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To the editor:
Boards of retiree organizations must democratically operate with transparency. Governing bylaws should be disclosed, whether or not legally required.
The Municipal Labor Committee rules were difficult to find.
Marianne Pizzitola, president of the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees, has called out their “undemocratic weighted voting power structure.” She observed that for many months the MLC was “blatantly ignoring the bylaws that requires a Uniformed union on the Executive Board.”
When a vote is called, the MLC doesn’t “tell you the quarterly membership certified for each union…reveal the weight [of each union] in violation of Robert’s Rules [of Order.]”
The Council of Municipal Retiree Organization provides members like me the constitution and monthly minutes. Board elections are announced in advance, and a detailed procedure for nominations and voting is delineated.
And NYCOPSR? “We have transparency.”
Unfortunately, NYCOPSR hasn’t proactively provided all members with its bylaws, by email or via a website link. It will honor individual requests - I was emailed them this week.
How will all members be informed of this procedure?
As a result of my suggestion for proactive unilateral disclosure, I have been vilified by some members in the organization’s Facebook group. While I thoughtlessly made harsh comments to the hardworking moderators, I apologized to them.
Otherwise, I was told by several, including Marianne, that policy criticism is unacceptable and undermines NYCOPSR.
I have since been suspended from the Facebook group.
The July 9 Annual Meeting (via Zoom) lasted about 15 minutes. No questions were permitted, and it was announced that prior, the board was reelected for a five-year term according to the bylaws.
There are directors and administrative board members. Members should be informed, on eligibility to vote, the nomination and voting processes, how general members become administrative members by proactively providing the bylaws.
In a video presentation on the history of the MLC, Marianne had a slide with the banner, “Change for Democracy” then “The time is NOW.”
I agree.
Harry Weiner
The author a member of both the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees and Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations.
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Harry
Marianne has communicated with me that I have made “unsubstantiated allegations.” and “Nothing of which you accuse us of is substantiated.”
I welcome her to fact-check my letter, here and in the “Debunked” section of our website,
And she has indicated that “you will be receiving a letter from our attorney shortly.”
Stay tuned.
Thursday, July 23 Report this