Auxiliary, Retirees and conventions

[gottaflynow]

Alan,
The Auxiliary has been associated with the Rural Carriers and a place for spouces and juniors to participate. Also, many retirees are voted in as Delegates at the National level. At last convention, there was much talk of change. What are your views on the Auxiliary and Retired Rural carriers participating at the National levels?
Also recently we have been voting on having a National Convention every other year. What are your views on this?

[Just Alan]

Gotta, I do not support retirees being voting delegates if they have been retired longer than 4 years, about the length of a contract. Too much changes in a very short period of time so thier perspective of the job becomes obsolete rather quickly. I think the Auxillary is just fine as it is, (I have never participated) and it is very important in some states. If a state gets enough benefit from it's Auxillary it should be supported, if not, that should be a state issue.
I have been a supporter of bi-annual conventions for a long time. The money National and the states would save could be put to much better use, like enhanced legal representation at the contract negotiations as an example.
alan

[Just Alan]

Gotta,
I have beenpushing b-annual conventions for quite a while, will do so again this year.
I have no problem with "recently retired, (say no more than 2-4 years) carriers being voting delegates, after that time frame, they should grow up and go fishing and enjoy time with thier grandchildren. I think the scheduling of the next Convention and the current AUX changes to state constitutions should tell everybody National has decided the AUX's time has passed. I don't feel strongly either way, in Colorado it has waned over the years and serves fewer folks evey year, it saddens me where it is going for states where it is strong and effective.
alan

[Robert]

I would put our auxiliary up against any state. Our aux is most helpful to us in many ways. The national aux., on the other hand, has lost their direction. They seem to be more concerned with their pet projects and fund-raising for that, than they are in supporting what we do. Fact is, the national auxiliary could show that they have helped many charitable organizations, but would have a very difficult time demonstrating what good they have done for the NRLCA, other than PR.
    As for retirees, I concur with the majority of your assessment Alan, but blanket statements will not work. Our state sec/treas has been retired for a while now, but is infinately more informed on our issues than most of our regular delegates. I would send her as long as she wanted to go if she continued to stay up on our issues.

[Just Alan]

Skiz, your Sec/Tres is the exception to my blanket statement, and there are some out there. Also, your state aux is probably an exception to the rule, and that's why I believe it is a state by state issue.
Alan