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AffiliatesMEA/MEAFS/MESSA ASOThe Michigan Education Association Associate Staff Organization (MEA ASO) represents associate staff employed by the MEA and it affiliated corporations. Presently, MEA ASO has members employed by MEA and MESSA. The purpose of this organization is to represent its members in matters relating to negotiations, grievances and all matters relating to terms and conditions of employment. Members of the MEA ASO are also affiliated with the United Staff Organization (USO) and the National Staff Organization (NSO). The governing body of the MEA ASO is its Executive Committee composed of the president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, four (4) area representatives from headquarters and one (1) area representative from each of the four (4) zones in the field Uniserv offices. The Elections chair, Continuing Education secretary, Staff Retirement Board representative, and USO directors are ex officio members to the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee meets not less than quarterly each year with a general membership meeting being held in the Spring of each year. The schedule for meetings will be set at the September Executive Committee meeting. After that meeting, the meeting dates will be posted on the USO Website. Stay tuned for further information on ASO! ASO Newsletter - February 2009 Edition ASO Training Committee Guidelines SSA Constitution - Adopted 5-27-09 SSA Rules & Policies - Adopted 5-27-09 ASO Continuing Education Fund Guidelines ASO Continuing Education Funding Diagram ASO Annual Meeting 2007 Award Winners MEA PSA
MEA FSRMEA FSR Constitution and Bylaws MESSA PSAWhen MESSA was incorporated as a not-for-profit VEBA in 1960, the practice was to hire only teachers who were active in their local associations. The rationale for that was that these people would know there was a need for good benefits. The first MESSA reps hired were: Ted Buehler—worked the west side of the state Bob Snyder—Central Michigan Bill Suriano—the UP down to Highway 55 (Cadillac to Tawas) John Hamelin—Metro Area to Ann Arbor The first PSA contract with Management is 12 pages long, and is neither dated nor signed! The first ULP was filed against MESSA management in 1969. The ULP was because there was a signed contract in place, and management unilaterally instituted a work rule. PSA demanded to bargain, and filed a ULP when management refused to bargain. The case went before an administrative law judge [Bixler], and management hired 3 attorneys to represent their side. PSA was unable to afford an attorney so argued their own case. WE lost the case because we submitted a brief with no legal references or proofs! Back in the early days, MESSA PSA members were all male, and had a company-issued blazer and slacks with a MESSA emblem on it that they were to wear at all official functions. In the 1974 contract, there was a reference made to “a substitute for female reps.” Another interesting bit is that back in 1975 when there were only 8 reps on staff, there was a provision that not more than 4 (59%) could take vacation at the same time. Now it would be very rare that 50% of our staff would be allowed to take vacation at the same time, except during the month of July…if then! Back in those early days, each rep had a company car which came with magnetic signs saying MESSA that were to be worn on the car at all times. If a rep were to pull into the MESSA parking lot and be caught without the signs on the vehicle, management could impose a fine. Back then it was “sport” for local members to steal rep’s signs—if you lost too many signs, you had to pay for your replacements. Therefore, reps had to remember to put the signs on when they came to headquarters, but to take them off when they were at a meeting where the signs might be stolen! Up until 1977, contracts were printed on regular paper. The first contract that was actually put together in “contract form” and stapled was the 1977-80 contract. The following contract was 1980-83, and was brought in after a one day strike by MESSA PSA. With the formation of USO, MESSA management got paranoid (best way to explain it) and hired labor lawyer John Loose to bargain against both MESSA unions. MESSA PSA should have won an award that summer, because with only 9 reps, we took more hours at the table than any other union bargaining that summer. It was a very eventful year, and marked a turning point for us. It was a comfort to know that the next time we went on strike, there would be more than 9 of us withholding services! Since those days, our bargaining unit has expanded from 9 reps with geographic work areas to 15 reps, 14 with geographic work areas. Our product line has expanded from Super Med, Super Med 1 and Super Med 2 to ten current health plans being marketed, plus 2 others which are “out there” but no longer actively marketed. WE have gone from having a “car office” to having offices with computers, faxes, cell phones, and palm pilots. But, basically the job remains the same—to design and implement fringe benefit programs for our members and to provide the best benefits and service possible at the best price. A tall order, but we aim to fulfill our mission! |
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