Bylaws Simplification – J. Kats Revision

Article I. Purpose and Mission Statement

Section 1. Purpose

Unity–Struggle–Unity Press Corporation (“USU Press”) shall be a non-stock, non-profit corporation with the purpose of providing cost-free political education to the working poor and oppressed people in and of the United States and Canada.

Section 2. Mission Statement

Our immediate strategic task is the continent-wide advancement of our movement’s content and its realization in the party-form. Our Press is not “yet another party” or a “pre-party formation,” nor is our goal to “build” from scratch a party. Toward this end, we shall work to advance and propagate Marxism in the U.S. and Canada through the production and distribution of Marxist literature; to develop our existing Marxists and create new Marxists through education; to struggle against all varieties of opportunism, sectarianism and insularity, revisionism, and chauvinism that poison our movement and prevent its advancement; and to foster a consciousness of our movement’s place and purpose in history, a proletarian outlook, and a commitment to Marxist unity among our comrades. We welcome collaboration with all principled Marxists and Marxist organizations of any form and belonging to any branch of the Marxist tradition that share in common with us the aim of party unification.

Article II. The Press Organization

Section 1. Definitions

1. The ultimate authority in and over the operations of USU Press shall be its Press Organization (the “Pressorg”).
2. The Pressorg shall consist of (2.1) Pressworkers, (2.2) Distribution Agents, and (2.3) Correspondence and Distribution Network Deputies (“CDN Deputies”). Members may fulfill multiple roles.
   1. Pressworkers shall produce press literature.
   2. Distribution Agents shall distribute press literature.
   3. CDN Deputies shall be elected by CDN Partner Organizations as standing representatives in the Pressorg under Article V, and shall remain Members until and unless recalled or replaced by their Partner Organization.

Section 2. Eligibility

1. All Members must:
   1. Be steadfastly committed Marxists;
   2. Accept the USU Press Mission Statement;
   3. Never have been credibly accused of repeated and/or violent expressions of chauvinism and/or acts of interpersonal abuse.

Section 3. Duties

1. Pressworkers shall accept one or more of the following roles, along with its attendant labor requirements:
   1. Journalists shall contribute, at minimum, two (2) “current events” articles or “on-the-ground reports” per month.
   2. Columnists shall contribute, at minimum, one (1) “long-reads” article per month.
   3. Artists shall contribute art and/or designs for Press publications on a schedule determined through consultation with the Editorial Board.
   4. Copy Editors shall line-edit a number of articles per week, on a schedule determined through consultation with the Editorial Board.
   5. Communications (Comms.) Officers shall be responsible for specific Press communications tasks, as determined through consultation with the Editorial Board.
   6. Programmatic Development Researchers shall design long-term projects relating to the advancement of Marxism in North America, and shall be responsible for reporting at least twice-monthly to the Pressorg on their progress.
   7. Web Engineers shall administer, maintain, improve, develop, and otherwise attend to the Press website.
2. Distribution Agents shall be responsible for:
   1. Regularly and frequently distributing Press publications within their locality:
      1. Including distributing at least 20 copies of the Red Clarion each month;
      2. Distributing any other USU Press literature;
      3. Paying an amount into the Press Fund that is equivalent to at least one $1 USD per copy of the Red Clarion so distributed.
   2. Discussing USU Press literature with readers and reporting reader feedback;
   3. Collecting letters from readers in their locality who wish to correspond with USU Press;
   4. And writing brief monthly reports on their distribution work for the consideration of the whole Pressorg.
3. CDN Deputies shall be responsible for representing their respective organizations as voting members of the Pressorg and for conveying the Pressorg’s decisions to their respective organizations, and for writing brief monthly reports on the distribution work of their respective organizations.

Section 3. Application Process, Provisional Membership, Candidacy

1. Anyone meeting the criteria above may apply for Pressorg membership by contacting the Editorial Board or a sitting Editor.
2. Upon unanimous vote of the Editorial Board, an approved applicant shall become a Provisional Member of the Pressorg, either as a Pressworker with one of the roles outlined above or as a Distribution Agent.
3. Acceptance shall commence a Candidacy Period of no less than one month and no more than three months, during which time the Editorial Board shall make its determination under subsection 5 of this section and during which Provisional Member shall fulfill all labor commitments of a full Member.
4. Elevation of a Provisional Member to Full Membership shall require a unanimous vote of the Editorial Board. If rejected, the Editorial Board shall be required to explain its decision to the Provisional Member and memorialize that decision.
5. If the Editorial Board declines to confirm a Provisional Member as a Full Member, it may, by unanimous vote, extend to the Provisional Member the right to reapply for Full Membership after no less than three months have elapsed from the date of that decision.

