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Welcome to this week’s CASE Files, part of our commitment to keep you up-to-date on our work to increase your salary, improve and protect your benefits, and to aggressively represent your interests in every forum where your employment and professional interests are at stake.
CASE BOARD OF DIRECTORS’ UPDATE
Election Reminders. The deadline to file to run for CASE Director, President, or Vice President is just a few short weeks away. Information about candidate nominations and the election are available on the CASE Website (password is membersmatter22). We’ve received questions about what the all-volunteer CASE Board of Directors does, so here’s a quick overview:
- Each Officer and Director has specific assigned duties under the CASE Bylaws.
- Every Officer and Director has a legal, fiduciary duty to represent the best interests of CASE as whole – not just their respective department or classification.
- In addition to the basic requirements specified in the Bylaws and the duty to attend quarterly meetings, all Officers and Directors are expected to participate on any number of CASE Board Committees. Most Board members serve on 2 or more Committees. Committees are where the real work of CASE gets done – under the oversight of the full Board and with staff support. Committees meet as frequently as weekly to discuss important programs that impact all CASE Members. Many Committees require review of materials between meetings to ensure CASE can execute programs and services on behalf of Members. Committee attendance, and participation, is an important part of Board service. Committee assignments can include:
- Bargaining: This committee determines the timing and content of the bargaining survey, meets and confers with the State regarding proposed changes to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment, represents CASE in impasse resolution proceedings, negotiates and submits to the Board MOU terms, and oversees the MOU ratification process. During contract negotiations, the Bargaining Team may meet up to three times per week for sessions lasting from several hours to all day to reach agreement with the State, not counting preparation and material review outside of table negotiations.
- Budget, Investment, & Finance: This committee, chaired by the Treasurer, requires expertise in finance and investment and prepares an annual CASE budget for review and adoption by the Board and monitors CASE financial activity for compliance with the Budget.
- Bylaws & Policy: This Committee periodically reviews the Bylaws and Policy File and recommends changes as needed to the Board.
- Communications: This Committee oversees the CASE Communications program which includes CASE Files, the CASE Website, CASE Social Media, and member and non-member communications to ensure Unit 2 legal professionals are informed about union business.
- Contracting Out: The State is required to notify CASE if it elects to contract out Unit 2 work using costly outside law firms or services. The Contracting Out committee reviews these State Contracts and directs CASE Staff to challenge contracts before the State Personnel Board as necessary.
- Elections: This Committee oversees annual CASE Elections, ensuring that the Elections calendar complies with CASE Bylaws and that members are notified regarding deadlines, nomination processes, and ballot procedures.
- Legislative: This Committee develops and oversees CASE’s annual legislative program by reviewing and monitoring pending legislation and recommending CASE legislative positions to the full Board. The Committee also oversees lobbying activity within the Legislature or before regulatory bodies.
- Membership: This Committee oversees the CASE Membership Recruitment, Retention, and Engagement program by directing staff activities and attendance at new employee orientations and other events. It also oversees the CASE Local Representative Program and reviews CASE Member benefits – recommending new benefits to the Board for consideration.
- CASE PAC: A separate legal entity, the CASE Political Action Committee promotes the improvement of terms and conditions of employment for all Unit 2 legal professionals by educating the public and legislature about the significant role played by attorneys, administrative law judges, and deputy labor commissioners of the state in preserving and maintaining justice and general welfare of all residents of the state. The PAC interviews political candidates who request CASE’s endorsement and makes recommendations to the Board. The PAC also considers and makes donations to CASE-endorsed candidates who share CASE’s values.
- Retirement & Benefits: This Committee monitors state and federal law and regulation impacting retirement, health benefits, deferred compensation, and other employee benefits to protect CASE Member’s retirement and benefits.
- Judges & Hearing Officers: This Committee identifies and monitors issues of concern specific to Unit 2 judges and hearing officers and develops and recommends policies to the CASE Board in their interest.
- Small Department: This Committee identifies and monitors issues of concern specific to Departments with fewer than 50 BU2 rank-and-file employees, developing and recommending policies to the full Board as needed.
- Litigation: This Committee reviews contemplated litigation or legal actions taken in CASE’s name and provides direction to the CASE General Counsel and staff who pursue litigation as directed by the Committee.
Have any additional questions about serving on the CASE Board? Let us know.
CASE Board of Directors Meeting – Friday, August 19. The next CASE Board of Directors meeting is Friday, August 19. Interested members may register here to attend via zoom.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Tell Your Non-Member Friends: Membership Deadline Looms. Per Article III, Section 15, the Board has set Friday, August 26, 2022 as the deadline to join CASE for those who wish to vote in the upcoming Board election or to cast a vote for or against the next MOU once an agreement is reached.
CASE Unveils New Website. The Board is pleased to invite you to visit the new-and-improved CASE Website. More intuitive, easier to use, and still filled with resources for all Unit 2 legal professionals. Members enjoy additional content in our Member Resource Center. The Member Resource Center contains CASE Files and Bargaining Report archives as well as links to CASE group insurance plans, consumer discounts, and more. To access the Member Resource Center, use the password: membersmatter22.