Structure and Governance
Membership in the Alliance is defined quite broadly. Members of NCSC were automatically made charter members of the Alliance, giving the new organization a sizeable membership base. Any retired union member is eligible for membership in the Alliance. Retired workers who were not union members may become full members as well.
The Alliance's dues are low. Member dues are $10 a year. Payment of dues is made in a unique manner. Member dues are $2 a year. But the dues of retired union members are paid by each national union (with a cap of $100,000, which is adjusted annually). Most AFL-CIO unions pay the dues out of their budgets, rather than assess their retirees or members a special fee to pay the dues. Non-union retirees pay dues of $10.00 a year. Several unions that are current members of the Change to Win Federation remain affiliated with the Alliance.
Alliance members are the governing body of the organization. The membership meets in a national convention every non-presidential election year. The membership elects a president, a secretary-treasurer, a community-based executive vice-president, and six community-based board members. There is no provision for proportional representation within the Alliance; every member may attend the national convention and vote, and sponsoring unions may send as many delegates as they choose. The membership also discusses and approves policies, and raises voluntary donations for the organization's political operations.
Between conventions, the Alliance is governed by a national executive board. The 12-member board includes the six community-based directors as well as six directors appointed by the affiliated unions.
The Alliance has four executive officers as well. These are the president, secretary-treasurer, community-based executive vice-president, and an executive vice-president appointed by Alliance affiliates. These four officers oversee the day-to-day operations of the organization. The Alliance also has an executive director, who oversees the staff and implements the policies of the organization.
In 2012, the Alliance's officers are:
- Barbara Easterling, president. Easterling was the first woman in history to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO.
- Edward F. Coyle, community-based executive director. Coyle is one of five rotating chairs of the Leadership Council on Aging Organizations (LCAO), as well as the founder of Radio Fair America.
- Ruben Burks, secretary-treasurer. Burks was secretary-treasurer of the United Auto Workers from 1998 to 2002.
- Judy Cato, executive vice-president. Cato served on Maryland's State Commission on Aging for eight years.
- Liz Shuler, executive vice-president. Elizabeth “Liz” Shuler became the first woman ever elected Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO in 2009.
Read more about this topic: Alliance For Retired Americans
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