Unity, in Union - A Message from Ben Struck to the Region IV Membership

Brothers and Sisters of Region IV:

Region IV has an opportunity to continue the progress and momentum we’ve started since I took office in January. I am qualified to be your Region IV Vice President; I have brought integrity, energy, and accountability to the position, and I seek your support in this election.

When our previous Region IV Vice President retired, the PASS Executive Board unanimously appointed me in accordance with our PASS constitution. The E-Board considered multiple elected contract representatives for the position, reviewed submissions and applications, deliberated, and selected decisively from among the qualified candidates. In my submission to the E-Board, I shared the following sentiment: 

“your decision is not about me, it’s about ‘We.’ What’s best for ‘We,’ the Union and ‘We,’ the membership? I believe that together ‘We’ can continue to grow Region IV and grow our Union to be stronger than ever.”

I am honored to have received the E-Board’s complete trust and confidence and I share these words with you in the interest of transparency and the hope that you too will understand that it’s about “We” and not “me.”

Consider the definition of collaborate: (v) to work jointly with others or together especially in an intellectual endeavor. I do not see the term “management collaborator” as an insult. Yes, I collaborate. Yes, often times I collaborate with management. More often, I collaborate with our membership to determine what interests you have, what needs you require, and what concerns cause you anxiety. Then, equipped with that knowledge, I can collaborate and negotiate with management with an understanding of what the membership wants & needs to satisfy your interests. Being a "management collaborator" and fighting for the rights and protections of our members are not mutually exclusive. It is precisely because I am aware of the negotiated rights and protections afforded to us by our CBA, the HRPM, the Statute, and other policies that I can collaborate with management to seek resolution in the best interests of our membership and our bargaining unit.

As I announced in a previous message at the start of the summer, we’ve been actively engaged in fighting for you. We’ve worked hard to establish a better “interest-based” working environment with the Agency that is not only professional and respectful, but is also more conducive to effective communications between PASS and the Agency. 

While I relish the opportunity for all members to participate in the democratic election process, I don’t want this cycle to fracture us, to divide us. Every decision I make is in the best interest of our Union, in furtherance of the growth and prosperity of our membership and our Union.

I believe in unity, in Union, and inclusivity.

It’s about “We” and not “me.”

 
Fraternally,

Ben Struck