United Socialists of Utah

We're going to kick of the expansion of the United Socialists of Utah, and one of the ways we're going to do that is by taking on other organizations to get them to write content for our website. Basically, if you've got a revolutionary struggle going on in Utah in everything from women's, undocumented workers, LGBT rights to labor struggles or study groups, you should join us.

We hope to make this site a clearing house of information for those engaged in the revolutionary struggle to bring power to the people of Utah. Please let us know what you think of this new direction, and hopefully we'll become a great deal more active.

Bylaws of the United Socialists of Utah

Article I
Name

The name of this Society shall be the “United Socialists of Utah.”

Article II
Object

The object of this society shall be to educate the people about capitalism as a system; to educate the people on socialism as resistance to capitalism and as an alternative system; to organize the people to resist exploitation of capitalism and build working class institutions.

Article III
Membership

Section 1 Right of a Neighborhood

All members shall have a right to belong to one, and only one, Neighborhood close to them. Every member has a right, if both neighborhoods are roughly equidistant to them, to choose which Neighborhood to which they would belong. They also have the right to request a temporary neighborhood as governed by the Article VIII Temporary Neighborhood Section 3.

Section 2 Rights in a Neighborhood

All members in good standing shall have full rights within their Neighborhood including but not limited to, the right to debate, motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, directly vote for Neighborhood officers, directly vote for the Society officers, and take any other action within Neighborhood permitted by this Society.

Section 3 Neighborhood Rights Reserved

Every Member in good standing shall retain all Neighborhood rights regardless of any additional rights granted as a District representative or as an officer.

Section 4 Membership Eligibility

Any Adult resident of Utah shall be eligible for membership provided that resident is proposed by one member and seconded by another member. A proposal for membership confirmed by two endorsers which may include a signed paper letter of endorsement, an e-mailed endorsement from a previously confirmed members e-mail address, or a phone call with an endorsement from a confirmed member's phone number shall be sent to the secretary who shall report it at the next meeting of the neighborhood to which the prospective member would belong. A person so elected shall be declared a member of the society upon the payment of the initiation fee and at least one month of membership dues.

Section 5 Resignation from Membership

Any member desiring to resign from the Society shall submit his resignation in writing to the secretary who shall present it to the state delegates for action. No member's resignation shall be accepted until his or her dues are paid.

Article IV Officers
Section 1 Officers and Duties

The officers of this Society shall be President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and the number and manner of state, district, and neighborhood officers as prescribed by the organization of this Society found in article VIII, IX, and X. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by this Society. The officers of this Society shall also be known as the “State” or “State level” officers.

Section 2 Nominations and Times of Elections

Any member of good standing may nominate any other member of good standing so long as the nominating and nominating members have the authority and the ability to be nominated according to the bylaws and the Article VIII, XI, and X depending on the level to which they are nominated. The nominating member must then send the signed nomination to the secretary of the body to which he or she would have the nominated member elected. Regular Neighborhood elections shall be held no earlier than September 1st and no Later than March 31st. Regular District elections shall be held the first Saturday of April. Regular State elections shall be held the first Saturday of May.

Section 3 Temporary Officers

The State and District Presidents and Vice-Presidents may serve as temporary officers in any Neighborhood to which they are elected as governed by Article VIII.

Section 4 Recall of Officers

Any Officer may be recalled. A member of good standing of any body to which he has proper authority may submit a motion seconded by another member in good standing in writing to the secretary of the body to which that officer is to be recalled. The Secretary will then issue a notice to that membership no sooner than one week and no later than two months. The officer shall be recalled upon a passing simple majority of the membership of that body.

Article V Meetings

Section 1 Regular Meetings

All lower bodies shall determine the time and schedule of their own meetings so long as they meet no less than one a quarter. A Regular state meeting shall be held on the first Saturday of every month with the exception of the second quarter which shall meet on the first Saturday of May.

Section 2 Annual Meetings

The regular meeting held on the first Saturday in May shall be known as the annual meeting and shall be for the purpose of electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business that may arise.

Article VI Committees
Section 1 Financial Committee

A financial committee composed of the Treasurer and two other members who shall be appointed by the President promptly after each annual meeting. It shall be the duty of this committee prepare a budget for the fiscal year beginning the first day of June, and to submit it to the Society at the State level at its regular meeting in May and it shall be approved upon a majority vote. The Finance Committee may from time to time submit amendments to the budget for the current fiscal year, which may be adopted by a majority vote.

