This Q&A is part of a continuing series that we introduced with the “Taking a Hard Look at Our Future Starts with Asking the Hard Questions” article

Why is the decision regarding affiliation with AFT a decision of the UHPA board, and not its members?  

Section 3 of UHPA’s By-laws require that affiliation decisions be made by the Board of Directors.  This language has remained unchanged since at least 2007 and was most recently approved by the membership in April 2023.  It is the identical process that was used when UHPA disaffiliated with the National Education Association (NEA).  UHPA has a responsibility to comply with its By-laws, which are considered the legal governing documents of UHPA as a 501(c)(5) organization. If UHPA fails to follow its own By-laws, it opens its officers and directors up to potential liability for breach of fiduciary duties and responsibilities which could lead to an investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor.  

Feedback is Always Welcomed

As always, we’re open to feedback from our members, so please don’t hesitate to email those suggestions to feedback@uhpa.org.