Eco-Socialist Working Group Charter

Rechartered: 2022-03-27

Article I: Name

The name of this group shall be the Madison-Area Democratic Socialists of America

Ecosocialist Working Group, hereafter Ecosocialist Working Group (EWG).

Article II: Scope

The purpose of the EWG shall be to fulfill the following objectives:

  1. Organize for the implementation of the Green New Deal and further climate justice goals.
  2. Advocate climate policies that follow the principles of DSA National’s ecosocialist principles, the Red Deal, and MADSA’s local platform.
  3. Advance solutions to theclimate crisis that are opposed to imperialism, exploitation, or austerity imposed upon poor and working people.
  4. Publish outward-facing perspectives in the local community and hold educational events.
  5. The EWG shall report to MADSA general membership and the Executive Committee.

Article III: Relation to People’s Green New Deal Madison

In Spring 2019, a group of Madison area leftists began to organize for a Green New Deal and broader climate justice. This group, People’s Green New Deal Madison (PGND), established relationships with broader climate movement organizing, especially around the climate strike in September 2019. As of November 2019, many active members of this group are also members of MADSA and EWG. As a DSA working group, EWG plans to combine our efforts with the other members of PGND. The working group meetings will ordinarily be the same as PGND meetings. EWG members will vote as members of PGND on matters that affect the whole group, but if there are DSA-specific matters unrelated to PGND’s efforts as a whole, EWG will handle them independently.

Article IV: Membership and Voting

  1. EWG meetings shall be open to all DSA members in good standing; EWG may not prevent a DSA member from attending EWG meetings. Any membership-related issues are to be brought to the MADSA Executive Committee. As a body of MADSA, EWG is subject to the Harassment-Grievance process.
  2. Only DSA members who have attended at least two (2) EWG meetings in the past six months are to be considered voting members of EWG.
  3. A list shall be kept by the EWG Steering Committee (SC) of voting-eligible members of the working group. Non-DSA members are invited to participate in meetings and may be voting members of PGND, but are not voting members of the EWG for DSA-specific matters.
  4. EWG will make decisions in a democratic manner, voting on what actions they take. Any member may call for a vote preceding any decision. A simple majority will suffice for any decision. In the event of a tie, the co-chairs will make the final decision. If they cannot reach consensus the measure shall fail, or continue discussion and revote.
  5. EWG will strive to have one to two member meetings per month.

Article V: Leadership

  1. EWG shall elect a Steering Committee (SC) from its membership consisting of two co-chairs and up to three (3) at large members. The co-chairs shall be responsible for coordinating the work of the group, including ensuring regular meetings of the steering committee and of the working group, and communicating with the MADSA Executive Committee.
    1. Co-chairs are limited to two (2) consecutive one-year terms, but may run for as many terms total as they like.
    2. At least one co-chair should be a non-cis male, if feasible, but the group will not force non-cis male comrades to be in this position if they do not want to.
    3. At least one co-chair must be a DSA member.
  2. Elections shall be held annually, ideally after the adoption or extension of EWG charter.
  3. Voting in leadership elections shall be open to all EWG members, as established in Article III.
  4. Vacancies on the SC shall be filled by election by the group.
  5. Recall of steering committee members shall be conducted through the Executive Committee of MADSA

Article VI: Finances

  1. EWG requests a budget not to exceed $1000 for 2022-23. These funds are to be used for room rental, printing, event promotion, support of the No Line 5 campaign or other purposes as EWG deems appropriate.
  2. EWG finances are to be handled through MADSA’s Treasurer and should not be independently managed. Any funds raised by EWG shall be submitted to MADSA’s Treasurer; funds submitted are not for MADSA general purposes and are to be added to EWG’s ledger. MADSA’s Treasurer must disperse allocated funds as directed by EWG.
  3. EWG’s SC may spend up to $100 at a time on working group activities as it deems fit. Larger expenditures must be voted on by EWG membership.

Article VII: Amendments

Amendments to these bylaws are to be considered at a meeting preceding a rechartering application to the MADSA membership. A two-thirds vote of 25% of the EWG voting membership will be needed to amend these bylaws. Amendments shall not take effect until after EWG has been rechartered by the MADSA membership.

Article VIII: Terms of Charter

  1. To last for one year after the adoption of this charter, or until the 2023 MADSA Convention Meeting, whichever is sooner.
  2. EWG will be governed by the bylaws of DSA Madison, which describe in detail the operation and leadership selection of Working Groups.
  3. For the duration of this charter, EWG shall be empowered to represent itself as MADSA in creating events and materials. Written statements shall be brought to the MADSA Executive Committee for approval.