What We Propose

Why are we calling for change at SPEEA?

We are facing a financial crisis

We have a crisis of leadership on the Executive Board. Here's how we're supposed to be governed:

• Governing Documents places the Council as the chief decision-making body
• Executive Board is supposed to be the mouthpiece and administrator for carrying out the will of the Council
• Executive Director is the chief of our paid staff and acts at the direction of the Executive Board

We have a crisis of confidence

We have a crisis of responsiveness

What do we propose to do about it?

Financial Crisis

Re-evaluate SPEEA spending patterns

• We cannot sustain Cadillac tastes on a Durango budget (hotlink to LM2’s, etc)
• We will recommend re-alignment of our governmental lobbying investments (e.g. we are spending $54K annually for dues to CESO, plus travel expenses, leave with pay, etc. for conventions... duplicating what we already get through our IFPTE affiliation)
• We will make more effective use of the resources of the DPE of the AFL-CIO

We will require across-the-board belt tightening if necessary to achieve a balanced budget

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Leadership

Present Executive Board has abdicated their responsibility to lead

• We got suckered on our last contract by the Leapfrog Initiative. Yet when that was disclosed virtually nothing was done about it despite the Board’s constitutional authority to enter into interim negotiations with the company. This has cost about 60% of our members a 5% penalty on any hospitalization costs for a full three years!

We will fight to make the so-called SPEEA-Boeing Partnership work for SPEEA

• It’s now just an information sharing construed to suit the company’s purposes
• The Executive Board must force Boeing to treat us as equals if this is to happen

Much of the leadership function is presently delegated to staff. We will change this by fulfilling our duties according to the requirements of our Governing Documents

• The President will act as the chief interface between SPEEA and our employers, and between SPEEA and the general public
• The Treasurer must have complete access to and authority over our financial plans and reports
• The Secretary must provide effective and timely communication between the Executive Board and the Council, the Executive Director, and the members at large

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Confidence

You can count on us to lend a ready ear to the concerns of SPEEA members and you’ll receive straight talk about union affairs

The Veil of Secrecy will be lifted!

• SPEEA documents will be made available to our members
• The use of Executive Sessions will cease to be a regular feature of Executive Board meetings (What are they hiding?)
• We will make full disclosure (within legal limitations) of all SPEEA financial records

Accomplishments, not promises!

• You don’t have to just trust us to effect change; we’re already doing it! (hotlink to LM2’s, etc.)

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Responsiveness

We are committed to vast improvements in all our communications

• Increased reliance on the use of our web page for day-to-day communications with members
• Rapid turnover of Council and Executive Board minutes and their posting at the SPEEA web site
• Accessibility of all correspondence to members

We will be vigilant!

• Inaction by the Executive Board led directly to two decertification actions in Wichita... Never Again!!!

We will aggressively act to protect the jobs traditionally done by SPEEA-represented employees

• We will be proactive in seeking interim negotiations whenever in the best interests of our members

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