Does the IEB pay any attention to Conventions?

I wrote in a previous post that Resolution No. 27 of the 2007 Conference, which directed the IEB to

engage in a serious exploration of the feasibility and desirability of a merger with another International union, following up on the work of the Merger Exploration Committee. It is required that detailed reports from the IEB be provided to the locals by June 30, 2008 and before the 98th AFM Convention...

had produced no results of which I was aware. It turns out I was wrong; I discovered that in reading the IEB minutes collected in the 2009 Annual Report, which the AFM thoughtfully sent via 1st class mail to my home and which I got yesterday.

During an IEB meeting on May 16, 2009, Tom Lee appointed a sub-committee, consisting of Bill Skolnik, Sam Folio and Joe Parente, to deal with the issue. The sub-committee apparently reported back during the IEB meeting on October 9, 2009:

In debating the matter and in consideration of preliminary studies have been made toward potential target unions, it was decided that a merger would not be in the best interests of the Federation at this time. The Board recognized the requirement stipulated in the 2007 Resolution that it provide a final report no later than 6 months before the 98th Convention (June 2010) and that further action was needed in this regard.

Of course the Resolution also " required that detailed reports from the IEB be provided to the locals by June 30, 2008 and before the 98th AFM Convention..." which didn't happen either. And one could argue that a sub-committee of three IEB members, working (no doubt quite intermittently) over the summer, was not exactly the "serious exploration" directed by the Convention.

I wonder if we'll hear any anger in Vegas at the fact that the IEB completely blew off the 2007 Convention's directives about what is a very large issue. If anyone suggests any further "directing" of the IEB to do things, I certainly intend to point out that past "directing" hasn't done much.

Comments

[802fiddler]

[I certainly intend to point out that past "directing" hasn't done much.]

And neither have recommendations from the Blue Ribbon, Unity and Futures Committees/Panels.