Section 4. Dues

1. Dues are determined on an individual basis by income and cost of living and shall be calculated according to a formula appended to these bylaws.
2. A member may recalculate their dues no more than once per month.
3. Dues shall become payable on the first of each calendar month and shall be considered late after the fifteenth of that month.
4. Provisional Members are not required to pay dues.
5. Members without the financial means to pay dues may request to have their obligation waived by the Editorial Board.

Section 5. Fundamental Principles of Organization

1. The Pressorg is a democratic body.
2. It shall be governed by the twin principles of freedom in criticism and unity of action.
3. It shall recognize both rule by majority and the right of the minority to dissent and maintain its dissent.
4. Tendency groups that coalesce within the Pressorg shall have the right to organize as such, but have the duty to identify themselves as groups to the Pressorg’s general membership.
5. All Members of the Pressorg shall have the right to 24-hours advance notice of any Pressorg or Editorial Board meeting.

Section 6. Executive Authority

1. The Pressorg shall have the authority to overturn any decision of the Editorial Board by a simple majority of its Members in good standing.
2. The Pressorg shall have the authority to recall any Editor by a simple majority of its Members in good standing.
3. For the purposes of this section, the Pressorg may either submit a petition or act by means of a roll call vote at a set meeting.

Section 7. Good Standing

1. All Members who uphold their labor commitments, pay their dues, maintain regular contact with the Pressorg, and are not under formal censure shall be considered to be in “good standing.”
2. A Member who fails to uphold their regular duties and/or who cannot be contacted by the Editorial Board, except for those on approved Leave of Absence as outlined in Section 8 below, shall forfeit their good standing after not less than one week and upon confirmation by two Editors, who shall record this decision.
3. Only Members in good standing shall have the right to vote on Pressorg decisions, the right to run for elections for, and the right to sit on, the Editorial Board.
4. An Editor who is no longer in good standing shall be automatically removed from their seat on the Editorial Board, triggering a Snap Election under Article III §§ 3 and 4.

Section 8. Leaves of Absence

1. A Member suffering an acute personal difficulty or emergency that prevents them from working regularly or fulfilling their labor obligations may request a Leave of Absence during which all duties are suspended and good standing is maintained.
2. A Member on a valid Leave of Absence may not lose good standing for dereliction of labor duties during that Leave of Absence.
3. The Leave of Absence request must be communicated in advance (where possible) to the Editors and state the cause of the leave. At the Member’s request, any sensitive material shall be sealed and withheld.
4. The Leave of Absence request must state the date of departure and the date of return.
5. The initial term of the Leave of Absence may not exceed 3 weeks, but extensions may be requested if the initially-approved term proves insufficient.
6. Certification of a Leave of Absence requires approval from two Editors and must be recorded.
7. Leaves of Absence do not suspend or diminish membership dues.

Section 9. Resignation

Any Member wishing to resign from the Pressorg shall be responsible for submitting a written notice to be published by the Editorial Board in its regular minutes.

Section 10. Readmission

Any person who had previously been a Member and who resigned in good standing may be readmitted with Full Membership upon a unanimous vote by the Editorial Board.

Article III. The Editorial Board

Section 1. Powers

1. The Editorial Board shall be the executive organ of the Pressorg.
2. All actionable items must be discussed and, unless otherwise established by these bylaws, must be passed by a simple majority of the seated Editors.
3. The Editorial Board shall have all necessary authority to:
   1. Dispose of all Press Funds and maintain all accounts related to the Press Funds, including the power to sign checks and bind the Press in contractual and legal obligations;
   2. Provide ideological leadership;
   3. Delegate the Pressorg’s tasks and coordinate its workflows;
   4. Approve of content for publication, which shall be approved by the agreement of two Editors;
   5. Handle external communications not assigned to a Communications Officer.

