An Open Letter to NYCOPSR: Where Are the Bylaws?
Editor’s Note:Harry Weiner is a member of both the New York City Organization of Public Service Retirees and Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations.
By Harry Weiner
Boards of retiree organizations must democratically operate with transparency. Governing bylaws should be disclosed. And these rules must be followed.
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.” The UFT and DC37 can pass anything they want due to the two-thirds vote threshold. 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.]”
And NYCOPSR? “We have transparency.”
The New York City Council of Municipal Retiree Organizations, provides members like myself the Constitution and monthly Minutes. Board elections are announced in advance, and a detailed procedure for nominations and voting is delineated.
Unfortunately, NYCOPSR has never provided members with it’s bylaws. I received them yesterday, discovered only today in my junk folder. As a member, I initially accepted this in silence, reluctant to be critical of an organization that has accomplished so much for us. And conflict isn’t in my nature.
But the July 9 Annual Meeting (via Zoom) was a defining moment. While I couldn’t attend, I understand that the meeting 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. Who was eligible to vote? What were the nomination and voting processes?
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.
This should be an easy call.
Editor’s Post-Note: This piece has been updated to reflect that Weiner did, in fact, receive the NYCOPSR bylaws he had requested.