Good Question

A brother from Region 5 who attended last night's all candidates meeting emailed this question.

One of the candidates for president said that OPSEU needs to engage with all three levels of government over the next two years.  That same candidate also says OPSEU should not have agreed to gone to the consultation tables with the provincial government.  Just how do we engage with the government when we don't talk to them?

I really can't answer other than that ee need to hear about more than pep rallies and street protests.  Rhetoric is no substitute for a winning strategy.

Solidarity

Protecting The Strike Fund While Solving Deficit

Strike Fund - Dear to Our Hearts - So Let's be Crystal Clear and Truthful

"Sticks" commented on the posting which outlined how EBM Ron Elliot sees the OPSEU Strike Fund:

"Yes he said we have a HUGE deficit, which when taken into account as a whole means that our assets (read Strike fund) are only worth 18 million."

Let's look at the facts. 

Money goes into the strike fund in a few ways. The Constitution requires that 5% of all dues collected go in to the Strike Fund - Art. 20.1.3 (b).  A supplementary assessment of 0.2% can be added when the Strike Fund falls below $50 million (measured in 2001 dollars) - Art. 20.1.2.  Additional supplemental dues can be assessed for essential and emergency workers - Art. 20.1.1.  Interest and dividends from investments also go into the Strike Fund, but only by past practice not by Constitution.

Money comes out of the Strike Fund only in very specific ways governed by the Constitution. That's for strike pay and expenses due to a work stoppage, and for interest-free loans to other striking unions.  Art. 23.1.

(Up to $10 can be "encumbered" to secure debt but that is not money out of the fund)

If you own a house worth $220,000 but have credit card debts of $20,000, that reduces your total net worth, but does not somehow make your house worth $20,000 less.  Even more, if your asset is something that you cannot liquidate, that asset is not worth $20,000 less.  You have debts.  Your net worth is reduced, but the value of a fixed asset is not changed.

OPSEU cannot take money from its Strike Fund to pay off debts.  It MUST find another way.  In simple terms, the value of the Strike Fund cannot be used to offset operating deficits or debts no matter what some EBMs might suggest. 

Therefore to say, as Elliot does, that the Strike Fund has a value of only $18 million is just wrong.  The only way, in fact, the strike fund could be worth $18 million, without being depleted by a massive strike or lockout, is if Convention by a 2/3 vote changed the Constitution to allow all or some of our Strike Fund to be converted to general use.  The facts are clear and inescapable. 

The asset which is our Strike Fund remains what it is - over $60 million.  If I had a vote on the matter, I would not support taking money out of the Strike Fund to reduce deficit.

Sticks adds:

I would like to point out that it is our current VP that is taking the money from the Strike Fund to cover the deficit.

This is a shocking allegation.  It would be a violation of the OPSEU Constitution and a serious breach of fiduciary duty by the Treasurer. Accordingly, the Insider looked into this allegation in depth.  We checked the minutes for the Board and Officers meetings on the OPSEU website, and made inquiries with reliable inside sources.

Not a word of truth to this rumour!! 

The Treasurer has not taken any money from the Strike Fund to cover deficit - not a penny.

The Treasurer is not proposing to take any money from the Strike Fund to cover deficit.

There is a resolution that will probably hit the Convention floor to allocate all or some of the interest and dividend monies to deficit reduction.  That slows the growth of the Strike Fund.  It does not take money out.  Such action would not violate the Constitution.  I am not saying it's a good or bad idea - the Convention delegates will have to decide if its the way they want to tackle the deficit.

Solidarity

Jamie Who?

Did you get Jamie Tocker's letter yet?

Tocker is running for First VP / Treasurer.  His letter went out to delegates with his signature but -- oops -- nowhere in the letter did it print his name, so some delegates might still not know who this candidate is!!

He has a history of some serious financial management in his past and quotes Dan Ackroyd, so that can't be bad.

Tocker, who was with the Ministry of Transport, says he takes the high road.  The Insider will keep a sharp eye to see if that's true.  It is in his letter - so far so good.  Let's also see what promises he might make.

The other side of the election slate have rumoured that Tocker is spending too much time in Toronto and not enough in his home in Region 7.  Well, the Region 7 delegates re-elected him to the Board as VP, so they seem satisfied.  Of course, if it's true, if Tocker gets elected the transition won't be so hard!

Solidarity

Just when you thought it was safe to go to the mail box!!

