Ratification Meeting Guidelines

General Membership Ratification Meeting Guidelines

The District and the PJSTA Executive Board negotiate Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs)/contracts. Typically, MOAs/contracts which involve contract negotiations are brought to the general membership for a vote. All MOAs/contracts are voted on, first, by executive board and then by the representative council, which is the governing body of the PJSTA.

The Rep Council does not make any changes to the MOA/contract. The Representative Council only votes yes, no, or to abstain for the MOA/contract. If the MOA/contract is approved by the Representative Council, the MOA/contract then goes to the General Membership for ratification.

Once the MOA/contract is brought to a General Membership Ratification Meeting it cannot be changed. The General Membership votes only yes, no, or to abstain for the MOA/contract.

If the membership approves the MOA/contract, the president of the Board of Education, the superintendent of schools and the PJSTA president sign the agreement and it becomes part of our contract.

Voting Procedures:
The PJSTA president will appoint:
a) Two Sergeants at Arms to maintain order.
b) Four Tellers who will:
-Count those in attendance to make sure a quorum is present
-Certify the number of votes; yes, no, and abstention
c) One parliamentarian to assist the membership with moving motions on the floor.
d) One time keeper.

Meeting Procedures:
1) The PJSTA secretary will take notes during the meeting.
2) The president will read the MOA/contract summary.
3) One member will make a motion calling for a vote and another member will second the motion.
4) Each member who wishes to speak to the motion will approach the microphone, state their name, and opinion, within a three minute time frame.
5) At any time during this procedure a member can rise to the microphone and call the question.
6) Once the question is called, the president will call for a second, and then close discussion . The membership will vote on calling the question and then vote on the motion.
7) The president will call for an oral vote of yes, no, and abstention.
8) The tellers will determine if there is a clear majority.
9) If the outcome is not clear, the president will call for a show of hands. Any member can request that the president call for a roll call vote.