Section 2. Duties

The Editorial Board must:

1. Hold regular, weekly meetings to be canceled only in the event of an emergency, scheduled in advance, and open to all Members, Supporters, and specially invited guests;
2. Record and publish minutes of all meetings no later than 48 24 hours after they have been held;
3. Publish all criticism and self-criticisms of the Pressorg membership;
4. Keep and publish records of dues payments, Member and Supporter applications, confirmations of elevation to Full Membership, notices of good standing, and any other documentation required by these bylaws;
5. Keep financial records and statements and publish a statement at least once monthly of such transactions in a public place.
6. Oversee the direction of the Distribution Agents.

Section 3. Composition and Terms of Office

1. The Editorial Board shall be composed of five Executive Editors.
2. Elections shall be held every three months.
3. There shall be no limit to the number or constancy of terms an Editor may serve.
4. Should an Editor become incapacitated, this shall be declared by two sitting Editors or a simple majority of the Pressorg Members in good standing, either by resolution, petition, or roll call vote at a properly scheduled meeting.
5. Resignation, loss of good standing, or incapacitation of a sitting Editor shall trigger a snap election, lasting one week from the moment the seat is vacated.
6. The First Editor will be elected on January 1, 2024; the Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Editors will be elected in order, at dates 3 months subsequent in succession.

Section 4. Elections to the Editorial Board

1. All Pressorg Members in good standing, including those ineligible to stand for election, shall have the right to vote in Editorial Board elections.
2. Only Pressworkers who are Full Members and have maintained good standing for at least a period of three months may run for Executive Editor.
3. Elections shall be conducted by secret ballot.
4. Once voting commences, the ballot shall remain open for 24 hours.
5. Elections shall be announced one week in advance, at which point all candidates shall have the right to submit a platform of no more than 1,000 words for consideration by the Membership.
6. When an election for a seat is contested by multiple candidates, a single candidate must win an outright majority of votes; runoff elections will be held when necessary.
7. When an election for a seat is uncontested, the unopposed candidate must win the approval of the majority of the Pressorg.

Section 5. The Press Fund

1. All monies collected by the Press for any purpose shall be maintained by the Editorial Board as the Press Fund.
2. Dues shall be paid into the Press Fund by a designated Editor who shall deposit them into said fund.
3. Each Editor shall be authorized to spend money from the Press Fund for regular printing expenses.
4. Extraordinary purchases using money from the Press Fund shall be subject to a vote of the Editorial Board prior to expenditure.
5. Any Member of the Pressorg may request an audit of the Press Fund at any time, which request shall be honored within 48 hours by the Editorial Board.
6. Misallocation or misuse of the Press Fund by an Editor shall be grounds for immediate removal, subject to a vote of the other two Editors. This removal shall take place immediately but be subject to a confirmation vote of the Pressorg within seven (7) days.

Section 6. Conversion

1. At the time of the adoption of these bylaws, the three seated Executive Editors shall be randomly assigned seats one, two, and three on the newly constituted Board.
2. Seats four and five shall be elected as soon as practicable.

Article IV. Supporters of the Press

Section 1. Eligibility

1. Individuals who meet Membership criteria but cannot commit to the duties of Pressorg Membership and who wish to financially support and otherwise aid the Press may apply to the Editorial Board to become Supporters of the Press.
2. Confirmation of a Supporter shall require the unanimous vote of the Editorial Board, except that Members in good standing who wish to resign from the Pressorg may voluntarily “demote” themselves to Supporters and will automatically take on the rights and duties enumerated under this Article.

Section 2. Dues

Supporters shall pay dues determined by the same formula as Members or $20 per month, whichever is greater. Supporters may elect to donate to the Press Fund any amount above the formula-derived minimum.

Section 3. Rights

1. Supporters shall have the right to attend, observe, and participate in all Pressorg discussions and meetings with a voice, but no vote.
2. A Supporter who, in addition to regular financial support, volunteers labor equal to that of a Pressworker or Distribution Agent shall have the right to apply for direct elevation in the Pressorg after a period of no less than one month of consistent work and upon unanimous vote of the Editorial Board.

