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Why Should 1 Join the OSEA?
By FLOYD QUERY
Director District No. 2
That is a fair question, and one
which all OSEA members should be
able to answer.
The Association was formed two
years ago by a few hundred state em
ployees who believed that only through
organization could state employees keep
abreast of modern developments in a
modern world in which practically all
types of endeavor are represented by
organizations. Labor, farmers, industri
alists, doctors, lawyers, crafts, men and
women in all trades and professions
have found that to keep from being
submerged in the complexities of mod
ern living, it is necessary that their
efforts be united towards common ob
jectives. This is not necessarily a selfish
trend. In most instances, organizations
are inspired by self preservation for the
individual, with the organization act
ing to represent the interests of that
individual.
Our Association is an independent
organization. Its obligations are honest
and those of common decency. It is
responsible for its actions only to its
members and the public. The objectives
of the Association are high, its princi
ples are idealistic, its methods are clean
and above board, and its efforts so far
have reflected credit upon its members
and attained a positive contribution to
good state government.
Few employees will question the ex
cellence of the Retirement and Civil
Service acts passed by the last legisla
tive assembly. Few hourly employees
will deny that the sick leave privileges
they' now have are desirable. All of
these things contribute towards the wel
fare of state employees, and no one
honestly can call them selfish or greedy
attainments, or deny that they benefit
employees and public welfare alike.
But these things did not come by
chance or luck. All members of the
Oregon State Employees Association
contributed a share in gaining these ob
jectives. They have paid their dues and
given their time freely that they, along
with other state employees, might bene
fit. This magazine that you are reading
is published by the pooled resources of
the members and edited by the combined
efforts of many state employees, all of
whom serve without pay.
Some employees may ask, "Why
should I join now, exerything has been
accomplished.” That is far from the
truth. It is necessary that the OSEA
exert its influence to protect the gains
that have been made. It is hardly neces
sary to remind any one now that con
stant vigilance is the price that has to
be paid to retain worthwhile things.
There is ho doubt that the Retirement
Act and the Civil Service Act are worth
while, and that they will very defin
itely open new vistas in the lives of all
state employees. It is one purpose of
the OSEA to protect the good features
, of these acts and to secure amendments
to those features which time may prove
inadequate. It has been amply demon
strated in I other branches of govern
ment that both civil service and retire
ment acts require constant policing to
enable them to continue to function in
the same high character as the authors
originally intended. Civil service au
thorities caution us that the passing of
the law is only the beginning. The ad
ministration is of vital importance. Un
der the administration, wage schedules
and position classifications must be set
up. Rules and policies must be adopted.
Vacation, Sick Leave, Promotions, Lay
offs and other procedure must be estab
lished.
(Continued on Page 4)
OSEA PICNIC, AT DALLAS.