GOVERNS:
RESPONSE TO MEMBER REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
PURPOSE:
TO ENSURE CONSISTENCY AND UNIFORMITY IN THE RESPONSE TO MEMBERS WHO REQUEST INFORMATION
POLICY:
A. VSEA members are entitled to information on the workings of their Union.
B. Such information shall be provided in a reasonable time frame, and shall not be unreasonably withheld, except in instances where the Board of Trustees determines the potential cost or harm to VSEA is such that the release of the requested information should be withheld, or the information requested is restricted by an existing policy.
C. The decision of the Board of Trustees shall be final in all instances.
PROCEDURES TO BE FOLLOWED:
A. Member requests for information shall be submitted to the President or through the District or Unit Trustee to the President. Such request shall contain a detailed description of the information requested and, if possible, a narrative of the purpose for which the information is requested.
B. Upon receipt of the request for information, the VSEA President or designee shall review the request with appropriate staff and/or members of the Board. After a determination that the request does not compromise the position of the Union the request shall be forwarded to the person(s) responsible for securing the requested information from the VSEA records.
C. Within a reasonable time, the member will be provided with the requested information. If the requested information can not be provided as outlined in #2 above, or its provision will be delayed, the member will be notified in writing as to the reason for the delay or the denial. Should the information prove to be sensitive in any manner, the member may be asked to agree to keep the information confidential to membership activities and not disclose the information to outside sources.
D. Members will be encouraged to retain information supplied to them previously (council members, officers, etc.).
E. Staff time/availability, the volume of the information requested, and other factors may play a role in determining the speed with which the request may be filled. Members may be encouraged to go to VSEA headquarters to research and copy the information they are requesting. Requests for information will be filled on a time available basis but may be delayed as a result of demands which cause the overall priorities of the membership to take precedence.
F. In the event information requested by the member is information that has been previously released to the member, the member may be charged a reasonable fee for the resources expended in reissuing the information.
G. No written original documents may be removed by any member from VSEA headquarters.
Supercedes previous policy adopted on August 19, 1997