Letters to the Editor
About Those Tech Guild Votes

To the Editor:

This is in response to your editorial comments entitled "Tech Guild Mocks Democracy" dated March 21, 2008. Local 375, under my leadership, has always conducted democratic, fair and constitutionally correct elections. For our local elections (officers, chairs, delegates), we have used the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to avoid any impropriety or conflict of interest with my office.

It has never been my role as president of the Technical Guild to interfere with or resolve election disputes arising from allegations brought by members running for chapter office, nor is it appropriate that the local president do so. There is a Judicial Panel within the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees organization that does have the jurisdiction and authority to resolve election disputes arising within individual chapters. Thus the charge made in your editorial that the leadership of Local 375 has either condoned or taken too casual an attitude with respect to the ongoing disputes is both unfair and untrue. My role has always been that of being fair and impartial towards all members running for office and where necessary providing information as to how disputes may be resolved through AFSCME.

There are 34 chapters within the local. Each chapter elects its own officers and delegates and maintains its autonomy. Every chapter appoints its own election committee. It is our strong recommendation that the chapters engage the services of the independent firm of the American Arbitration Association. The firm provides security for the printing of ballots, ballot mailing and return, a ballot count and certified results, and conducts the election according to our constitution. If they do not want to use the independent firm (it is the chapter's call), their election committee must follow the election procedures that are clearly outlined in the AFSCME Constitution.

Any chapter member has the democratic right to protest the election and most protests are ultimately ruled upon by the AFSCME Judicial Panel. The chapters have their own autonomy when it comes to elections and I emphasize again that I do not involve myself in chapter elections or protests for the obvious purpose of not wishing to appear biased. All alleged improprieties, protests and charges will be ruled upon by the AFSCME Judicial Panel chairperson.

I hope this removes any misunderstanding and clarifies my position on chapter elections.

CLAUDE FORT, P.E., President, Local 375, Civil Service Technical Guild