Counting the Quarters


A huge thank you to the correspondents who wrote about the Region 5 all-candiates meeting last night - very interesting items....like this one...

Eddy Almeida promised to send everyone quarterly reports on union finances. That would be expenditures and revenues to date sometime after March, June, September, and December.  Almeida says this is about "accountability" and "transparency." 

The Insider says this is about micro-management and waste. Board members get financial statements 10 times a year at every Board meeting.  Members who are interested in all the pennies can ask their EBM for copies and details.  Members who don't need that level of penny-counting don't need more for their recycling bins.

There is no lack of transparency - all convention delegates and alternates get useful audited fincancial statements and convention receives, amends, and passes the annual budget.

Accountability?  There is no lack of accountability either.  Unlike locals, who have member trustees, OPSEU has to undergo a professional third-party audit - Certified Accountants.  It doesn't get more accountable than that!

"Accountability" and "transparency" are the party lines that President candidate Pridham uses too. 

It may be fair game to insinuate that the opponents are hiding things but in this case no one has to "show me the money."  It is all right there for me, and you, and everyone to see.

Solidarity

Holy Strike Fund!!

Strike Fund Alert

You've probably never seen this.  I know I hadn't.  It was in an email forwarded to this blog.

Ron Elliot, Region 1 Board member, writes:

"I am determined to know the extent of our $41,750,561 deficit in the General Fund, which basically makes the Strike Fund worth $18,133,023.00, if we do not include the Education Fund surplus."

WHOA -- this is serious stuff.  You read it right.  Elliot is proposing that the strike fund be reduced to cover operating deficit!  Where does he get off making this proposal?  Can't be read any other way.  He is reducing the strike fund of $60 million to under $20 million to balance the budget.  That's nuts!!

Fortunately, the OPSEU Constitution does not allow what Ron Elliot is proposing...at least not right now:

Article 23.1 The Union shall maintain a Strike Fund, whose assets shall be used only for the following purposes:

(a) for strike pay and expenses related to strikes, lockouts and other work stoppage situations involving OPSEU members; and

(b) upon a two-thirds majority roll-call vote of the Executive Board, to make interest-free loans to other striking unions where the Board deems such loans to be in the interests of OPSEU Members.

Elliot must know that the Consititution prohibits him and his associates from draining the strike fund this way, so what's his game here? Fear mongering? Erode the strike fund? Backdoor a dues increase? Hard to say. Elliot's contention does not pass the smell test. It stinks!!

And why is Elliot saying he is, "determined to know the extent of our $41,750,561 deficit?" The Insider is no accountant, but didn't he just say the extent of the deficit is $41,750,561. Hhhhmmmm...
Solidarity

"OTHERWISE"

A correspondent from Region 5 suggested that the Insider have a look at the Nancy Pridham for Prez Facebook page.  I did and found this curious exchange:

Sister Michelle writes:

"Just wondering - got a mailout from the big cheese - do all candidates have monies alocated (sic)  for mailing out campaign info??"

Nancy Pridham Replies:

First:  "Hi Michele, if the candidates get donations and can afford it."

Then:  "While the rest of us are madly fund raising, it is likely that ST got
someone in NUPGE to do his work for free. Also, while it costs the
candidates personal money to travel the Province-vacation days, gas money food-hotels-during ...this campaign, ST is able to do so on the company dime...unless I hear otherwise."

It's a pretty serious allegation -- though the "unless I hear otherwise" is peculiar... back to that in a minute. 

First the allegation.  It was not hard to find out the truth.  Pridham had it right the first time.  Thomas funds his campaign entirely by voluntary contributions.  That includes materials, trips, gas, meals, everything.  So it's "otherwise," and Michelle should be properly informed of the truth.

A footnote - On the basis of the incorrect assumption given to them, Michelle and also Melissa wrote back that they would not not be reading materials from Thomas.  That's sad.  The Insider encourages everyone to read all the materials from all candidates.  Read with care and with a skeptical eye, but to have a closed mind is to be ignorant and nobody in OPSEU wants our membership to be ignorant.

In closing -- what's with, "unless I hear otherwise?"  How would you feel if someone wrote this about you? "[Insert your name here] is misusing other people's money for personal gain......unless I hear otherwise."  Far too cagey and grossly unfair don't you think?


Solidarity

Reality Check

The document sent to delegates via email by some group calling themselves OPSEUrealitycheck does nothing to advance meanful debate on the issues at stake in this OPSEU election.  And isn't the internet wonderful!! Jeez.....

