2
THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
| I am sure we all appreciate the con
sideration given public employee legis
lation by the legislature. There is evi
dence of discernment and understanding
of the relationship between improved
personnel administration and the-publié
welfare. Fred C. Inkster, President of.
the League of Oregon Cities, merits’
commendation for his service in uniting
interested public employees and officials
in developing a comprehensive, sound
retirement plan to satisfactorily cover
all public employees.
Those legislators who sponsored and
those who gave their support, those offi
cials . who endorsed the measures — the
Governor, the Budget Director, and
many department heads, and others who
worked for the measures, m ay'each
point with satisfaction to his part in
the enactment of this legislation. A
new milepost has been reached and the
Oregon public service em ergesfrom its
pioneer rough-and-ready days into *an'
orderly and well regulated futûre» The
public service in Oregon gains a new
dignity and recognition certain to i at
tract and retain efficient employees and
encourage career service. Employees
should not neglect personal letters of
appreciation to those who supported the
measures and to those whose support
was previously requested.
? Public employees should not feel that
the problems are all solved. The passage
of legislation is, after all, only the first
step. The retirement and merit systems
are both complex and involved. The
operation of each will be complicated,
the problems to be handled are difficult
and tedious. .There are commissions to
be appointed, directors to be selected,
interpretations to be made, rules and
regulations to be adopted and procedures
and-policies to be formulated.
Consideration in all these matters can
be expected from the administrators of
the merit system and the retirement sys-
I. A. DeFRANCE
tem when employee sentiment is united
in correct analysis and conclusion. Em
ployees must share the responsibility of
determining the true facts, conditions
and circumstances, of analyzing and
studying these details and of unifying
employee thought and opinion in logical
long range conclusions.. No better, way
to accomplish t h i s is available than
through study and discussion in meet
ings of employee g r o u p s.; City and
county employee groups should under
take this program, as well as state em
ployees.
The enactment of this legislation is
in a way a challenge to all public em
ployees and particularly to the members
of our Association, We will be held
accountable for the achievement of that
increased efficiency and performance so
often referred to as- the natural conse
quences of both the retirement system
and the merit system. Increased mem
bership in our Association and increased
member interest will be most effective
to insure success in these objectives. |