Newly Updated By-Laws
First of all, on behalf of the entire SOAR organization, I’d like to extend to you and your SOAR chapter members the very best wishes for a safe, happy and healthy New Year!
As we enter into 2020, I have some important news to share. Last fall, the SOAR Executive Board voted to adopt changes and to make updates to the Articles of Association and By-Laws for the Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees. Shortly thereafter, the USW International Executive Board acted on these proposed changes and approved them, effective December 11, 2019.
The most significant change to the By-Laws allows any active USW member of the union, or like- minded individual, who is age 45 or over, to join SOAR. In other words, this will allow younger-aged individuals who are nearing retirement age, who agree with, and support the guiding principles and programs of the USW and the organization, to join SOAR.
The remaining changes to the By-Laws are mainly housekeeping-type items, such as:
- • Removing expired (sunset) clauses related to temporary SOAR board positions from former merged unions.
- Updating the anti-discrimination clause.
- Modernizing terminology, such as replacing “widow or widower” with “surviving spouse.”
- Replacing the reference of the “Oldtimer” magazine to the “SOAR in Action” magazine.
- Adding the current dues structure for Canada.
There is an updated SOAR Membership Application Form, available for printing, and also a copy of our By-Laws located on our SOAR webpage at usw.org/soar