Home » Committees » Steering Committee » Steering Committee Minutes » East Bay DSA Steering Committee Meeting April 3rd, 2023

East Bay DSA Steering Committee Meeting April 3rd, 2023

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1viXR-XWPQXlwN6oPWy-m47GWzy94A0-gmrQC1y4SbqI/edit


Location: EBDSA Office with Zoom Option!


https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82027231334?pwd=VDNxWUJIZzJETXVkaFAySDNHZkxIQT09

Meeting ID: 820 2723 1334

Passcode: 150960




East Bay DSA

Steering Committee Meeting Agenda


April 3rd, 2023

7pm-8pm


  1. Settle in [5 minutes]
  2. Ian
  3. Shane
  4. Yari
  5. Maddy GW
  6. MIcheal S
  7. Graham
  8. Max M
  9. Hasan A
  10. Nick R
  11. Matthew L
  12. Carlos O


  1. Ella T
  2. Christina N
  3. Susan



  1. Approval of Agenda [5 minutes]
  2. Discussion
  3. Hiring Update [5 minutes]
  4. SC Assignments
  5. New Business [45 minutes]
  6. Resolution to Assign LiaisonsLiasons for Elected Officials
  7. MOtivated by Graham
  8. Q&A
  9. Moved to COMMITTEE-AS-A-WHOLECOMMITTE-AS-A-WHOLE
  10. Amendments:
  11. Therefore be it resolved that liaisons will report monthly to Steering Committee
  12. Motivated by Yari
  13. Debate
  14. Vote: Unanimous consent
  15. Therefore be it resolved that following any communication with the elected officials, the liaisons will send a couple of lines to the Steering Committee briefly summarizing the communication
  16. Motivated by Yari
  17. Debate 
  18. Vote: Adopted by Unanimous consent
  19. Therefore be it resolved that before meeting with the elected, the liaison will make a good-faith effort to compile a written document of goals of the meeting with the help of SC members and relevant chapter leaders. In the event that time or capacity constraints prevent the development of such a document, the liaison will refer to previously created documents.
  20. Motivated by Yari
  21. Debate 
  22. Vote: Adopted: 6 yes 4 no 1 abstain
  23. Appoint Matthew L for Liason for Berkeley Rent Board/ seconded
  24. Motivated by Matthew L
  25. Debate
  26. Vote: 4 yes; 7 no, 1 abstain
  27. VOTE: PASSES by UNANIMOUS CONSENT

Move to extend to 8:20; seconded: passes unanimously



  1. Resolution to Make East Bay DSA Strike Ready for UPS
  2. Motivated by Maddy GW
  3. Q&A
  4. Debate
  5. Vote: PASS via U.C.
  6. Resolution for Staff Expectations 
  7. Motivated by Yari
  8. Q&A - replacing recuse with resign on the resolution
  9. Debate
  10. Vote: 10 yes 1 no
  11. Resolution to Elect CA DSA Delegates
  12. Motivated by Maddy GW
  13. Q&A
  14. Debate
  15. MOtion to AMend; seconded:
  16. Add language specifying how we implement (e.g. redistribute votes) if someone is not elected solely due to the affirmative action quota (didn’t have time to write)
  17. Seconded
  18. Debate
  19. Vote: passed via U.C.
  20. Delegates shall be elected by online ballot using Scottish STV. The nomination period for delegates shall be from Wednesday, April 5, through Saturday, April 15, and balloting may begin as soon as the Sunday, April 16 membership meeting concludes, and shall be no less than one week. An online candidate forum shall be held prior to the start of voting no less than four days prior to the close of balloting.
  21. Seconded?
  22. Debate
  23. Vote: 2 yes; 4 no; 5 abstain
  24. California DSA delegates are expected to attend the regular membership meeting general meetings immediately prior to each California DSA meetings to present on the upcoming meetings, and to attend the regular membership meeting general meetings immediately subsequent to present reports back.
  25. Withdrawn


