query: membership accountability

[colist-admin at comm-org.utoledo.edu]

[ed:  thanks to Jill for more interesting discussion on the membership
accountability issus.]

From: Jill Hanley <jhanley at total.net>

Hello, COMM-ORG,

I have just finished working with an organization called the Massachusetts
Senior Action Council. It is a reasonably big organization, with about 7
chapters across the state. It is structured to be entirely member-driven. As
an organization that fights for the rights of low-income seniors (housing,
health care, income security, etc.), a person must be 55 years or older to
be elected to the board. And at the general assemblies every 2 years, you'd
better already be heavily involved with your local chapter and even
statewide if you want to convince the members that you are going to
represent their interests!

In addition to this 5 person executive, there are two representatives on the
board from each chapter: that chapter's chairperson and a rep elected only
by their home chapter.

Every statewide campaign decision goes through this board and must be
accepted by the local chapter afterwards. Staff people are required to work
closely with leaders in making decisions. Also, our policy is to not have
staff quoted in the press. This does happen from time to time - due to short
notice and no leaders being available - but in general, MSAC's public face
is one of low-income seniors and people with disabilities.

"Experts" are invited to chapter meetings, committee meetings and board
meetings to give their analyses and advice, but the final decision comes
down to the members.

MSAC members hold their staff people closely accountable to the membership
and they understand that the organization's legitimacy (which I thought they
exercised quite a bit of - in the press, at the statehouse, at city hall,
etc.) comes from their being accountable to the constituency they represent.
For that reason, communication is key and the board is always looking for
ways to reach out to more low-income seniors.

I found it very inspiring to work as an organizer with such an active
organization that had such high expectations from their staff. I learned
incredible amounts from the members, many of whom had decades of activist
experience. Exercising such stringent accountability to the membership was
hard work. We were sometimes unable to act as quickly as we would have
liked. But, of course, the bottom line is that people are more committed to
something they have designed or agreed to themselves. And the end result was
that MSAC was able to bring people who usually have little say in the
political process to the fore of debate.