Obviously, some folks have very strong views and, as this blog noted before, accusations give rise to counter accusations.

In keeping with my views that delegates should keep themselves informed from all sources, I cannot say don't read the email.  Quite the opposite, read it with your antenna up and be alert to where rhetoric and extremism go over-the-top.

Since the document does not come from the Thomas campaign, for now the Insider is going to stick to materials and statements made by named persons, whether candidates or other OPSEU members.  Though I will keep my sources completely confidential, I do not want to engage in debate with unnamed persons or groups.

Solidarity 

Weird in Region 6

Strange Happenings in Region 6.

Region 6 Vice-President Sue Brown made the following suggestion to delegates in her speech to delegates on March 12th: 

"Now is not the time for change."

At least one delegate took her at her word.  He wrote to Sue thanking her for supporting incumbents including, of course, current OPSEU President, Smokey Thomas. 

Oops!!  No No No.  That was not at all what Sue Brown had in mind.  She wanted incumbent support exclusively for herself and her pal, fellow board member Jen Giroux.  Okay - we know sometimes politics is about situational truths.  But here is where it gets weird. 

Vice-Prez Brown has demanded an apology from the delegate who was perceptive enough to hold her to her call to support the incumbents!!   Our Sue says her words were taken out of context!  Let's get this straight..... You make a statement.  Someone relies on it as true. Then, when you want to renege, you demand an apology from the person for holding you to your truth. 

Monty Python would be proud.

Solidarity

Smokey Thomas Jumps In

Where There's Smokey, There's Fire

A promised, the Insider has taken the fine-toothed comb to the mail-out from candidate Smokey Thomas.  (And thanks again to the delegate from Region 3 for passing it along.)

Smokey comes out fighting - asserting that his record is one of a fighting president, but one who fights purposefully and successfully.  Unfortunately, the specifics of  these successes are not itemized.

Thomas' letter takes the high road only saying this about his harsh and persistent critics:

"But every silver lining has a cloud. Some members of the Executive Board are not satisfied with our successes. That is their right. But it remains my duty to do the best for our members by any means necessary and available."

Thomas, at least in this mail-out, prefers to do his fighting with the government and the employer rather than in-house with his OPSEU critics.  So far at least, there are none of the accusations and unsupported suggestions of wrongdoing that have been featured in the other presidential candidate's materials and communications.

Thomas' communication points frequently to OPSEU'snsider has seen enough evidence that there are some serious cracks at the Board level in that solidarity.  To be fair, Thomas is speaking of solidarity more at the membership levels.

We'll be looking for the details of Thomas' actual record over the last 2 years to judge those "successes."  And we'll be looking too for details of the alleged back-room deals his opponent has accused him of.  So far there is no evidence.

In the meantime....... Solidarity.

Feathers are Flying!!

Hot on the heels of the Insider's cautionary tale, someone forwarded to me a e-blast from a group called OPSEU Reality Check.  Was I surprised by it?  No.  And here's why.

The first email from Nancy Pridham used some language familiar to political observers.  You may remember the old classic trick question - "Are you still......(followed usually an inappropriate comment about spousal abuse)....?  Of course, there is no good answer because the trap is built into the first three words of the question. 

The Nancy Pridham campaign email said, "we need to stop focusing on back-room deals."  Although a bit more subtle, it's just like that cliché trick question.  Without and evidence or facts to support the implicit allegation, the statement invites the reader to assume there are such "back-room deals."

That kind of campaign language is always likely to provoke response, probably indignant response, and sure enough that's what it did.    [The response has not come from Thomas himself and does not appear to have his stamp of approval.]

Let me be crystal clear, the Insider does not approve of personal attacks. This writer will not engage in such tactics and will stick to analysis of the facts, claims, promises, and records.  This blog relies on delegates to send items forward and will try to report on as much as possible.  With that in mind, we will look in detail at the email from this OPSEU Reality Check group and share analysis later today.

Let's hope the rhetoric (now from both sides) does not drown out a sober look at the facts.

Solidarity.

p.s. A special thank you to a delegate from Region 3 who forwarded Smokey Thomas' flyer.  The Insider will review and post on it tonight.

A Cautionary Tale

One lesson learned perhaps by some ..... and another lesson that needs to be learned by all.