Section 2 Program Committees

A Program Committee of three members who shall be appointed by the President promptly after the annual meeting of the Society, whose duty it shall be to plan the annual program of the Society. This committee's report shall be submitted to the Society for its approval at its regular meeting in May.

Section 3 Auditing Committee

An Auditing Committee of three members who shall be appointed by the President at the Society's fourth quarter meeting, whose duty it shall be to audit the Treasurer's accounts at the close of the fiscal year and to report at the annual meeting.

Section 4 Other Committees; President's Ex-Officio Committtee Membership.

Such Other committees, standing or special, shall be appointed by the Society through an authorized motion within the authorized body such that no committee formed by a lower body shall have any authority to enact any motion over any higher body. The President shall be ex officio a member of all committees.

Article VII Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the Society may adopt.

Article VIII Organization of the Neighborhood

Section 1 Hierarchy of Neighborhoods

The lowest body of this Society shall be the Neighborhood. The next higher body shall be the District. The State shall be the highest body of this Society. The Neighborhood is the lower body to the District and the District is the lower body to the State. The Neighborhood shall not have the authority over any higher or equal body nor shall they take any action that stands contrary to the bylaws, special rules, or approved authorized actions of any higher body. The Neighborhood has no authority over any other Neighborhood, the District, or the State level.

Section 2 Limits on Neighborhoods

Every Neighborhood must have at least 10 members and no more than 100. If the Neighborhood has less than 10 members for more than two months, that Neighborhood is to be dissolved and its members shall join the geographically nearest Neighborhood to them. A Neighborhood may choose to split along geographic lines with a 2/3rds vote so long as the two remaining Neighborhoods would both contain at least 10 members. A Neighborhood with over 100 members shall be given at least one month to decide upon a geographic split of the Neighborhood so that both new Neighborhoods shall have at least 30 members and if no decision is reached, then the division of the Neighborhood shall be decided at the next District meeting. New Neighborhoods will be formed according to the rule for the Temporary Neighborhood found in Section 3.

Section 3 Temporary Neighborhoods

A Temporary Neighborhood may be formed when a member in good standing submits a request in writing seconded by another member in good standing to the Secretary of the District. This Neighborhood will then grant all people attending its meetings full membership rights until either either achieves enough members to become a Neighborhood or no later than 3 months at which point that Neighborhood will dissolve and its members shall join the closest geographic Neighborhood. The officers of a Temporary Neighborhood shall have no rights at the District level.

Section 4 Neighborhood Officers

Every Neighborhood shall have three officers: a Neighborhood President, Vice President, and Secretary. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by this Society. In addition to carrying out duties within the Neighborhood, the President and Vice-President shall serve as that Neighborhood's Delegates to the District. The Neighborhood Secretary shall also submit all of their minutes, agenda, and reports to the District Secretary.

Section 5 Neighborhood Delegation

Every Neighborhood member in good standing shall have the right to join the President and Vice President of their Neighborhood as part of the Delegation Committee Membership as Members. They shall have the right to debate an issue, but they shall not have the right to motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, directly vote for the District officers or take any other action which entail any authority over the body.

Article IX Organization of the District

Section 1 Hierarchy of the District

The District shall be the higher body to the Neighborhood. The District shall only have authority over the Neighborhoods which comprise it. The next higher body shall be the the State. The Neighborhood is the lower body to the District and the District is the lower body to the State. The District shall not have the authority over any higher or equal body nor shall they take any action that stands contrary to the bylaws, special rules, or approved authorized actions of any higher body. The District has no authority over any other District or the State level.

Section 2 Limits on Districts

Every District must have at least 3 Neighborhoods and no more than 10 Neighborhoods. If the District has less than 2 Neighborhoods for more than four months, that District is to be dissolved and its Neighborhoods shall join the geographically nearest District to them. A District may choose to split along geographic lines with a 2/3rds vote so long as the two remaining Districts would both contain at least 3 Neighborhoods. A District with over 10 Neighborhoods shall be given at least two months to decide upon a geographic split of the District so that both new Districts shall have at least 3 Neighborhoods and if no decision is reached, then the division of the District shall be decided at the next State meeting. New Districts will be formed only by a split in an existing District.

