van Houte Election Letter

John van Houte for Executive Vice President

Please allow me to clarify and correct some false information that was provided by one of the candidates for executive vice president. I am not “one bad day away” from retirement, nor will I be when the next contract is ratified. Had this candidate taken the time to ask me, he would have known this. Additionally, he must have forgotten how the bargaining team functioned and the many discussions we had while meeting. There were several on that team, and each played an important role in the success of our current contract. We as a TEAM negotiated a contract that put us in the position that our comparators have and are using our contract in their bargaining negotiations. Our contract is strong because of the bargaining team, and we are in a strong position to continue advancing our position in our next contract.

Since it appears that some of the candidates are unclear as to what exactly the executive vice president duties and responsibilities are, I thought it would be useful to post them for all to see rather than have to rely on misinformation.

I want to be clear that it IS NOT the responsibility of the executive vice president to lead or preside over any committee except the grievance committee. While the e-board has not utilized a grievance committee in quite some time, I am currently in the process of creating a recruitment for members to serve on the grievance committee. Please be on the look out for that recruitment as we look to bring back this important committee.

Article 6, Section 3 – Executive Vice President:

The Executive Vice President shall attend and participate in all regular meetings of the Association held during his or her term of office, unless excused. The Executive Vice President shall also attend and participate in all Executive Board meetings of the Association. The Executive Vice President shall fulfill those obligations and duties as directed by the President, and file reports of his or her activities with the Information Officer.

The Executive Vice President shall be the chief investigator and processor for all grievances and arbitrations of the Association, and shall maintain accurate records and timetables for all grievances and arbitrations of the membership.

The responsibility of the Executive Vice President may not be delegated. The Executive Vice President at his or her discretion may delegate to a Board member or members the execution of such duties, subject to the limits of this Constitution.

The Executive Vice President shall receive a monthly salary of Twenty percent (20%) of a top step deputy’s base salary and shall receive expenses in accordance with the policies established by the Executive Board.

Should the Executive Vice President choose not to seek or be defeated for reelection, he or she shall, at the conclusion of the term of office, for a One (1) month period of time, assist the newly elected Executive Vice President in executing the duties and functions of the office. During this One (1) month period, the outgoing Executive Vice President shall receive the rate of pay as set forth.

The Executive Vice President shall:

1. Assist the President and perform the duties of the President in his or her absence.

2. If, for whatever reason, the President resigns, retires, or is otherwise unable to complete the term of office, the Executive Vice President shall assume the position of the President for an interim period, or for such time as the Executive Board selects an interim President to complete the remainder of the presidential term, in accordance with the provisions set forth in this constitution.

3. Preside as chairperson of the Grievance Committee.

4. Countersign all checks drawn against the funds of the Association.

5. With the written consent of the Executive Board, countersign all agreements for the Association.

6. Act as general overseer of operations for grievances and contract administration.

7. Carry out such additional lawful directives of the Executive Board as it may make from time to time.

8. Uphold the Constitution, policies, procedures, and directives of the Association.

9. The Executive Vice President shall report bimonthly to the membership via the Association newsletter.

10. Be responsible for recruiting and training of Stewards.