetings may be held online or in-person, but must include a well-advertised date and an accessible and inclusive virtual or physical venue. If a monthly meeting must be skipped or a quorum cannot be reached, all business items shall be tabled to the next business meeting.

Section 2: Special Meetings The South Carolina GMB may authorize additional special business meetings during the month as needed. Special meetings may be called by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer or by a majority vote at another South Carolina GMB business meeting. All South Carolina GMB members must be notified via email or official branch communication channels no less than three days in advance of a called special meeting.

Section 3: Quorum A quorum of five (5) South Carolina GMB members or 15% of members (whichever is greater) in good standing must be present to conduct any business meeting.

Section 4: Standing All members of the South Carolina GMB in good standing may vote on branch business. At-large members and members of other GMBs may attend and speak at meetings but may not vote and do not count toward a quorum. A majority of members at a meeting may vote to remove a non-GMB member(s) from a meeting.

Section 5: Procedure Meetings are run according to Rusty’s Rules of Order, with copies made available to members at all meetings. A meeting agenda shall be distributed by email to all members no less than 24 hours in advance of all business meetings.


ARTICLE IV

Voting Section

1: Regular Voting All decisions of the South Carolina GMB must be made by a majority vote of eligible members at a business meeting, unless otherwise specified by the IWW Constitution or in these bylaws.
 At its discretion, the GMB may also hold votes electronically, to be coordinated by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer. Section

2: Amending Bylaws All amendments to these bylaws shall require a majority vote of all South Carolina GMB members and shall be conducted electronically as defined in Article VIII. Section

3: Elections Elections shall be conducted online prior to the February regular meeting of the South Carolina GMB. Nominations for officers can be made any time before or during the January meeting. If a nominee for office is running unopposed, elections shall not be required.

Section 4: Balloting The Branch Secretary-Treasurer shall be responsible for coordinating online voting for amendments and elections, to include preparing and distributing an official secret ballot to all GMB members in good standing, tabulating results, and ensuring an inclusive, anonymous and fair process for all.

Section 5: Majority Vote A majority vote shall be defined as 50% +1 of eligible voters voting in favor. Members who abstain from voting at a business meeting are counted for purposes of determining quorum but are not included in determining the outcome of a vote. A minimum of three (3) affirmative votes are required for any decision to be considered approved by majority vote at a business meeting.

Section 6: Proxy Votes Should a South Carolina GMB member in good standing not be able to attend a meeting at which business is to be voted on, a proxy of votes may be submitted in writing to the Branch Secretary-Treasurer or via official branch communication channels.


ARTICLE V

Officers

Section 1: Roles The South Carolina GMB shall elect a Branch Secretary-Treasurer and Delegate(s) to perform the duties prescribed by the Constitution of the IWW, the Manual of Policies and Procedures, and these bylaws. The branch may create and elect any other officers by proposal and vote, and each additional officer shall be subject to the provisions of these bylaws.

Section 2: Requirements Officers must be South Carolina GMB members in good standing and must remain in good standing as defined by Article V Section 1 of the IWW Constitution. All officers are expected to attend business meetings of the GMB when possible. All outgoing officers are expected to train incoming officers during the final month of their term. Once elected, the Branch Secretary-Treasurer must become a credentialed IWW delegate, if they are not already.

Section 3: Branch Secretary-Treasurer Maintains a branch membership list and all branch documents, media, contracts, records, funds and supplies, and performs other duties as described in these bylaws. Keeps proper financial records for the branch, including a regular accounting of all income and expenses, transactions with delegates, remittance of dues and other union funds collected or disbursed. Such books and records shall be subject to review each May and inspection by branch members in good standing at any time. Submits monthly reports to branch membership and General Headquarters (GHQ) as required by the IWW Constitution. Has the power to sign checks and other instruments for the payment of GMB funds. Oversees disbursement of branch funds and approves expenditures as directed by the GMB. Collects monthly delegate reports to be submitted each May to the GMB, along with banking records from the previous fiscal year and a draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Manages contact between the GMB and the General Executive Board (GEB), General Headquarters (GHQ) and Organizing Department Board (ODB). Ensures coordination and training of branch delegates. Oversees all official branch communication channels and digital accounts, including the branch website, email, social media, internal messaging and cloud storage. Calls all regular and special meetings and serves as chair of such meetings or delegates such rights to another South Carolina GMB member in good standing. Secures a location for all meetings, notifying all members of the time and place, and distributing a draft agenda. Coordinates all branch voting, including electing officers and amending bylaws. Keeps a record of meeting minutes, including a written record of proposals and decisions. Reports proposed bylaw amendments to members and transmits approved bylaw amendments to General Headquarters (GHQ). Drafts communication with members, potential members, and supporters. Submits annual IRS and DoL forms as required by law and ensures all fiscal compliance forms are submitted properly. Promptly informs the GMB if funds are being used contrary to these bylaws, or the goals, principles and policies of the IWW Constitution and General Bylaws. Works with an authorized union representative to surrender the charter and union supplies, property, and funds to the General Administration if the branch charter is revoked.

