Article One: Name

• Section 1. This organization shall be known as Build a Fighting NALC and shall be identified by the initials BFN.

• Section 2. This document shall be known as the Constitution of Build a Fighting NALC.

Article Two: Object

• Section 1. The object of this organization is to strengthen the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) from within by building a unified movement of rank and file city letter carriers that is organized to fight for rank and file rights on the job and in the union. We aim to bring the NALC back to the membership. We do not advocate secession from the NALC, or “dual unionism” in any form.

• Section 2. It shall be an object of this organization to promote the quality of pay, working conditions and safety of City Letter Carriers. BFN will strive to develop common areas of work, a unified strategy and a coordinated leadership. 

• Section 3. Membership in the organization is defined by acceptance of the Points of Unity, as decided by the Annual Convention. While a member is not required to agree with every aspect of the Points of Unity, they are expected to follow the stated goals and standards of behavior outlined in the document.  
  

Article Three: National Organization

• Section 1. This movement shall be based on individual members and on local chapters of City Letter Carriers organized under the same name. 

• Section 2. Membership in the Build a Fighting NALC shall, consistent with Section 1, be open without regard to race, creed, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status. 

• Section 3. The highest policy-making body of the organization shall be the annual convention, followed by quarterly (every three months) general meetings, followed by the coordinating committee.

• Section 4. BFN shall elect a Coordinating Committee as the body to govern it between BFN Conventions and general meetings.
  

Article Four: Local Organization

• Section 1. This organization shall build and be built upon local chapters that may be constituted at different sizes including: 

  (A) City

  (B) Metro Area

  (C) State

• Section 2. All chapters must elect 2 carriers to be representatives and contacts to the national organization. Functioning chapters will:

  A) Get at least one of their elected representatives or their proxy to 2 out of 4 quarterly general meetings

  B) Maintain 2 representatives with valid contact information with the national Coordinating Committee

  If a chapter cannot maintain the above requirements it may be considered defunct until reconstituted. 

• Section 3. Chapters will announce themselves to and be approved by the coordinating committee providing their ability to agree to this constitution and the program of BFN. If denied, prospective chapters have the right to appeal that decision to the next general meeting body.

Article Five: Coordinating Committee Responsibilities

• Section 1. The National Executive Body of the Build a Fighting NALC will be referred to as the Coordinating Committee (CC). It shall be required of the Coordinating Committee that they provide the day to day leadership for the organization in between conventions.

• Section 2. In between quarterly general meetings the CC reserves the right to call meetings, whether that be internal general meetings, or public meetings open to all NALC members, as necessary when events happen that the organization needs to respond to quickly.

• Section 3. It shall be a particular responsibility of the Coordinating Committee to:

  A) Create and maintain a list of active dues-paying members and raise additional funds as needed.

  B) Manage the organization’s finances, website, and internal infrastructure. 

  C) Maintain contact with and support local chapters in their activities and help build and coordinate regional activities;

  D) Execute Campaigns decided by the Coordinating Committee and/or the Membership at Convention/General Membership Meetings

  E) Plan the yearly convention and General Membership Meetings.

  F) Support the work of the Letter Carrier Rank and File Education, 

  G) Maintain a Financial Statement of Funds and  present a financial report at least quarterly, at a General Membership Meeting.

  H) Represent our organization in media appearances and maintain national social media accounts.

• Section 4. All duties of the Coordinating Committee directly assigned to a specific officer may be delegated to other members of the organization pending the needs of the body.

Article Six: BFN Officers of the Coordinating Committee & Their Duties. 

• Section 1. The coordinating committee will consist of 9 officers. Three of the committee members will have specific duties as outlined below, and the following six at large positions will be assigned duties as worked out by the needs of the coordinating committee and the organization:

  A) Chair

  a) Duties include preparing agendas and chairing the coordinating committee, general meetings and yearly convention, or delegating these to ensure that the responsibilities are met. 

  b) The Chair is responsible for ensuring the operation of the National organization, including the CC and National Working Groups/Committees.

  c) Elected as an individual office by Single-Transferrable-Vote.

  B) Treasurer

  a) Duties include maintaining a true and correct fiscal account between the Coordinating Committee and members 

  b) Treasurer shall ensure that billing and membership records are up to date and that operational expenses are paid.

  c) Reimbursement requests are made to the Treasurer, whose decisions may be overridden by majority vote of the CC. 

  d) Elected as an individual office by Single-Transferrable-Vote.

