Well, to start off, this article is long overdue. As most, or some, or at least a few of you know I have been very busy with my personal life. This article or one like it should have been written a long time ago.

I recently proposed a by-laws change that will replace one that is a TOTAL joke to begin with. As you may or may not know, OUR Executive Board, without the membership's knowledge or approval, may spend up to $10,000.00 at a time, any time, for anything. Yes, really, TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS! That is OUR hard earned dollars that we "give" to the union in the form of dues and check-off.

I have read, heard, and seen many ridiculous things in my life but I had to read this 3 times before I believed it. I kept telling myself that I must be misreading the decimal point. It just can't be what I am reading……… Sadly, it was……

I needed to step back and think. Why was I surprised? This is a union that takes our money, and when we want to know what they are doing with it they just say we will get back to you. THEY think that WE are NOT even capable of choosing a Secretary/Treasurer. (The one they chose for us isn't even trusted with the financial program's password on the Union Hall computer). Just because we pay dues why should we have any rights????? Because this is the GREAT country of America and was founded on Democracy that is why!

Anyway, I'm getting off track here; I have proposed a modest but FAIR By-laws change that restricts Executive Board spending to a more realistic amount of $500.00. Any amount over that would have to be approved at a regular or special Union Meeting that includes invitations to all Divisions and Members. Any amount up to $500 they spend would have to be reported and justified at the next meeting in a written financial report.

To be honest I don't have any evidence that the Executive Board is mis-using Union funds or is engaged in any fraudulent activity, but they are so secretive about the spending - what is the average person to think? They produce no financial reports at the meetings except to say all is well. They force you to jump through hoops to get a look at the financial records then come up with totally ridiculous excuses to prevent you from doing so.

Perhaps it's time our Officers re-read the ILA's Code of Ethics, Section III. Financial Practices, paragraph 1 that says:

Union funds are held in trust for the benefit of the membership. The membership is entitled to assurance that their funds are not dissipated and are spent for proper purposes. The membership is also entitled to be reasonably informed as to how union funds are invested or used.

IT'S TIME FOR A BIG CHANGE!