Respect and Inclusion
Members are requested to uphold the tenets of our mission by behaving in a respectful, constructive, humane, and collaborative manner. Discrimination, harassment, incivility, and bullying are not part of our value system, and we request that members be mindful not to bring that behavior into this work.
Internal Conduct
UP members must be capable of working and collaborating with other members constructively to achieve the shared goals of the organization.
Meetings
At meetings, members are asked to respect the agenda, chair, and procedures. Rigorous debate is encouraged, along with active listening skills and civil discourse. Demeaning conduct toward a fellow member and name calling are not acceptable. When possible, members are encouraged to raise their hands and avoid interrupting one another.
Organizers should strive to make meetings accessible and inclusive, taking into consideration factors such as transportation, disability, and work and family schedules.
Reliability & Dependence
We must be able to rely on one another in order to work together. Members are asked to honor commitments made to the group, or notify the group as soon as possible if circumstances change and they cannot do what they committed to doing. It is better to say “no” than to accept a responsibility one cannot fulfill.
External Conduct
Members should strive to act in accordance with Ulster People’s mission of economic, social, racial, and environmental justice. Support of the Ulster People platform is a condition of membership. While members are encouraged to be active in the community, they may not act on behalf of or as representatives of Ulster People unless empowered to do so by the UP Steering Committee. This includes the use of the UP logo and other materials created by UP.
Privacy and Confidentiality
To foster an environment where members feel safe participating in free and open discussion about what can be sensitive or difficult matters, internal communications (such as our voting members email list, our steering committee listserv, and closed working group meetings) are to be considered confidential. While members are welcome and encouraged to publicly discuss the general practices and politics of Ulster People, they should refrain from sharing any details of private internal communications and members’ personal details outside of the organization.
Conflict of Interest
Members who work for a specific political candidate or campaign, or members who are elected officials, are expected to disclose such associations and recuse themselves when conflicts of interest arise. An example might be the endorsement of a candidate.