Did you know that OSEA is required to have bingo at every Conference?
The game is mandated by a resolution passed at Conference in 2002. OSEA is a member-driven organization, and all members get the opportunity to influence our organization and our governing documents through the resolution process.
Any active member in good standing may submit resolutions by Feb. 1 to modify or create sections of the OSEA Constitution, Board Policy and the Standing Rules. They can also be used to have OSEA take an organizational stance on policy or political issues, like universal healthcare or supporting PERS funding.
Resolutions can come from members, or from governing groups like the Board of Directors, Board committees, chapters and ROSE’s Executive Committee. Resolutions submitted on behalf of a chapter or ROSE must be approved by members at a meeting prior to submission, but if you want to submit one as an individual member, you have the power to do so!
How to submit a resolution
To submit a resolution for consideration, you need to fill out the submission form and send it to the executive director by 5 p.m. on Feb. 1. If you’re elected as a delegate for your chapter, you can also submit resolutions from the Conference floor during the New Business section of Conference. There are exceptions to this: if your resolution has a fiscal impact or amends the Constitution, it must be submitted by Feb. 1.
Your resolution will go before the Resolutions/Constitution Committee and the executive director for review. The executive director explores the financial cost of the resolution, while the committee analyzes the resolution’s effect on the governing documents or OSEA’s official positions and writes pro/con statements to appear in the spring issue of the OSEA Journal. The executive director and the committee will also consider whether the proposal is compatible with the OSEA Constitution, written policies and applicable laws. If it’s rejected because it conflicts with any of those, the committee will send you a notice explaining why.
If it’s approved to move forward, your resolution will be published in the spring Journal 60 days before the Conference with its proposed language, pros and cons and a fiscal impact statement.
Writing your resolution
Resolutions are written in a specific format and each one is meant to solve a single issue. Think through the underlying problem you wish to address and distill it down to one or two sentences. This is your “Whereas” section. Then offer solutions in the “Resolved” section. You may propose multiple solutions and Conference delegates will debate the best course of action and amend your resolution accordingly.
Here’s an example of the format:
WHEREAS Contracting out does serious harm to public/private employees; and
WHEREAS No one else does our jobs better than we do; be it therefore
RESOLVED That we propose school districts not contract out classified employees’ jobs and that school boards are sent copies of this resolution.
We have a form that can help you format your resolution, which can be found here. The Resolution Committee Chair Susan Hardy is also available to help, and can be reached at shardy6644@hotmail.com.
If your resolution is approved by a majority vote of delegates at Conference, you will have successfully influenced OSEA’s future! Your resolution will go into effect at the close of Conference or as dictated by your resolution.