General Meeting: June 16, 2019

East Bay DSA General Meeting, June 16, 2019, 4–6 p.m.

This is a general meeting of the East Bay DSA membership. Abigail G.-G. and Zach M. are chairing the meeting. The recording secretary was present and documented the minutes.

The meeting was called to order at 4:10 p.m.

Settle in and Welcome

Abigail G.-G. opened the meeting with welcoming statements, including a thank you to Zach M. for whom this meeting will be his last as co-chair.

Committee Reports and Announcements 

Abigail G.-G. invited committee chairs to present oral reports.

• Tyler D. reported on behalf of the Public Education Committee
• Andy C. reported on behalf of the Meetings Committee
• Will S. and Issac H. reported on behalf of the Housing Committee
• Frances R. reported on behalf of the Communications Committee
• Mark G. reported on behalf of the Steering Committee
• Hannah E. reported on behalf of the Membership Engagement Committee
• Erik V. reported on behalf of the Medicare for All Committee
• Miguel D. reported on behalf of the Racial Solidarity Committee
• Miguel D. also reported on behalf of the PG&E Campaign
• Sean M. delivered the treasurer's report
• Jack M. reported on behalf of the 2020 Campaigns Committee

Following the committee reports, Graham D. delivered a presentation about the Borda count voting system which will be used for the delegate election later in the meeting.

2020 Committee: Timeline and Process for Endorsements

Jack M. and Katie F. gave a presentation regarding the 2020 Committee’s updated process for endorsements, which will be different from last year’s. Under the new process, there are three ways in which a candidate or ballot measure may be considered by the Endorsement Subcommittee.

• By recommendation of the Steering Committee
• By recommendation of the 2020 Committee or Endorsement Subcommittee
• By petition of 25 members, who have been members for at least 60 days 

The timeline for the endorsement process is as follows.

• September 1: deadline to submit petition of 25 signatures to the Endorsement Subcommittee
• August and October: General meetings will include endorsement recommendations from the subcommittee and a member vote

New Haven Teacher Strike Report Back

Emma G., co-chair of the Public Education Committee, gave a presentation on the recent New Haven teachers’ strike. 

New Haven is a working-class neighborhood in Union City and South Hayward. The fact finding report found that there was enough money to pay for higher salaries, but the district just didn’t want to give it up. The teachers went on strike for two full weeks, highlighting the low wages, lack of benefits, and lack of support resources available for students in the district. 

East Bay DSA’s involvement included sending members to New Haven to join in solidarity on the picket lines. We provided pizzas and water for the strikers and used our social media and communication channels to highlight the struggle of the teachers against the school board.

In the end of the strike, the teachers won a three percent raise. There was a 60 percent "yes" vote on accepting the new contract. Many recognized that the concessions won were not enough, and that the fight will continue. 

If anyone is interested in joining the campaign in New Haven, especially those members that may live in the area, please contact the Public Education Committee (public-education@eastbaydsa.org).

Fundraising Pitch

Sean M. gave a fundraising pitch related to the upcoming national convention. It will be a significant cost to send our 38 delegates to the convention in Atlanta. Members can donate to the fund to send our delegates.

Member Announcements

Abigail G.-G. called up members to give announcements.

• Matt Y. gave an announcement about the Berkeley Tenants Union, which will have a campaign relaunch at Sports Basement in South Berkeley this coming week. More information is available on the East Bay DSA member forum.
• Matt T. gave an announcement regarding TANC, an organization that has been canvassing tenants to organize them. There is more information available at baytanc.com.
• Jackie M. gave an announcement on behalf of the Socialist-Feminist Caucus and reproductive justice work. There will be an organizing meeting on June 26 where members can find out more about the caucus. 
• Karina S. gave an announcement about a reading group that will be reconvening to start a new reading series soon. Reach out to Karina S. for more information.
• Ted F. gave an announcement regarding an upcoming event with Nick Mullens, an Appalachian coal miner who will speak on Tuesday at the California Nurses' Association about what a “just transition” might look like in a Green New Deal.
• Rex L.-C. gave an announcement regarding an art-build at their studio this week to complete structures that will be used for the PG&E campaign rally. Reach out to Rex for more info.
• Susan S. gave an announcement about the PG&E demonstration coming up next Friday. She will be collecting old shoes for a ceremony that will take place on Friday morning in commemoration of the people killed in the recent fires. If you have shoes, reach out to the Climate Justice Caucus. 
• Eric V. gave an announcement regarding East Bay DSA swag and upcoming orders that will be made.