Article V. Correspondence and Distribution Network

1. Organizations wishing to regularly correspond with the Press and to distribute Press publications, including at least 50 copies of the Red Clarion each month, may affiliate with the Press as Correspondence and Distribute Network Partner Organizations ( “CDN Partner Orgs”).
2. Organizations seeking to become CDN Partner Orgs shall first hold a vote of their whole membership or of a democratically elected and rightfully empowered executive body, confirming that:
   1. The majority of the organization wish to affiliate under this Article;
   2. The majority accept the USU Press Mission Statement (Art. I § 2);
   3. The organization will commit to funding free distribution of the Red Clarion on a monthly basis as well as other Press publications to the working and oppressed masses in its locality;
   4. The organization will, when it is able, collect correspondence from its members, supporters, and readers in its locality, either for direct publication or to aid the Pressworkers in producing the Red Clarion and other materials.
3. The organization shall submit their bylaws, constitution, or other foundational documents to the Press for review by the Editorial Board to confirm that the organization is at least formally democratic.
4. Upon approval, the organization shall submit a record of a vote to affiliate held by their membership for ratification and recording by the Press.
5. The organization shall then elect an Organizational Deputy from its own membership to represent it in the USU Pressorg and to coordinate its working relationship with the Press.
6. The involvement of individual persons or organizations in the CDN shall not be published or advertised in any way unless either:
   1. The individual or organization in question is serving as the designated representative of a CDN Partner Org and the organization has so consented; or,
   2. The individual in question functions as the figurehead and recognizable face of an affiliated media outfit such as the host of a YouTube or Twitch channel.

Article VI. Self and Community Criticism

1. Seek Truth From Facts. Violations of Pressorg discipline shall be based on the facts with the decisions of the Pressorg as their measure.
2. Cure the Illness, Save the Patient. The handling of all matters of criticism shall be undertaken with the goal of educating the Pressworker(s).
3. Disciplinary Sanctions. The types of disciplinary sanctions for Pressworkers shall be:
   1. Warnings.
   2. Serious warnings.
   3. Removal from internal Press positions.
   4. Probation.
   5. Expulsion from the Press.
4. Length of Expulsions. Pressworkers expelled from the Press must not be readmitted to the Pressorg for at least three (3) months.
5. Mitigation. Sanctions may be mitigated under the following conditions:
   1. The Pressworker actively confesses their own problems;
   2. The Pressworker cooperates with whatever investigation into the allegations is undertaken;
   3. The Pressworker actively redresses loss, eliminates harmful impacts, or effectively obstructs the consequences of the behavior which caused the breach;
   4. Other meritorious contributions not listed.
6. Registering a Criticism. Anyone may lodge a criticism against a Pressworker by reporting that criticism either to a member of the EB or another Pressworker who must notify a member of the EB. Once a criticism has been registered, the EB shall cause that criticism to be recorded and published in a public place and provide notice to the Pressorg.

Criticism and Self-Criticism. Should the EB or a majority of the Pressorg determine the criticism to require redress, the EB shall schedule a Criticism and Self-Criticism Meeting (“Struggle Meeting”) pursuant to the meetings procedure under Article IV above. The Criticized Pressworker shall not be permitted to serve as President or Secretary at this meeting. At this meeting, the criticism shall be presented to the Pressworker to answer. The Pressorg shall take testimony from other Pressworkers as to the criticism. The Criticized Member shall be permitted to bring criticisms which are directly related to the criticized behavior or position and which do not create a secondary trial of another Pressworker. Should behavior come to light that requires further criticism, this process shall be lodged against that Pressworker in turn at that or another Struggle Meeting. At the conclusion of the meeting, the Pressorg shall vote upon whether or not such criticism was well-founded, and, if it is found to be well-founded, what sanction is appropriate under Section 3 of this Article above.

Article VII. Parliamentary Authority

Meetings of the Pressorg and its constituent committees shall be governed by the latest edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED.

Article VIII. Amendment

1. The Editorial Board shall have the power to amend these Bylaws by unanimous vote following a 72-hour scrutiny period during which the proposed amendments will be circulated internally for consideration by Members and Supporters.
2. The Pressorg shall have the power to amend these Bylaws by a two-thirds majority vote, which may be conducted synchronously or asynchronously and shall not require the Editorial Board’s approval.
3. The Dues Formula appended to these Bylaws may only be amended or altered pursuant to section 2 of this Article and may not be disturbed by the Editorial Board without the action of the Pressorg.
4. When the Pressorg reaches 20 total Members, these Bylaws shall be subject to automatic review by the Editorial Board, unless the total Membership declines below 15 before the following regular Editorial Board meeting.