Call for a Special Meeting of the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative
Recent actions by the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) raise significant concerns about OTEC governance, and the transparency and integrity of the Board’s decision-making. We are calling for a special meeting to address problems that the Board has created or failed to address, including:
Election Interference: The OTEC Board of Directors recently declared that David Crawford’s election to the Board was invalid and then unilaterally appointed the person who previously held that position. We have serious concerns about the Board’s decision to remove David from his position, and believe the Board needs to be held accountable for interfering in our cooperative’s democratic process.
Misinterpretation of OTEC Bylaws: The Board justified their decision to invalidate David’s election because he’s a member the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), the union that represents most of the staff at OTEC. We do not believe that the bylaws prohibit IBEW members from holding Board seats, and co-op members deserve a chance to discuss this critical issue before a democratically elected Board member is removed.
Transparency of Board Decision-Making: Even if the Board is interpretating the bylaws correctly, why is this coming up now? David was clear about his IBEW membership from day one, so we have a right to know why his eligibility wasn’t resolved before the election, and the Board needs to explain how this happened.
Poor Management Practices and Eroding Staff Morale: For months OTEC’s management team has been leading the co-op down an unproductive and costly road, making decisions that have cratered employee morale and will ultimately put both OTEC staff and co-op members at risk. Now the unionized staff have launched a strike to protest the punitive, and likely illegal, disciplinary actions taken by the management team, including the firing of 24-year lineman Tom Higgins. Members deserve to know what the Board is going to do to restore productive labor relations and safeguard our long-term interests.
Unrealistic Plans for Idaho Power Acquisition: OTEC's linemen are some of the lowest paid in Oregon. How can OTEC expand its service area if it can't recruit and retain qualified electrical workers? And how do we ensure that the proposed acquisition of part of Idaho power wont affect the service, reliability or safety for existing co-op members and their families? We deserve a chance to discuss this acquisition at a special meeting before OTEC's management team makes commitments we can't honor.
That is why we, the undersigned members of the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative call for a special meeting of the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative to address these, and other, pressing issues facing OTEC.
By signing, I am authorizing my name to be added to the petition calling for a special meeting of the Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative.
This petition is being circulated by Jan Burchard, OTEC member, and Baker City resident.