  1. The recall of a California DSA delegate may be proposed by a petition signed by East Bay members equal to at least 15% of the number of people voted in the delegate election. The delegate shall be recalled if approved by at least a 2/3 vote. California DSA delegates may be removed upon a petition signed by East Bay DSA members equivalent to 15% of the voters who cast a ballot in the election that elected them, followed by an online vote of ⅔ of members of voting. Any replacement delegate will be elected by the procedure set forward in paragraph 2.
  2. Withdrawn
  3. The runners-up shall serve as the ranked alternate delegates. The Steering Committee may hold an election for alternates at the same time as delegates, by the same procedures, with the number of alternates to be elected determined by the SC, but in any case no more than the number of delegates apportioned to EBDSA.
  4. Seconded
  5. Debate
  6. Vote:

MOtion to extend time to 10 minute; seconded; passes: 8 yes 1 no


  1. WIthdrawn
  2. __________ are appointed to serve on the CA DSA Delegates Election Committee with the expectation that they will not run in this election and otherwise remain impartial.
  3. withdrawing
  4. REsolution 8 yes 

  6. Vote:




LOWER the TEMP to 60 DEGREES before LEAVING




New Business


Resolution to Assign Liaisons for EBDSA Endorsed Elected Officials


Whereas, East Bay DSA adopted the Class Struggle Elections priority at the 2022 chapter convention


Whereas, many of EBDSA’s endorsed candidates for the 2022 cycle were successfully elected


Whereas, EBDSA aspires to have a Socialists in Office committee to “maintain ongoing relationships with elected officials we’ve supported, to continue our relationships with them and use their position to further our political priorities.”


Whereas, some of our elected officials have requested a point person for communication with the chapter


Whereas, EBDSA members who were heavily involved in the campaigns have continued working with candidates to advance the chapter’s goals,


THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

The Steering committee appoints the following members to serve as liaisons to our elected officials:

(OUSD Board) Val Bachelor - Graham D

(OUSD Board) Jennifer Brouhard - Shane R

(Oakland City Council)Nikki Fortunato Bas - Ethan L


The liaisons will work with the newly formed Oakland Policy Working Group to organize for our priorities, draft legislation, and stay in communication with our elected officials.















RESOLUTION TO MAKE EAST BAY DSA STRIKE READY IN SOLIDARITY WITH UPS TEAMSTERS


Submitted by: Zach W. (Labor Committee co-chair), Kendra M (Labor co-chair), Richard M (Labor Solidarity co-chair), Medb G (Labor Solidarity co-chair), Tim J., Zach McD (Teamsters Local 315 member), Maddy W (Teamsters Local 70 member)


Whereas, all 340,000 non-management UPS workers, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), have been organizing escalating contract actions across the country as the contract fight heats up, and will need community support as they get closer to the August 1 deadline; and


Whereas, If they strike, they will need the whole labor movement behind them to show that when we fight, we win; and


Whereas, Resolution #5 from the 2021 national convention of the Democratic Socialist of America mandates the National Labor Commission engage DSA as a whole with labor work; and


Whereas, East Bay DSA adopted a Labor Solidarity campaign priority at our 2022 local convention, and stands in unwavering solidarity with workers and prioritizes the labor solidarity work, and


Whereas, several members of East Bay DSA are themselves rank-and-file UPS Teamsters,


Therefore be it resolved that East Bay DSA commits to the national Strike Ready campaign. 


Be it further resolved that East Bay DSA will take the following steps, and others consistent with its Labor Solidarity campaign priority resolution, to be strike ready and to stand in unwavering solidarity with our sister and brother UPS Teamsters: 


By April 30: 





Throughout June and July : 

  • East Bay Labor Solidarity will canvass the chapter’s membership, local contacts and the community to build support for the UPS Teamsters by asking them to sign the Strike Ready Pledge. 
  • East Bay Labor Solidarity will also support escalating contract actions as announced by the IBT, local UPS Teamsters, rank-and-file UPS Teamsters, and the National Labor Commission.


August 1: East Bay Labor Solidarity will turn out members and community supporters to show up at the picket line or the contract ratification celebration. 


After the fight: East Bay Labor Solidarity will use the excitement generated by the contract fight to recruit chapter members to commit to the rank-and-file strategy and debrief on the experience to prepare for future labor solidarity actions.  





