Monday, May 21, 2012

Steward Review Operating Procedures

Memo posted on Council website.
What's going on inside the District Council? On Friday, May 18, EST Mike Bilello posted a memo on the councils website regarding "Steward Review Operating Procedures", that left many members confused, scratching their heads and wondering what Bilello is talking about.

I will attempt to explain and clarify the memo for you.

Section 12 (K) of the District Council By-Laws, requires the Executive Committee to develop and preside over a uniform system of Shop Steward review and sentencing guidelines,which shall be adopted by the Delegate Body. The By-laws required the development of said system by March 15, 2012 or thereafter be developed and implemented by the Review Officer.

In attempting to comply with this By-law provision the council distributed the Shop Steward Operating Procedures to all delegates on May 9th..

From the Bilello Memo:

"Brothers and Sisters, Prior to the May 9th delegate meeting, a packet was distributed to all delegates that contained draft "Steward Review Operating Procedures," as well as draft "Steward Review Sentencing Guidelines." These documents were included in response to delegates rightfully demanding the receipt of all material for review well in advance before they are asked to vote on whether or not to approve."


"While it was in the interest of satisfying that demand, they were distributed before the Executive Officers of the Council had a chance to review them."

Bilello is playing fast and loose with the facts.

The delegates did not demand the "receipt of all material" before the Executive Officers of the Council have a chance to review them and the delegates did not receive a "packet that contained a draft Steward Review Operating Procedures," as well as draft "Steward Review Sentencing Guidelines.

On Wednesday May 9, 2012, at 9:49 AM, the delegates received an email from the council which said: "Dear Delegates, Please see the attached document on Shop Steward Operating Procedures which will be discussed at tonight’s meeting."  

The attached "Shop Steward Operating Procedures" did not indicate it was a draft, it was written on council letterhead from the Executive Officers of the Council, (EST Bilello, President, Lebo, and Vice-President Cavanaugh).

Approximately fifteen minutes after receiving the email from the council, Review Officer, Dennis Walsh responded and ‪‬sent an email to all delegates and wrote: "The Sentencing Guidelines are being reviewed and are not in effect."

Back to the Bilello Memo:

"After my initial review, I reject these "Sentencing Guidelines" and will not consider implementation of them. New draft language will be distributed as soon as possible after proper review is completed."

Bilello is rejecting what he and the Executives Officers wrote and authorized to be distributed to the delegate body on May 9th. However, according to Bilello, "they were distributed before the Executive Officers of the Council had a chance to review them."

In other words, Bilello did not read what he wrote and authorized to be sent to the delegates, and after he had a chance to read and review what he wrote and authorized to send, he now finds that he does not agree with what he wrote, and he now rejects it.

Bilello says, "new draft language will be distributed as soon as possible after proper review is completed."

In other words, Bilello along with the Executive Officers, will now read and review what they intend to distribute to the delegates before it is distributed.

Last thing, Bilello writes,"Any copies of the "Steward Review Sentencing Guidelines" should be destroyed."


In other words, Bilello wants you to destroy something that you have never seen or was never distributed to you. 

I hope that clarifiers things up for you.

1 comment:

I would ask that if you would like to leave a comment that you think of Local 157 Blogspot as your online meeting hall and that you wouldn’t say anything on this site that you wouldn’t, say at a union meeting. Constructive criticism is welcome, as we all benefit from such advice. Obnoxious comments are not welcome.