To all members:
I’m sure you all are curious to know the results of the Local 99 Election. I’m sorry to say that after issues with the absentee ballot we will be performing another complete mailout of absentee ballots to the membership. Below is a brief explanation of what transpired and what we will do to rectify the situation:
After reviewing the proofs of both the envelopes and ballots, they were mailed out to the membership on October 25th . On November 9th it was brought to our attention that the address on the return envelope was wrong (a clerical error made after the proofs had been reviewed):
107, 10741 -178st, T5S-1R5 Edmonton Alberta
instead of:
107, 10471-178st, T5S-1R5 Edmonton Alberta
We contacted both the printing company and Canada Post to see what could be done, Canada Post pointed out that the bad 107, 10741-178st address didn’t exist and that they would do their best to catch the return envelopes and have them sent to the printing company if they did not make it to our 10471-178st address. Yesterday our tellers were sorting out the returned envelopes and we had received an abnormally low return of those envelopes.
To ensure that Local 99’s election is on the level, I have requested dispensation for the following:
- Perform a new mail out of absentee ballots, wherein we will change the colour of the ballots and mark the return envelope to ensure these ballots are only counted
- The set up of a polling station at the District 14 office on February 13th and 14th to give members the opportunity to vote in person
- An extension of timelines to re-print, mail out and receive ballots (allowing for the holidays and members shift schedules), expecting to count ballots on February 29th
- Our current Executive members will remain in their position until February 29th when the ballots are counted and the results are confirmed:
- Vice President: Mark Meldrum
- Trustee: Trent Demanchuk
- Trustee: Paul Chandler
- Trustee: Darcy Bennett
- Conductor Sentinel: Brad LaBerge
Although this is a delay in the outcome of our election, Local 99 Executive could not allow the counting of ballots “in good conscience” knowing that a large portion of our members democratic right to vote would be ignored with the low volume of envelopes received.
Over the next few months there isn’t any pressing issues or business that would be adversely affected by the delayed outcome of our election and I am asking for your patience as we’ve done what we can to make things right.
Wade Zenchyson
