From: Letwin, Michael
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 4:21 PM
To: Edwards, Lisa; ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: RE: Thank you [K.]: Bargaining 2013
To help address these concerns going forward, the following is submitted for adoption by the Joint Council.
Consistent with ALAA’s democratic tradition, union headquarters will provide all members with:
1. Complete, prompt, factual written reports on each collective bargaining session, and of each decision (including maker of motion, vote tallies and how each representative voted) taken by the Executive and Bargaining Committees and the Joint Council.
2. Text of memoranda of agreement between ALAA’s bargaining committee and management, prior to contract ratification.
—–Original Message—–
From: Edwards, Lisa
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2013 9:26 AM
To: ALAA MEMBERS
Subject: Thank you [K.]: Bargaining 2013
At tonight’s JC’s meeting lets have a talk about process. I do not know [K.] personally, but I want to thank her for calling into question the actions of the union leadership publicly and demanding that the EB return to the bargaining table. She was criticized harshly for “mischaracterizing” the actions of the EB. However, but for her actions, we would not be where we are today, deciding on a negotiated contract offer, albeit a very poor one. So thank you [K.] and everyone else on the EB whose vote was overruled but who knew sending that sorry initial offer to the membership was a cave in. We should all thank her.
Once again, I call for general membership meetings when issues arise that impact us union wide and that such meetings be scheduled in a timely manner during work hours. We should also have monthly bargaining updates whether there is a lull in negotiations or not. Lastly, we should have a candidates forum for elections during which both contested and non contested candidates can field questions, express their reasons for running for office and their plans for the future. Process, transparency and process. You can never get around that.
BTW. Brooklyn, you are not alone. Represent!!
In solidarity,
Lisa R. Edwards
Harlem Community Law Office
Former EB member and delegate from way back.