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Claremore Site of OPEA Annual Convention

"Bum's Rush '08: Our Time '09" is the theme of OPEA's 2008 Convention and Delegate Assembly, set for August 22 and 23 in Claremore.

 
“Oklahoma state employees got the 'bums rush' this session, with no pay raise and our benefits threatened,” said OPEA Board Member Christie Biggs.  “We need everyone to come to Claremore to plan for 'our time' next session.”

 

The event will kick off with picnic and entertainment on Friday evening at Claremore Lake, which is free to OPEA members and their families.  The next morning registration will open at 8:00, with the opening gavel of Delegate Assembly at 9:00 a.m.  The Delegate Assembly will be at the Claremore Community Center, 2301 N Sioux.  Rooms are available at two local motels at a reasonable rate.  Please make your arrangements directly with the motel of your choice.

 

“Everyone is invited to bring their families for the weekend,” Biggs said.  “While OPEA members are in the Delegate Assembly on Saturday, families can visit the Will Rogers Memorial and other Claremore attractions.”

 

The heart of the convention is always adoption of the platform.  With the new legislature coming in, OPEA will need to adopt a new platform. 

 

“The proposed platform is a work in progress and can be amended from the floor,” said OPEA Policy and Research Director Trish Frazier.  “Each OPEA worksite should meet and discuss the proposed platform.  If you want to make additions or modifications, you can bring your idea to the delegate assembly.” 

 

Registration is $10 to help pay for lunch and beverages.  Please contact OPEA headquarters to register. 

Friday August 22          Rooms for Annual Delegate Assembly 

Microtel Inn and Suites  $61   918-343-2868

Days Inn    $61    918-343-3297

Posted on Thursday, June 26, 2008 by Mark Beutler filed under

16 comments (Add your own)

1. B wrote:
Can't afford to go!!!

June 26, 2008 @ 3:41 PM

2. Phillip wrote:
I can't really either but I am saving!

June 26, 2008 @ 7:17 PM

3. Tom McDonald, DHS Council Director wrote:
None of us can't afford not to go. We need to be there in great numbers. We also need to show those who are running for elected office that WE as STATE EMPLOYEES mean business. The legislature not only looks at what we have in attendance on lobby day but also how many actually attend our annual assembly. The OPEA Board of Directors is looking at alternative ways of making it possible for people to attend, i.e. Carpooling, minivans, minibuses, etc.

June 26, 2008 @ 9:31 PM

4. No money honey wrote:
Yes, everyone needs to attend the convention, however; lets talk about some reality based ideas.
24 hour facilities require coverage - taking two days off will not be an option for many members.
Gas costs are running at between $3.85 to $4.00 per gallon. Hotel costs are $61.00 before taxes.
Food costs are not included.
So why was a decision made to hold a convention where there are not that many state employees and will require most to travel long distances to attend. It needs to be more central for membership to attend. Employees are just living from paycheck to paycheck and any added expense is not something they can absorb.

June 27, 2008 @ 10:26 AM

5. allen wrote:
Can't afford the ticket or the gas.

June 27, 2008 @ 11:30 AM

6. state worker wrote:
I agree w/ #4, why on earth was Claremore selected to hold the convention? Most state employees work in OKC and live either in OKC or one of the surrounding communities. So much for strategic planning...

June 27, 2008 @ 4:37 PM

7. Locked out of convention wrote:
By holding the meeting in Claremore you are locking out members. OPEA is working to get state employees 4 day work week to save money on gas and then expect them to spend money to travel across the state to attend an 4 hour event. Someone needs to rethink this one if you want attendance at the meeting. Tulsa would have made more sense and even then it is hard to imagine members coming from Western Oklahoma to attend.

June 29, 2008 @ 10:44 AM

8. Tom Dunning wrote:
For me, the benefits of fully understanding what I must do during the next year to help; the dialogue w/ other state employees about our common issues and the opportunity to have input into the future of OPEA makes the time away from family and travel expense worthwhile.

If I'm not involved and i don't work to make things better then I can't expect things to be better. I will not rely on other state employees or OPEA staff to do the "heavy lifting".

The dues I pay only provides me w/ a framework for doing my advocacy on behalf of state workers. Dues payment does not mean I've fulfilled my responsibility to work toward change.

I hope others feel the same way and will voice their reasons of why they will attend rather than why they will not.

