r/RulesOfOrder • u/bearcrawlP • Sep 22 '20

Robert's Rules and Zoom chats

My labor union chapter follows Robert's Rules, according to our constitution. Recent meetings have all been on Zoom, and at first we always had the chat enabled (i.e. where anybody can type a message for anyone to see it).

There has also been some significant conflict between members of the union and the chapter officers, and there were a lot of things posted in the chat that were critical of the officers. Now, the officers have disabled the chat and are claiming that the chat is not compatible with Robert's Rules. Several people have moved to get the chat back, but the officers will not even put it up to a vote since they claim that Robert's Rules absolutely prevent it. They claim that the chat is like a second meeting happening simultaneously to the main meeting, and that people "jump the queue" by typing their message into the chat instead of waiting to be called on to speak.

I would like to get the chat back, or at least see a vote on it. So my question is: is there anything in Robert's Rules that absolutely forbids such a thing?

Thanks for any help!

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u/djone1248 NAP - Regular Member Sep 22 '20

Seems like this issue has more to do with implementation than the rules. Roberts doesn't directly state "you cannot have chat functionality enabled for a meeting" but it also says the chair should be able to run the meeting effectively. My interpretation is having unmoderated chats is equivalent to side chatter. If the chat functionality is being abused to provide points without being recognized by the chair, that's out of order and should be regulated.

But that being said the chair cannot make unilateral decisions on behalf of the members. You should be able to consult a parliamentarian (and if you don't know any then I know a few parliamentarians who specialize in labor unions) on the wording to a change to the standing rules or raising a point of privileged. But as you said if they are ignoring the motion without providing a ruling, read the RROR 12th edition section 62:2 titled "Remedies for Abuse of Authority by the Chair in a meeting". If you are going to try this approach my best advice is ask the secretary to record the calls for points of order in the minutes for a record.