RA will decide on retiree representation

When the NSO RA meets in Washington, D.C. this June, crucial issues regarding who will be leading the organization and the NSO’s budget will be decided.

Also on the RA agenda will be a new business item (NBI) originally brought up at the 2011 RA affecting our current and future NSO retired members.  2011 RA delegates voted to refer the issue to a committee for review and report their findings at this year’s RA.

The new business item impacts Article V of NSO’ s Constitution and Bylaws regarding membership and Article VII on the duties of officers and Executive Committee members.

The NBI recommends adding one new position—Retired Director—to the Executive Committee to represent the interest of retirees.   NSO members who are retired from their employment, were members in good standing of their state affiliate at the time of their retirement. and who have paid their dues would be eligible to run for the position in an election held in even-numbered years. All NSO delegates would vote for the Retired Director position, just as they do for all Executive Committee positions.

This would be the only NSO position a retired member could hold.

Currently there are 14 members on the Executive Committee—five officers and nine Region and At-Large directors. As Article V now reads, retired members are not eligible to vote or hold office.  

“I’m not sure members are aware of the contributions our retired members are making to NSO. The retirees are working on behalf of NSO doing arbitrations, processing ULPs, and providing on-site bargaining and crisis assistance,” said NSO President Chuck Agerstrand. “At a time when all of our affiliates are facing difficult situations and are losing staff, we need retired advocates with skill and expertise to step in and help.”

A committee of retired and active NSO members has spent the past year working on the issue and will report to the RA in June.

Diane Thompson, co-chair of the committee remarked, “We may have retired from our jobs, but we haven’t retired from NSO. Retirees want to stay active. There are 141 retired members and we still have much to offer NSO and its active members.”

The NSO Executive Committee supports the new business item which will be up for discussion again at the RA.