An OPSEU staffer frequently has told the story of how U.S. President Lyndon Johnson once told his campaign team to spead the word that his electoral opponent, a pig farmer, had sexual relations with his animals.  The campaign team, knowing the tale was untrue, was shocked.  Johnson, who also knew the accusation was untrue, told his team that his objective was to spread the gossip just to "make him deny it."

The lessons to be learned?

Avoid the trap of guilt by accusation.  Yes, character and behaviour are important!  But if you hear or read negative personal comments about any candidate, be hugely skeptical. 

Consider with great care the motives of anyone who tells tales of an opponent's alleged wrongdoing.  Has the tale-teller got something to gain or an axe to grind?

Then how do we determine if there really has been some wrongdoing?

That's easy.  Demand evidence, facts, references, dates, records, specifics.  Be a skeptic.  Don't believe any of it without real evidence.  Allegations which are vague and personal, and all innuendo should be disregarded. Such allegations say a whole lot more about the poeple spreading the tales than those they accuse. 

The accusation that the other side are really the ones dishing the dirt is one sublte way politicians have to deflect attention from what their side is really doing.  Just like all the other unfounded and hearsay accusations, don't get fooled.  Get the facts, the emails, papers, etc.  Ignore the hearsay. Avoid the trap.

Harper-style personal attacks should have no place in OPSEU.

Solidarity.

Regional Results

The Regional Overview

So, there are 8 new Board Members.  Four filled vacancies and four won narrow victories over incumbents. 


The "vote for change" was only 19%, not really the groundswell of discontent some folks claim.  Of course, if you compare the 2009 figures to see the actual vote swing away from the four incumbents who were not returned, the percentage is far less even than that, and is actually quite minimal. 


Change?  In fact, six of the seven Regional Vice-presidents were re-elected.  (The seventh did not run)  Clearly not a sign of demand for change - in truth, the very opposite.


Board elections in 2009 also had four new members.


The number of women on the current Board went down from 9 to 8.


The only person of colour on the Board was targeted and defeated in Region 5.


Is it a better Board?  Only time will tell.


Region 1 - Two incumbents, Ron Elliot and Gino Franche, returned. The third incumbent, Laurie Nancekevill, did not stand, and was replaced by Sandi Blancher.

Region 2 - The three incumbents ran as a slate and were re-elected.

Region 3 - Incumbents Patty Rout and Claire Rowett did not re-offer for election.  Incumbent Pete Wright was returned along with newcomers Sara LaBelle and Gord Longhi.


Region 4 - Incumbents Smokey Thomas and Dave Lundy were re-elected.  Lynn Orzel was replaced by Chris Cormier.


Region 5 - Nancy Pridham was re-elected.  Incumbents Derek Miller and Ted Montgomery were replaced by Rod Bemister and Krista Maracle


Region 6 - Newcomer Jeff Arbus topped the poll replacing retiring member Peter Wall.  Sue Brown and Jen Giroux were re-elected


Region 7 - Jamie Tocker and Carl Thibodeau were re-elected.  Mary Cory replaced incumbent Sandra Snider. 

They're off and running

HHhhmmmm.....?

Delegates received an email from candidate for president Nancy Pridham last week.  Lots of good promises and energy, but some peculiar claims too.

 "OPSEU can do better...it’s the bottom line in the hundreds of e-mails and phone calls I’ve received since last Saturday’s vote."

 "Hundreds" Hhhmmm......     Okay, some exaggeration has to be expected in a political campaign. But is the candidate really asking us to believe that over the course of four days, she received more than 2 or 3 hundred phone calls and emails all with a "bottom line" which happens to be her campaign slogan?
Not a good start to a truthful campaign, but the OPSEU_Insider can forgive the exaggeration as exuberant enthusiasm for now.  And afterall, she's not running for Treasurer, so accurate counting may not be her strength.

The OPSEU_Insider has not seen anything yet from Smokey Thomas.  Something must be coming soon and we'll go over it with our fine toothed comb.  There will also be more to say about the e-mail from Nancy Pridham as well as websites and communication from the VP/Treasurer candidates.

Solidarity.

OPSEU ELECTIONS

The OPSEU election process has begun!

The purpose of this blog is simple: To seek and share the truth.
To keep you up to speed on the promises, claims, facts, and fictions of all candidates leading up to the OPSEU Convention, April 6-9.


So far:
Candidates for President: Smokey Thomas and Nancy Pridham


For First V.P./Treasurer: Eddie Almeida and Jamie Tocker