Section 4: Delegate(s) The South Carolina GMB shall have as many credentialled delegates as it deems necessary, ideally one (1) per every ten (10) members. All delegates must be elected by the GMB. All delegates are credentialed by the General Secretary-Treasurer (GST) and are empowered to initiate new members and collect dues and assessments. Delegates are responsible for keeping records, submitting monthly reports and monies collected to the Branch Secretary-Treasurer, orienting new members to our union, maintaining regular contact with members, encouraging fellow workers to keep in good standing and attend training, and distributing IWW publications and literature. Branch Delegates report directly to the Branch Secretary-Treasurer and not to General Headquarters (GHQ).

Section 5: Term of Office Officers and delegates shall be elected to serve for one (1) year, and their term of office shall begin April 1. There shall be no limit to the number of terms served, however, consecutive terms shall not be allowed for the position of Branch Secretary-Treasurer. Interim terms, such as for an officer elected to fill an office vacated through recall or resignation, shall not count toward determining consecutive terms.

Section 6: Recall Any officer or delegate may be recalled by a majority vote of all South Carolina GMB members in good standing at a business meeting. Grounds for recall from office shall be failure to fulfill the responsibilities of office, actions detrimental to the interests of members, or an officer becoming ineligible for membership in the IWW. A recall vote may be held whenever five (5) South Carolina GMB members or 10% of members (whichever is greater) in good standing submit a petition for recall at a regular or special branch meeting. The petition shall be immediately tabled and the vote held at the next business meeting. In the event the Branch Secretary-Treasurer is being recalled, the membership shall nominate a temporary Recall Committee to carry out the recall vote. Once submitted, a recall petition must be immediately distributed by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer or Recall Committee to all South Carolina GMB members in good standing via email and official branch communication channels. Officers who have been recalled shall be immediately relieved of all responsibilities and shall turn over all South Carolina GMB documents in their possession to another officer.

Section 7: Resignation Any officer or delegate may resign at any time by written statement to the official South Carolina GMB email account or official branch communication channels. Officers who resign shall be immediately relieved of all responsibilities and shall turn over all South Carolina GMB documents in their possession to another officer. Section 8: Vacancy If any office becomes vacant, nominations shall be taken right away, with the election for the interim officer to take place online as defined in Article IV Section 4 of these bylaws within one (1) month. Officers elected through vacancy shall be seated immediately upon election and serve the remainder of the term.


ARTICLE VI

Committees

Section 1: Creation The South Carolina GMB may establish committees, sub-committees and ad hoc committees at monthly meetings to carry out the tasks of the branch.

Section 2: Composition Upon creation of a committee, the GMB shall specify when and how committees are to report to the branch. Committee members shall be chosen at the branch meeting which creates the committee, and committee membership may be altered at later branch meetings, or committees may be disbanded. Each committee shall elect its own chair. Committees shall draft their own structure, budget, guidelines, bylaws and/or meeting rules, subject to approval by the GMB.

Section 3: Responsibilities Committees cannot make official decisions without the approval of the branch membership. Committees shall provide copies of all records and documentation pertaining to their official organizing and activities done for the South Carolina GMB, such as meeting minutes, released statements, etc. to be kept with the branch administrative permanent records.


ARTICLE VII

Administration

Section 1: Budget The fiscal year shall be from July 1 to June 30. Each May, the Branch Secretary-Treasurer shall provide the GMB with delegate reports and banking records from the previous fiscal year, as well as a draft budget to serve as a guide for the upcoming fiscal year. Using information provided by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer, the GMB shall approve an annual budget, to be voted on by branch membership at the June meeting. Any and all voluntary assessments collected by the South Carolina GMB shall be promptly allocated to the projects for which they are intended, unless such disbursement violates these bylaws or the IWW Constitution and General Bylaws.

