ETA: Creating Greater Financial Transparency

By: Paige Veliz-Gilbert, ETA Candidate for WTU Treasurer

Learn more about our vision for greater financial transparency, accountability and efficiency for the WTU.

There’s no union without U!

Members make the union and member dues make all things possible. It’s time to share financial information in a useful way. The Educators Taking Action slate is dedicated to creating greater financial transparency in ways that are useful to you as a member before, during and after spending takes place.

• Before: When we come up with our budget we will provide multiple avenues for both understanding the budget and providing feedback on how we should be spending it (including surveys, Q&As, infographics, videos and more). The Board of Trustees will be fully involved and running the process, producing a report that clearly outlines their recommendations that is viewable by all members.

  
  

• During: As spending is occurring the reports will be detailed and clearly laid out, available online on demand, and include quarterly reports by the Board of Trustees (something that has not happened in over 15 years). We are also going to regularly ask members what additional information they would find useful and then make every effort to provide that information in future reports. These reports will include relevant trends, comparisons and more so that members can get a full picture of how spending fits into the context of what we are doing.

  
  

• After: We are committed to ensuring that we regularly provide opportunities for member feedback on how dues are being spent and use that to drive any amendments to the budget as we are moving forward. All decisions will be made democratically where are they are supposed to - WTU Executive Board, WTU Representative Assembly, WTU Membership and WTU Board of Trustees, so that there is never any question who has the final decision over how dues are spent: The members. You can read more about the Board of Trustees here: https://www.eta4wtu.org/post/vote-for-financial-transparency-do-not-forget-to-select-the-eta-candidates-for-wtu-board-of-trustee

It’s time for an active the Board of Trustees to ensure accountability. It’s time for leaders who will engage members on budget priorities and not just report monthly numbers. This is how we ensure better systems, build pipelines to leadership, and improve our capacity to take collective action. The time is now for ETA!