Section 3 Delegate Membership; Delegations

The Neighborhood President and Vice President of the Neighborhoods belong to that District shall serve as that District's membership known as a District Delegate with full rights including, but not limited to, the right to debate, motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, directly vote for District officers, and take any other action within District permitted by this Society. In addition, any Neighborhood member of good standing shall have the ability to join their Delegates as part of the Delegation Committee Membership. These District Delegation Committee Members, known as Members, shall have the full rights to debate, but they shall not have the right to motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, directly vote for the District officers or take any other action which entail any authority over the body.

Section 4 District Officers

Every Neighborhood shall have three officers: a District President, Vice President, and Secretary. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by this Society. In addition to carrying out duties within the District, the President and Vice-President shall serve as that District's Delegates to the State level. The District Secretary shall also submit all of their minutes, agenda, and reports to the Society's Secretary.

Section 5 District Delegation

Every District member in good standing shall have the right to join the President and Vice President of their District as part of the Delegation Committee Membership as Members. They shall have the right to debate an issue, but they shall not have the right to motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, directly vote for the State officers or take any other action which entail any authority over the body.

Article X Organization of the State
Section 1 Authority of the State

The State level shall be the highest level of this Society and shall have the authority to take any action whatsoever, so long as shall they shall take no action that stands contrary to the bylaws.

Section 2 State Delegate Membership; State Delegations

The District President and Vice President of the Districts shall serve as that District's membership known as a State Delegate with full rights including, but not limited to, the right to debate, motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, and take any other action permitted by this Society. In addition, any District member of good standing shall have the ability to join their Delegates as part of the State Delegation Committee Membership. These State Delegation Committee Members, known as Members, shall have the full rights to debate, but they shall not have the right to motion, vote, nominate, be nominated, hold office, or take any other action which entail any authority over the body.
Section 4 State Officers

The State officers are the same as the Society officers and they are elected directly by the membership as found in Article IV.

Section 5 Disbursement of Funds

The State shall control all disbursement of funds as authorized by the budget submitted by the financial committee which requires a majority vote of the State Delegates as stated in Article 4 Section 1. All funds shall be disbursed only with the approval of the State level and the signature and authorization of both the President and the Treasurer.

Article XI Amendment of Bylaws

These bylaws may be amended at any regular State meeting of this Society by two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting and shall be distributed by the Secretary to all State Delegates no later than two weeks before the next meeting at which the Amendment shall be voted upon.

Resolved: We must hold a congress to form the United Socialist Party of Utah.

Reasoning: We must ask, “Why should we form the United Socialist Party of Utah?”

There are numerous reasons for forming the United Socialist Party of Utah.

First, we must represent the interests of the workers in Utah. Secondly, only a Party has the institutional resources to stand against capitalist exploitation and represent the workers of Utah as a class. These institutional resources include a newspaper, wider organization to bring together groups resisting capitalism, and the ability to quickly mobilize the people to resist any threats.

Why shouldn't we simply form an affiliate of a national Party?

The reasons are simple. National parties of all types have shown they are unable or unwilling to take the organization of the Utah workers seriously. We must, therefore, unify with the Utah workers to resist capitalist exploitation on our own. The struggle for Utah is our struggle, and we shall not abandon it to national parties uninterested in the Utah struggle.

Program: What should be the program of the Party?

The Party program must be to form the workers into a political unity. This unity must fight against exploitation, domination, and injustice. The Party must also protect the workers by creating institutions to resist the domination of capitalism. These institutions must range from community organizing committees and local journalism to unions and political action committees.

Structure: What should be the Structure of the Party?

The Party must remain committed to political republicanism and economic socialism.

To ensure the parties republicanism we must ensure that all Party members have a say on all Party policies which affect them.

To ensure the carrying out of the republicanism we must ensure that all Party members regardless of position should be subject to Party policy.

We must also structure the Party so that members can voice their position on all issues which affect them, but that the Party has the leadership to quickly respond to all issues that arise.

To ensure the Party remains socialist we must remember that all political positions and offices, ballot initiatives, and political organizing exists as a MEANS to the end of ending capitalism as a system, not personal or organizational power as such.

To ensure the Party remains socialist we must organize the Party, its committees, and its members to organize for MORE than just parliamentary elections, but also to organize our communities outside of narrow vision of “capitalist” politics.

To ensure the Party remains connected to the workers it must forge close connections with unions and support all union efforts to organize workers against the interests of capitalism.

In short, we need a mass movement that continually radicalizes and politicizes the workers to fight for themselves and all other workers against continuing and expanding capitalist injustice.