Resolution for Staff Expectations

Submitted by Yari G and Shane R


WHEREAS, East Bay DSA has experimented with having staff for several months


WHEREAS, the East Bay DSA Steering Committee has had many substantive conversations about the role and expectations of staff


WHEREAS, clear rules can help the chapter move forward with the experimentation of having staff in a productive way,


THEREFORE be it resolved that we adopt basic rules for future hires that help clarify and delineate the role of staff, the relation of staff to Steering Committee, and expectations of staff


THEREFORE be it resolved that these rules are:

  • When staff attends Steering Committee meetings, the default is that only Steering Committee members are permitted to speak during debate and discussion, unless a majority of the present steering committee would like staff input on a particular agenda item.
  • When Steering Committee enters executive session, they will take a vote on whether the staff will be included. 
  • The general orientation of the staff's role is to strengthen organizers and systems within the chapter so that they run and reproduce themselves without significant support from the chapter. Additionally, the staff’s role should reduce the administrative burden on our members, including scheduling and finance-related tasks, especially but not limited to supporting the chapter’s Treasurer. To this end, the staff will seek members to operate most administrative operations in the chapter,, but may need to execute specific administrative tasks, especially if there is a time sensitive task related to organizational finances, the office, or other operations. The manager will decide which tasks require direct staff execution, not the staff. 
  • Staff may not campaign or participate in a campaign for an elected role within East Bay DSA or DSA, and there is a 30-day cooling off period before the former staff is permitted to participate in such activity
  • Prior to the staff’s start date, they must resign from any ideological caucus within DSA 
  • If staff has a problem they should address it through the following steps, in order:
  • Speak to the manager
  • Manager speak to the rest of SC
  • Staff speak to entire SC
  • Staff writes a resolution to be heard either by the SC or GM








Steering Committee Resolution for East Bay DSA California DSA elections

Submitted by Renée Paradis


WHEREAS East Bay DSA voted to join California DSA because a regional organization will provide added capacity for the development, growth, coordination and political effectiveness of members and chapters across the state of California; and


WHEREAS East Bay DSA fielded a full CA-DSA delegation last year, including two members of the CA-DSA state committee and multiple members of the Labor and Electoral Committees:



THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:


  1. East Bay DSA shall hold elections for a new term of CA-DSA delegates and alternates, to be seated immediately upon conclusion of the election;
  2. To be eligible to serve as a California DSA delegate, candidates must have been in East Bay DSA for at least 3 months prior to the date the election begins. Cisgendered white men may make up no more than 50% of the EBDSA California DSA delegation, unless there are insufficient candidates to meet the diversity quota.
  3. Delegates shall serve a term of approximately one year in California DSA, with new elections to be held as soon as possible after the issuance of new delegate allocations numbers each year by California DSA.
  4. Delegates shall be elected by online ballot using Scottish STV. The nomination period for delegates shall be from Wednesday, April 5, through Saturday, April 15, and balloting may begin as soon as Sunday, April 16, and shall be no less than one week. An online candidate forum shall be held no less than four days prior to the close of balloting.
  5. California DSA delegates are expected to attend the general meetings immediately prior to California DSA meetings to present on the upcoming meetings, and to attend the general meetings immediately subsequent to present reports back.
  6. California DSA delegates may be removed upon a petition signed by East Bay DSA members equivalent to 15% of the voters who cast a ballot in the election that elected them, followed by an online vote of ⅔ of members of voting. Any replacement delegate will be elected by the procedure set forward in paragraph 2.
  7. The Steering Committee may hold an election for alternates at the same time as delegates, by the same procedures, with the number of alternates to be elected determined by the SC, but in any case no more than the number of delegates apportioned to EBDSA.
  8. The Steering Committee may hold elections in future years on the same process outlined above, except that the dates shall be adjusted based on when CA-DSA issues new delegate allocations.


2022 resolution: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M2fpMGDy1uOKUM29jncK4TIDFN4WbGRteCnzmEZho-g/edit 






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The East Bay Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) are working for both an economy and society run democratically to meet human needs, not to make profits for a few.

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