Discussion of DSA National Convention

Jeremy G., Easy Bay DSA member and member of the National Political Committee (NPC), delivered a presentation regarding DSA on a national level and an introduction to the upcoming national convention in Atlanta.

There are differing opinions on what the national organization should be doing, and delegates from differing perspectives will come together at the national convention in August to debate and vote.

Delegates are elected from each chapter on the basis of roughly 1 delegate for 50 members. East Bay DSA will have 38 delegates. The largest 25 chapters represent about two-thirds of the delegates, and there will also be delegates that represent “at-large” members. 

There will not be a priorities resolution adopted at this convention, but rather a series of resolutions will be heard, debated, and voted on (e.g. a campaign for a Green New Deal). There will also be resolutions related to updating the national DSA constitution and bylaws, along with panel discussions, social events, and discussions.

The national organization provides resources to locals and ensures that things are running across the organization as a whole, but chapters have a lot of autonomy from the national and how they choose to relate to national campaigns, etc.

Jeremy also briefly presented a list of major national caucuses within the organization, presenting different perspectives which members can learn more about online. These include Socialist Majority Caucus, Libertarian Socialist Caucus, Bread & Roses, Build (a publication), and Collective Power Network.

The topics that are expected to come up at the convention for debate are, the Green New Deal, how we engage in electoral work, how we relate to the labor movement, and how the organization should be structured. Jeremy encouraged members to review and discuss the national proposals and resolutions once they are made available. 

Following the presentation, members were asked to discuss amongst themselves, prompted with the question of “What is the Role of DSA in changing the world?”

Delegate Elections and NPC Endorsement 

Following the discussion, Abigail G.-G. introduced the NPC endorsement process and delegate election. 

Megan S. delivered a speech regarding her candidacy for NPC. A vote will be taken on whether or not the chapter will endorse Megan’s candidacy, which will allow for her to be considered as a candidate at the national convention. 

Following Megan’s speech, Abigail G.-G. invited members to use the rest of the meeting time to fill out and submit their ballots, which included a vote on national convention delegates and the endorsement of Megan S. for NPC candidate. 

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 6:10 p.m.

Addenda

The results of the election for chapter delegates and Megan S.’s endorsement for NPC candidate were sent to the East Bay DSA members via email on June 19.

Megan S was nominated to run for the National Political Committee of DSA with 82% of the vote in favor.

The 38 winners of the delegate election, in order of points received using the modified Borda method.

1. Megan S.
2. Hannah E.
3. Meagan D.
4. Abigail G.-G.
5. Keith B. B.
6. Matt S.
7. Frances R.
8. Miguel D.
9. Hannah K.
10. Ashley P.
11. Jack M.
12. Graham D.
13. Sandy B.
14. Will S.
15. Annika B.
16. Sean M.
17. Robbie N.
18. Allie L.
19. Ari M.
20. Nick F.
21. Andres C.
22. Rex L.-C.
23. Richard M.
24. Luke T.
25. Mike P.
26. Molly A.
27. Johnny P.
28. Mary Virginia W.
29. Mark G.
30. Shane R.
31. Emma G.
32. Andrew R.
33. Jamie G.
34. Max L.
35. Richard M.
36. Emily A.
37. Michael L.
38. Charlie H.

In the case that any of the above are unable to attend the convention, the next winner will serve as an alternate. The next 10 alternates are

1. Maura M.
2. Bonnie L.
3. Daniel D.
4. Colin P. B. M.
5. Dan E.
6. Ted F.
7. Gerald S.
8. Aaron H.
9. Marissa S.
10. Adam B.