tea » tea times: June 10 2005 email: teaseattle  

T E A

T i m e s

June 10 2005


June Meeting Schedule

June 15 TEA Regular Meeting (12-1pm, 6th Floor - Chinook & King Conference Rooms, King Street Center)
June 16 Board Business Meeting (12-1pm, 4G, King Street Center)
June 23 Board Business Meeting (12-1pm, 4G, King Street Center)
June 30 Board Business Meeting (12-1pm, 4G, King Street Center)

Regular Meeting Agenda (Wed., June 15)

  1. Call to Order
  2. Treasurer's Report
  3. Update on Wastewater and Transit Negotiations
  4. Status on Solicitation of Bargaining Team members for next Contract Negotiations
  5. Issues for the Good of the Order

TEA Negotiation Items Rating Form

You should receive (in the next day or two) a TEA Negotiation Items Rating Form from your work unit Council Representative.  (If you don't have one, please contact a Board member to get the form - or consider becoming a Representative!) The Wastewater and Transit Negotiating Teams will use this information in developing the top membership issues for upcoming negotiations.  Please be sure to complete and return to your Council Rep by close of business Friday, June 17.


Want to have a more direct impact on your contract negotiations?

TEA is still seeking members for the Bargaining Teams (one for WW, one for Transit).  From this group of advisory members, individuals will be chosen to help conduct the actual negotiations.  Please consider joining this effort; negotiation sessions are under the paid release time protection in our contracts.  If interested, please contact Eric Mandel at 684-1206.


Message from the President

I wanted to just note to our members that sometimes there is a lot happening "behind the scenes" that you typically aren't aware of - and that your Board and other TEA volunteers are working very hard on your behalf.  For example, a rotating group of subject matter "experts" have been joining the core Wastewater negotiating team, who have been meeting generally once or twice a week for three hour sessions (or more).  Thanks to my colleagues Greg Suko, Kim Kingsbury, Joe Barnett, Diane Britton, Ade Franklin, Pete LeTourneau, Alton Gaskill, Bill Wilbert, and my fellow core team members Roger Browne, Eric Davison, and Chris Casillas (our legal team member).  We don't generally reveal details in writing here, but you can get updates from any of us, (preferably at the monthly meetings).  We will also meet with your workgroup on request, as will happen with the Construction Management group next week.

I am also making sure to personally develop productive relationships with our own Division management, County Council members, and higher level Executive staff.  I think it's important that we continue to be seen as an important entity in the County, and to have a presence that is both professional and cooperative while championing our issues.  As you know, this is a bit more of a challenge as TEA has gone the independent route, but it is a role I take seriously.

There are many involved in TEA, and I can only encourage those of you who haven't yet put much into it to offer up your ideas, time and energy.  Any labor group is only as strong as its members, and we have a terrific and high-level talent pool to draw on! Feel free to contact me about your concerns and how you might want to make TEA an even better group - thanks!


New members approved for the TEA Political Action Committee (PAC)

TEA members John Phillips and Yasmin Mudah have been nominated and confirmed by the Board to join TEA PAC, which is chaired by TEA President Eric Mandel.  If you (or a colleague) are interested in getting more involved in developing appropriate political strategy to benefit the membership, please forward your interest or nomination to Eric.  We will be meeting shortly and are very excited about helping forward the organization through this channel and developing some strategic recommendations!