I'll be happy to go to claremore and be fully engaged in the process.

"You may think your actions are meaningless and that they won't help, but that is no excuse, you must still act." -- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

June 30, 2008 @ 11:18 AM

9. mjo wrote:
If state employees are so active from OKC, how come we have such a small turn out on Lobby Days? There are those of us who use annual leave and travel clear across the state every Lobby Day and when we get there hardly anyone from the state offices use their lunch hour to participate!! That is why we only have a few hundred show up. If the state employees from the state offices came out to the steps we would have a few thousand in attendance and that might make an impact. Why shouldn't it be at different locations across the state to offer everyone a chance to participate?

June 30, 2008 @ 11:56 AM

10. Matthew wrote:
There are plenty of state employees that don't work in Oklahoma City. I'm a DHS employee, and some of the largest Human Services Centers in the state are, in fact, located in Tulsa. It is nice to finally see something held on this side of the state that WE can afford to attend.

June 30, 2008 @ 4:12 PM

11. bryan wrote:
MJO is correct!!!!!! I was present at the RED RALLY DAY and myself and 2 coworkers drove from Wagoner, OK to attend. We took 8HRS of leave plus the expense of gas! The sad part is there were only about 200 State Employees there. This is ludicrous when there are 7000 State employees just in the immediate area of OKC! We looked like a few Red Pimples out there on the steps. (what a joke) The employees in OKC are important to all of us. So please start taking a LITTLE iniatitive and attend the functions at the Capitol as it is the easiest for you. The next event at the Capitol should have a FEW THOUSAND employees, not a FEW HUNDRED!

July 2, 2008 @ 7:53 AM

12. M.E.B. wrote:
BTW, speaking of...I see that the SuperSonics have now been cleared to come to Oklahoma. However, a legal agreement to leave their team name in Seattle has been reached in order for them to leave. May I suggest the name "The Oklahoma Tax Write Off?"

July 2, 2008 @ 10:41 PM

13. Thomas Kalayilparampil wrote:
I agree 100% to Tom Dunning's comments. You can only make a difference, by attending the convention and let your voices be heard. I have seen that State Employees has lost their ability to react and remember that 'only squeaky wheels get the grease'!! We have so many issues to deal with this year as we face so many challenges at work and at a rapidly changing world!! So be there and let our voices be heard!! Thanks.

July 8, 2008 @ 8:15 AM

14. Tulsa would be great wrote:
I think that having the event in Tulsa would have been great but having to drive another hour is not something most people from Central Oklahoma are looking at. The limited hotel accommodations and cost of gas will certainly keep a number of members out of the convention. With OPEA working toward a 4 day work week to save fuel costs this seems to be in conflict with the platform to save money for state employees. I know everyone needs to be involved but costs of attending will a factor.

July 8, 2008 @ 8:24 AM

15. Jim Burns wrote:
I am a retired employee from the State Banking Department. For many years the raise situation for State employees has been much the same. Sometimes the Legislators come through but sometimes they don't. I'm not aware of any way to change this; however, I believe it has to carry some weight when State employees attend the rallies and other things that are available to make your position known. In our present economic circumstances I would be one of the first to say that is costs too much money to make a trip for a rally. I would also have to ask, can we afford not to make the trip? As someone said earlier, we voted them in, we can vote them out. They have to know that we are watching. They may not like to think along those lines but it is a fact. It has been some time since retired employees have had any consideration regarding a COLA. Hopefully that will change before too long. I wish all active State employees the very best in looking for a raise. I commend the OPEA for all of their hard work on our behalf. Perhaps some day soon our elected officials will come to their senses and recognize the importance of all State employees both active and retired.

July 9, 2008 @ 3:17 PM

16. Melody Turpin wrote:
State retirees WILL be receiving a COLA with their July paycheck. OPEA and Representative Shelton are working to make the 4 day work week an OPTION to help EMPLOYEES with the cost of gas. In August insurance rates will be set for current employees. Most likely it will go up. This will create even more of a hardship since we won't have a payraise to offset the increase. This is NOT in lieu of any payraises for active employees. This is just to help until a PAYRAISE can be passed next session! It is not the intention of OPEA or Rep. Mike Shelton to make it MANDATORY, just an option.

July 9, 2008 @ 4:29 PM

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