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T E AT i m e sAugust 3 2007Contents
1. August Meeting Schedule
August 7 Transit Bargaining Team 2. Transit Supervisor's Contract Vote ScheduleOn July 31st, TEA received an updated contract offer from King County for the Transit Supervisor's Bargaining Unit. On August 1st, the TEA Board voted to begin the 15 day notice period for a vote by the Transit Supervisor Bargaining Unit on the County's contract offer. In addition, the Board requested the Transit Bargaining Team meet prior to the next Board meeting on August 8th to evaluate King County's contract offer and report their findings to the Board. Ballots for the contract ratification vote will be made available 5 working days before the vote date per the Bylaws. 3. Call for WTD Supervisor Bargaining Team MembersVolunteers are needed for the new WTD Supervisor Bargaining Team. Since the contract for the WTD Supervisor Bargaining unit was voted down and subsequent bargaining issues were raised, TEA plans to head back to the bargaining table with the County. To do so, two (2) new bargaining team members from the Supervisor Bargaining unit are needed to complete the Team. If you are interested, please contact Eric Davison, Roger Browne or any Board member by August 3rd. 4. Call for Nominating Committee MembersVolunteers are needed to serve on the Nominating Committee. The Nominating Committee is responsible for identifying potential candidates for each Board position of TEA to be voted on at the Annual Meeting in September. In accordance with the Bylaws, Board elections are held at the Annual Meeting which generally occurs on the third Wednesday in September. This year, the following officer positions are open for election: Treasurer If you are interested in serving on the Nominating Committee, please contact Roger Browne or any Board member by August 7th. 5. AnnouncementGreetings to my Brothers and Sisters in TEA; I hope this email finds you and those close to you well. The TEA Board has noticed that the landscape in which we work has changed since our inception; it has changed in unexpected and unpredictable ways. We are still doing a wonderful job at completing the work of Metro, which has now become the Transit and Wastewater Treatment Divisions. However, there are more layers to understand now; relationships with management are more complex in term of completing our respective missions as public agencies, and so is the labor / management relationship. The reorganization that is imminent in WTD poses the potential for even more changes and strains on our working environment at King County. TEA as an organization has grown, changed and adapted to the reality in which we must bargain. Whatever the reasons, the association has not significantly changed the landscape; moreover, the landscape may have changed the Association. While our core ideals of transparency, being a volunteer organization or being different may not have changed, there is a growing concern that our priorities and our expectations, have. It seems we, along with the County are moving towards becoming an organization based on tangibles as opposed to ideals. This change has a risk of creating a serious level of apathy within our membership. As a Board we recognize that there seems to be a desire or need for change. And we think the membership is best served if the Board leads TEA in a direction that is in alignment with the current expectations of its members. However, before we can do that we need to have a clear understanding of those expectations. And towards that end, we want to provide the membership with forums to openly express and discuss what type of organization we want to be. How we are going to look and feel after passing through that proverbial intersection ahead. This process should start with discussion with each other to see what issues hold common value and goals for the Association. Since there are many different communication styles and personalities within TEA, the Board has decided to provide different avenues for people to convey their expectations; to relay what is most important to them. Here is a list of your options:
Depending on the response to the monthly meetings, additional special meetings may be called and the discussion may continue into the winter. Our goal is to gain consensus on the top five priorities of the members, review our current structure and to bring the organizational structure and direction of the Association into alignment with those top priorities. Alternatives will be developed and presented to the membership for further discussions. The Board will weigh your input and develop alternatives that provide the best opportunity for us to realize our priorities. These alternatives will be presented and a method will be developed to determine the alternative preferred by members. This is a real opportunity for you to directly impact the future of TEA. We implore you to take advantage of this opportunity to get involved and help initiate meaningful change. Please take the time to think and talk with your coworkers about what is most important to you or any ideas you have about this process and relay that information in any of the methods identified above. Your contribution is crucial to the success of the Association and essential if the Board is to effectively represent the members of TEA. The Board looks forward to an active, collaborative and participative process that engages all TEA members. Thank for you time and efforts. Ade Franklin 6. Classified AdsTEA members can post classified ads for free. Send classified ads to the, TEA Secretary, ken.madden@metrokc.gov TEA Board
Roger Browne, President |