East Bay DSA 

Steering Committee Meeting

September 19th, 2021

2-4pm 

Zoom link

I. Settle in [5 minutes]

1. Annika B, 
2. Carlos O
3. Linsey M
4. Ella T
5. Benny Z
6. HAsan A
7. Maddy GW
8. ANdrew R
9. Neder
10. Max M
11. Kat O
12. Graham
13. Kabir K
14. Wade B

II. Approval of Agenda [2 minutes]

1. PASSED by acclamation

A. Committee & Chapter project Reports [5 minutes]

Treasurer

Bank balance $37K

$95 on snack for end of summer social

Storage rent has been increasing. 

Recording Secretary

• Resolution to Endorse Demonstration at CTF Soledad - passed 

1. Yes:10  
2. No:1 
3. Abstain:2

• RESOLUTION Granting People’s Transit Alliance CRM access passed

1. 10 yes
2. 3 abstains

• Resolution to Appoint Jurrell S as M4A Co-Chair passed

1. 12 yes
2. 1 abstain

• Resolution in Support of the International #BoycottPuma Day of Action

1. 8 yes 
2. 5 abstain

III. New Business

A. Resolution to endorse StopOAKExpansion

Submitted by David Gassman

Whereas the Oakland Airport is planning an expansion to add 17 new gates, putting the community and climate at risk.

Whereas more than two dozen organizations, many of which EBDSA has organized with (including SFDSA), have signed on as supporters of the Stop OAK Airport Expansion Coalition.

Therefore be it resolved that EBDSA supports the effort to see to it that any substantial structural change at the Oakland airport considers most carefully all environmental and social justice impacts that would result from it.

Therefore be it resolved that EBDSA sign on as a supportive organization of the coalition.

Motivated by at large member Benny Z

Q&A

• Q: The Socialist case for support? A: Railroad workers and SF DSA supported it
• Q: a longer term plan? A: hasn’t gone beyond signing a letter
• Q: Timeline? A: going through the environmental review process

Motion to table the vote to next month by Hasan A - seconded by Maddy GW

Some Red Flags: Submitted by an individual and not a group; SF chair had not been aware of the resolutions; potential wedge between climate justice and labor groups. 

Encourage getting more labor and DSA support.  

Table Vote PASSED via acclimation

B. Resolution for Process to Replace Outgoing Steering Committee Member

By Annika B, Shane R, and Andrew R

Whereas Ella T is stepping down from her current position as an at-large member of the steering committee, effective September 30;

Whereas Article III of the East Bay DSA bylaws states that there must be 7 at-large members of the Steering Committee;

Therefore be it resolved that the following process be adopted to fill the vacant at-large Steering Committee seat:

• The chairs shall send an email announcement akin to the 2019 Special Election Announcement to all members regarding the vacancy
• The email will include an invitation for members to submit candidate nominations via a google form during a 2-week nomination period
• Per chapter convention guidelines, any member in good standing who receives 10 or more nominations will be eligible to run
• If more than 1 person is nominated for this position, the Steering Committee will arrange for a vote at the October General Membership Meeting
• If only 1 person is nominated for this position, then they shall be appointed by the Steering Committee
• If an election is held, the election will use the ranked-choice, Scottish single-transferable voting (STV) method

• Motivated by Annika B
• Motion to amend by Maddy GW - adding “using that same online process used in the May SC election” at the end. Seconded by Neder
• motion to amend by Benny to include “including giving candidates a chance to speak at the GM and a week long voting period following the GM” 

1. Amendment Vote: PASSES via acclimation

• Resolution vote: PASSES unanimously

C. RESOLUTION ENDORSING CAL YDSA CAMPAIGN TO END MULTI-YEAR TUITION HIKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 

Submitted by East Bay DSA members Cyn H and Madison N (Cal YDSA Co-Chairs), Ali N (East Bay DSA YDSA liaison), Gabriel M (Cal YDSA Admin. Secretary) Lance J and David V (Cal YDSA Political Ed Co-Chairs), and Anthony M (Cal YDSA Membership Chair)

WHEREAS, East Bay DSA’s platform, adopted at the chapter’s 2021 Convention, provides that “Young people are integral to the development of a mass multiracial working-class movement. YDSA organizers are the DSA organizers of the future; as such, fostering YDSA’s growth will benefit DSA at large both in the present and the future. YDSA is also more diverse than DSA as a whole, and expanding to more high schools and community colleges can allow YDSA to become even more reflective of the diversity of the working class,” and 

WHEREAS, East Bay DSA’s 2021 platform provides that we will “Ensure that YDSA chapters are provided with resources such as financial support and materials,” and

WHEREAS, Cal YDSA is a thriving chapter in the East Bay, which held its Fall semester kick-off meeting on August 30, and its first political education meeting on September 3, drawing significant interest from new and existing members alike; and

WHEREAS, Cal YDSA learned just three days in advance of a proposed vote by the UC Regents to impose multi-year tuition raise on incoming freshmen classes culminating in a 6% raise by 2026, and helped organize a successful rally on July 22 in opposition to the hike, and in coordination with YDSA chapters at other UC campuses across the state; and

WHEREAS, Cal YDSA has formed action teams to develop a campaign to rescind the tuition hike, gaining the interest of many students, in collaboration with partners that include UAW Local 2865, AFSCME Local 3299, UC Berkeley Brown Issues, and UC Berkeley Students for Labor Action Movement, and in coordination with YDSA chapters at UCLA, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara; and

WHEREAS, Cal YDSA is also considering launching campaigns around housing, and a Green New Deal for Education, and is continuing to run its political education series and canvassing to recruit new members; and

WHEREAS, Cal YDSA is funded with only $500 from the Associated Students of UC (ASUC), and has unmet resource needs for its recruitment, political education and campaign work, including purchase of tablets, folding tables, food, and membership tracking software, as well as printing costs of campaign flyers,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, East Bay DSA endorses Cal YDSA’s campaign to end the multi-year tuition hike, and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, East Bay DSA will provide Cal YDSA with $1,000 in funding to support its campaign, recruitment and political education work this semester.

• Motivated by Anthony M and Madison N of YDSA
• Motion passed: 10 yes; 2 abstains [1 absent]
• 
  

IV. Discussion items

A. What’s on the horizon next year, and how do we prepare? Big things in 2022: 

• Election year

1. Assembly district seats open, progressive taxes. Defunding El Cerrito campaign.

• Labor contracts expire 

1. ATU next year, OEA expired June this year, picket line support; waves of a labor strikes around the nation

• In-person events (hopefully)

B. Berkeley Progressive Alliance [10 minutes, Matthew L]

• Presented by Matthew L and Andrea M
• Combatting some surveillance policies; advocating a fair work week ordinance; plastic bag ordinance; potential candidate vetting for Berkeley politicians. 
• Not connected to the Berkeley Progressive Alliance founded in 2016, which plans to dissolve
• Recommend a liaison from EBDSA, a berkeley resident is preferred.  

V. Meeting adjourned

Time: 16:05