  C) Recording Secretary

  a) Duties include sending out emails and updating the website to keep the organization abreast of the working of the coordinating committee. The Secretary will also ensure that the minutes of General Membership Meetings are made available to all members.

  b) Secretary will ensure that communication to email and social media accounts are up to date. or delegating these to ensure that the responsibilities are met. 

  c) Elected as an individual office by Single-Transferrable-Vote.

  D) 6 Members at large

  a) Duties include attending coordinating committee meetings and representing the body as a whole.Will be delegated additional responsibilities to fulfill the needs of the organization.

  b) At-Large Members are elected via a 6 seat Single-Transferrable-Vote election. 

• Section 2. Coordinating Committee members may be proxied in case of a conflict in scheduling but if they cannot send a proxy that will be considered an absence which should/could have been avoided. 

• Section 3. Poor attendance, ethics, or incompetence can be used as justification for removal by the general meeting body as presented by the Coordinating Committee to them.

• Section 4. There shall be no more than 2 officers from the same state, to prevent over-focus on specific areas, excepting circumstances where this would cause the Committee to not be filled. 

  a) If the Coordinating Committee has 2 officers for each participating state, but the Committee does not have the required 9 members, participating regions may be allotted an additional officer.

• Section 5. The coordinating Committee shall meet no less than once a month but may set their schedule as needed otherwise.

Article Seven: Chapter Responsibilities

• Section 1. Local chapters shall be active in local issues, grievances, contracts, and campaigns as organs of BFN. 

• Section 2. Local chapters shall be responsible for their own finances. 

• Section 3. Local chapters shall follow policies agreed to by the organization at the annual convention and are entrusted to maintain their own policies. 

• Section 4. If ever there is a disagreement or ethical violation action may be taken at the general membership meeting to correct it. 

Article Eight: Individual Member Responsibilities

• Section 1. All individual members of BFN must pay dues. Dues will be in the amount of $5/month and be paid to the Treasurer. A hardship waiver can be extended to carriers experiencing financial difficulty to be approved by the coordination committee. 

• Section 2. BFN is an activist organization and as such relies on BFN members to take an active part in BFN and in our union. This includes distribution of BFN literature, recruitment of members and participation in BFN activities and in our union.

• Section 3. Members will promote the highest principles of unionism among Letter Carrier officers, and will work to defend the rights of all City Letter Carriers to free and fair elections.

Article Nine: Responsibilities of the Convention and General Membership Meeting

• Section 1. It is recognized that the convention is the highest body and holds ultimate decision making power in BFN. As such, it is required of the convention that a policy and program for the coming year be decided upon for the guidance of the Coordinating committee and members and chapters. It is also the duty of the convention to vote on the coordinating committee annually.

• Section 2. The General Membership Meeting is recognised as second to only the body of the convention.

• Section 3. The convention and general body meetings will be run according to Robert's Rules of Order.
  

Article Ten: Membership Rights

• Section 1. All NALC members are eligible to become members of BFN. However, the organization reserves the right to exclude those who are opposed to BFN or its Points of Unity. 

• Section 2. All members have a right to attend the convention. 

• Section 3. All members have the right to attend Coordinating Committee meetings. Members in attendance may be granted the right to speak at CC meetings subject to the approval of the Committee.

Article Eleven: Finances

• Section 1. Every member of BFN shall pay dues as determined by the convention. Dues amounts and policies shall be changed only by convention vote. 

• Section 2. Recognizing that dues alone may not satisfy necessary expenses, the Coordinating Committee is empowered to enact voluntary pledge and donation systems for those members who have expressed their ability to pay more than the minimum.
  

Article Twelve: Political Independence

• Section 1. BFN is not affiliated with any one political party, ideology, or organization, and should not be construed as such. BFN espouses only policies that benefit City Letter Carriers and the working class as a whole, and may or may not endorse specific candidates for union or public office who support that cause.

• Section 2. Members at all times retain their right to speak out publicly as an individual in support of their own political beliefs.

Article Thirteen: Amendments

• Section 1. This Constitution and Points of Unity shall be amended only at BFN Conventions. 

• Section 2. Amendments shall be submitted two weeks in advance and made available to members in advance of the start of the convention. Any member may submit amendments, and they must be submitted to the CC.

• Section 3. Proposed amendments can be submitted by any member.

• Section 4. Proposed amendments shall be made available to the convention, and shall be voted on. Those passed by a majority (60 percent plus 1) shall become effective upon ratification of the Constitution.

Adopted at the 2026 Build a Fighting NALC Founding Convention