An email came from the WTU on Friday, October 9th @ 5:30 pm with the following message:
"The Executive Board meeting scheduled for Saturday, October 10, 2009, has been cancelled. President Parker has been prescribed bed rest for the next few days so that he may fully recover from an untimely, temporary medical condition. Upon his return, you will be notified when the Executive Board will convene the next meeting. Meanwhile, we are wishing President Parker a speedy recovery. Our apologies for the delay of notification and any inconvenience this may have caused."
This is not how the Washington Teachers' Union is suppose to work according to our constitution. Even in the absence of the WTU president, business is suppose to continue as usual with the WTU General Vice President assuming the union president's responsibilities. During these critical times, it is a travesty that the elected members of the WTU Executive board are unable to carry on in spite of George Parker's illness. It is most unfortunate that this has been a practice of our union under the helm of Parker. When things get tough, Parker cancels meetings on short notice and without input from WTU Executive Board members.
Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence
12 comments:
If Parker isn't working according to the rules of the constitution than can't the board remove him? Who enforces the rules of the union constitution?
I guess Mr. Parker fancies himself indispensable. Reminds me of Mayor-for-life Michael Bloomberg. And his predecessor, Saint Rudy.
I still remember Saint Rudy saying he needed to stay on for three months to keep up the morale of NYPD and FDNY. The fact is, he'd been denying them contracts for years, and the police, his former supporters, had already begun demonstrating against him.
Funny how politicians think.
Can't at least this decision be overturned. What if the presidnet of the union died? would members just have to wait until a successor was named?
Teachers can see through Parker's feigned illnesses.I remember when Parker was at Elliott.Parker practices avoidance.Where are the WTU board and the representative assembly on this?
Mr. P will be sick after the next election as well as his sidekick and dodger Mr. W.
I'm so tired of the WTU drama and infighting that I can't wait for the Spring elections. I'm inclined to vote for an entirely new board and panel of officers. What would we have to lose, given the current (and past) theatrics?!
(If the constitution authorizes the meeting to go on as planned, why didn't it? Are the officers and board afraid of Parker? Sheesh!)
If it is true that Parker is playing games (and not sick), we need to put our money where our mouths are.
Don't our dues pay his salary? Maybe it's time to stop paying these dues since we are not being properly represented and the costs of buying into the WTU seems to outweigh the benefits.
Maybe we should put our dues money into donations for a mayoral candidate who meets our approval and can beat Fenty!
What's really a travesty is that the union's constitution or bylaws incapacitate all other officers and allow a dictatorship. Why is there no system of checks and balances among the leadership? What is the union doing to change the constitution and keep this from happening with the next union president?
I, too, am wondering why didn't the board just go ahead and meet? If Obama were unable to do his job, life would still go on.
Mr. President Parker: Its unfortunate to hear about your sickness but the peoples job should continue with the executive board members. Pls. do the right thing and be a responsible president. Also,try and settle the matter/problems between you and your executive board members. Unite and strengthen the union not weakening it.
Lodesterre:
Acc. to Article VI of the WTU constitution & by-laws
the final authority of the membership, is the general governing body of the WTU which is the Representative Assembly. This assembly consists of members of the WTU elected by the members."
This issue could be advanced to the rep. assembly by the executive board. Unfortunately a number of the remaining board members have been willing to go along with Parker at any cost.
Parker would need a recall to have him removed which is not an easy process.
Kings:
I agree with you but people have to be willing to take a stand. On our WTU Executive board- there are members who are lackadaisical for whatever reason. There are board meetings where some on this board read cookbooks, fall asleep and/or abstain when its time to vote or consistently fail to show up instead of taking their responsibilities seriously.
Anonymous @ 2:14 pm
I don't know if they are afraid but some don't take their roles seriously as I stated in my comment to Kings.
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