Secretary may face election

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 22

Secretary may face election

Mrs Doreen Shannon, the newly appointed secretary of the Canterbury Clerical Workers’ Union, may have to face an election in five years. Such a move is proposed in a notice of motion that will be considered at the union’s annual meeting in Christchurch on June 29. Until last December the rule was that the secretary be elected to office, but the rule was changed so that the secretary would be appointed by the executive.

According to Mr M. O’Neill, proposer of the latest motion, his motion would bring back to members the right to vote in their officers. Mr O’Neill, an unsuccessful candidate for the union executive last year, is standing again this year. He proposes that all officers be elected by

postal ballot; the president and all officers be elected annually; and that the secretary be elected for a term of five years, with the right to stand for reelection. Mr O’Neill said that a postal ballot would give all financial members the right to vote. At present it was possible for different groups to lobby for their own candidates at the election held at the annual meeting. Nominations have closed for the union’s executive. The candidates for president are Messrs H. A. Clark and K. G. Turner, and Mrs G. M. McConnochie. The present president (Mr C. N. R. Bellamy) is not standing again because of personal committments. There are two nominations for vice-presi-dent and 17 nominations for seven executive positions.