Section 2: Accounting The Branch Secretary-Treasurer shall supply a monthly report outlining the current bank balance, and all expenditures and incomes over the previous month.

Section 3: Dues Collection South Carolina GMB members pay their dues to an elected delegate or via electronic funds transfer (EFT). Delegates shall transfer monies collected to the Branch Secretary-Treasurer for remittance to General Headquarters (GHQ) of its portion of dues and assessments. South Carolina GMB members may also pay dues via the Red Card system, and have General Headquarters (GHQ) remit to the branch its portion.

Section 4: Spending Authority Only the Branch Secretary-Treasurer and a delegate of their choosing shall have signing or spending authority. Expenditures greater than $50 require an approved branch motion. The Branch Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to disburse funds less than $50 at their discretion, which shall always be set aside as petty cash. These disbursements must be included in the Branch Secretary-Treasurer’s monthly financial report. Voluntary payments, donations, and assessments are welcome and must be accounted for, as must any other funds. 
 Branch accounts shall be available for inspection and review by any branch members within one week of request. An itemized list of pre-approved purchases and funds can be reimbursed if the pre-approval amount has been set at a previous monthly meeting. Funds shall be disbursed by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer to that individual after receiving an original copy of the itemized receipts.

Section 5: Financial Review Each May there shall be a review and report of the branch treasury for the previous fiscal year. Three (3) IWW members in good standing invited by the South Carolina GMB shall conduct the review. Financial reviews shall be conducted by someone other than those with spending authority.

Section 6: Job Branches Three (3) or more South Carolina GMB members in a workplace may form a job branch. The GMB shall support the efforts of job branches to the best of its ability. Job branches may elect stewards and other officers as needed. Terms for all officers shall be for a set time and subject to recall by a vote. Job branches shall report to the GMB about developments in their workplace. Such reports shall disclose the latest news of the job branch and provide a status on attaining established goals.

Section 7: Branch Dissolution Should the South Carolina GMB be dissolved, all remaining funds and assets shall be remitted by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer to General Headquarters (GHQ).


ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Section 1: Initiation Amendments to these bylaws shall be proposed by any member in good standing and shall be voted on electronically by all eligible members of the South Carolina GMB. Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be submitted in writing via email to the Branch Secretary-Treasurer or official branch communication channels, clearly stating the article(s), section(s) and/or paragraph(s) to be amended. Such proposed changes are to be reported out and voted on within one (1) month of proposal.

Section 2: Notice The Branch Secretary-Treasurer shall report proposed amendments to all South Carolina GMB members in good standing. Notice shall include the written submission of the existing verbiage and proposed amendment(s) side-by-side for easy comparison. Notice shall also include a voting deadline, to be no less than two (2) weeks from the date of notice, and clear instructions on how to vote.

Section 3: Approval Amendments shall become effective upon adoption of a majority vote of all South Carolina GMB members in good standing. Approved amendments shall be incorporated in a new edition of these bylaws, and “Amended, [Date of Membership Vote]” added below or alongside “Adopted [Date of Approval]” on the first page. A copy of the new edition of these bylaws shall be transmitted by the Branch Secretary-Treasurer to General Headquarters (GHQ) within 60 days, consistent with Article XI Section 3 of the IWW Constitution. Copies shall be made available to the membership via email, electronic download or paper copy provided at a GMB meeting.


ARTICLE IX

Conflict Resolution

Section 1: Grievances The South Carolina GMB is committed to providing a democratic and orderly process by which its members may bring complaints against fellow members and officers. To this end, the branch shall apply Article III of the IWW General Bylaws (entitled “Complaints and Conflict Resolution”) to all such matters.

Section 2: Safer Spaces Policy The South Carolina GMB is committed to the emancipation of the entire working class. The working class is diverse and as a union we recognize that oppression is many layered. As such, we strive to keep our common places free from oppressive action, behavior, and language. We therefore affirm the union-wide safer spaces policy from the IWW Constitution’s “Selected Resolutions.”

Section 3: Additional Policies The South Carolina GMB may enact its own complaint policies and procedures so long as those rules are not preempted by, or in conflict with, the IWW Constitution and General Bylaws.