Hello Northwest council’s reps and guests.
I am Joel Funfar and I am running for one of the NW executive board Vice President Positions. Running with me as a slate of candidates are Jill Ritchey & Mike Dunn. Our speeches will give you a coordinated presentation on our shared issues.
I am a second generation Boeing employee and second generation SPEEA member. I am proud to have been a member continuously when I was Speea represented. I did have to work in a non represented job at Boeing for a year during layoffs and warns in the 90’s. It gave me even more reasons to value my union representation.
I am active in 4 different SPEEA committees (SPEEA L&PA, NW L&PA, organizational planning, and labor delegates), I am on 2 labor councils and represent SPEEA on the King County Airport Roundtable), and have been on ombudsman committee in the past.
I am running because as a council officer I have been an observer to executive board meetings for the last 2 years. Also as a council officer I have sadly seen where things have happened that have caused problems between different parts of SPEEA. It does not have to be this way.
I as a vice president will work with the NW council and all parts of SPEEA, to make things work better and smoother. Each part of SPEEA has it rights and parts of control of SPEEA.
I will not be combative with the council on issues like budgets. As a committee chair and as a council officer I understand and value the hard work the committees do for all of SPEEA. I will work to balance the needs of all when we do our budgeting process. The budget process does not have to be combative between board and councils.
I also have seen a bigger issue arise, one area we should not have issues between council and the executive board. I have seen attempts to try and influence the council in one of its most important duties. Yes I am talking about interim elections. I am glad the council in its wisdom saw through the attempt and ignored the attempt to sway it. I saw people very upset and the needless pain and division. I will always honor the council and its choice. I will not allow some to try and influence the council on such a primary duty. I will hold people accountable if they try things like this.
We are facing a group of employers who are trying to take away benefits, and out source our jobs. The executive board deals with interim negotiations. I will always support for the memberships needs. I will take hands on approach to mange our union operations.
We need to look to our changing future and protect our current members and attract more members so we can be in a stronger position in the future. To do that we need to continue to be transparent, and look out for all of our members best interests, and to strive to include our members involvement in their union as they want, And to serve the will of the membership.
Jill will be talking more about why you should vote for Vice Presidents who will, with their votes, support the Treasurer and Secretary to provide you transparency of our business records and processes.
Mike will be talking about fiduciary responsibility.
Please vote for three of us as your three northwest vice presidents.