Angry Queensland printers are leading the charge of frustrated Printing Industries members in demanding immediate termination of CEO Jason Allen's employment, a temporary halt to all Association operations and re-employment of some former staff, otherwise they will call for a Special General Meeting to vote no confidence in the Board.
A full complement of over 60 members from all states have given the Board just two days to meet their demands ahead of the SGM deadline. The unprecedented action has shocked the industry and reflects deep dissatisfaction with the announcement of the reconstituted Board, following the resignation of David Leach, President and Stephen Edwards, Honorary Secretary, last week. The elevation of Ross Black and Kieran May, to those posts respectively, neither of whom are printers and therefore unlikely to be full members of the Association, has only served to inflame the situation. CEO Jason Allen announced his resignation in December but said he planned to work out his three months notice.
Print21 has obtained a copy of a letter sent yesterday to all Board members under the signature of Tom Eckersley, Print Approach, Brisbane, which is signed by the disaffected members. Their demands include: that the Association be immediately placed in ‘çaretaker’ mode; cessation of the leasing out of Association interstate offices; and a constitutional change to increase in the number of Directors from the current nine to 12, with two from every state.
Calls to members of the Board have gone unanswered. The clock is ticking towards the Friday deadline, as the printing industry holds its breath.
Here is the full text of the letter obtained by Print21.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
President
Printing Industries Association of Australia Level 3, 9 Help Street,
CHATSWOOD NSW 2067
Dear President,
MEMBER REQUIREMENTS TO AVOID A REQUISITION FOR A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
We, members of the Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA), call upon the Board to implement the following requirements by Friday, February 6, 2016.
Failing this, the Board will receive a requisition signed by 50 or more members, seeking a Special General Meeting, at which will be moved a motion of ‘’No Confidence’’ in the Board’s ability to manage the affairs of the Printing Industries Association of Australia.
Our requirements are that:
- Jason Allen be paid out his period of notice and leave the PIAA immediately.
- The Association be placed in ‘çare-taker’ mode. That is (save for item 3 below), until a new CEO commences employment, no operational decisions be made; any operational actions be put on hold; and that all staff be instructed accordingly. This includes:
- Putting on hold any leasing or renting out of the Association’s state offices.
- Halting the decision to end on 9 February the employment of Queensland State Sales Manager, Mel Ireland; and to thereafter employ her on the same ongoing basis as other current Association staff.
- Former SA-based employee, Peter Mansfield, be re-employed by the Association on the same ongoing basis as other current PIAA staff; in an (SA-based) position commensurate with his previous role (such as Regional Manager for SA & NT); and for remuneration on a par with that before he was terminated.
- Former Victorian-based employee, Ron Patterson, be re-employed by the Association on the same ongoing basis as other current PIAA staff; in an (Victorian-based) position commensurate with his previous role (such as Regional Manager for Victoria); and for remuneration on a par with that before he was terminated.
- The new CEO:
- Have a track record of engaging, consulting and communicating with staff and shareholders (in this case, PIAA members), in an effective and timely manner;
- ideally have experience in working with an industry organisation.
- A small but representative group of members be consulted prior to and about the appointment of the new CEO.This group be selected by the Board as constituted at the time and comprise of at least one representative from every state.
Angry Queensland printers are leading the charge of frustrated Printing Industries members in demanding immediate termination of CEO Jason Allen's employment, a temporary halt to all Association operations and re-employment of some former staff, otherwise they will call for a Special General Meeting to vote no confidence in the Board.
A full complement of over 60 members from all states have given the Board just two days to meet their demands ahead of the SGM deadline. The unprecedented action has shocked the industry and reflects deep dissatisfaction with the announcement of the reconstituted Board, following the resignation of David Leach, President and Stephen Edwards, Honorary Secretary, last week. The elevation of Ross Black and Kieran May, to those posts respectively, neither of whom are printers and therefore unlikely to be full members of the Association, has only served to inflame the situation. CEO Jason Allen announced his resignation in December but said he planned to work out his three months notice.
Print21 has obtained a copy of a letter sent yesterday to all Board members under the signature of Tom Eckersley, Print Approach, Brisbane, which is signed by the disaffected members. Their demands include: that the Association be immediately placed in ‘çaretaker’ mode; cessation of the leasing out of Association interstate offices; and a constitutional change to increase in the number of Directors from the current nine to 12, with two from every state.
Calls to members of the Board have gone unanswered. The clock is ticking towards the Friday deadline, as the printing industry holds its breath.
Here is the full text of the letter obtained by Print21.
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
President
Printing Industries Association of Australia Level 3, 9 Help Street,
CHATSWOOD NSW 2067
Dear President,
MEMBER REQUIREMENTS TO AVOID A REQUISITION FOR A SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING
We, members of the Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA), call upon the Board to implement the following requirements by Friday, February 6, 2016.
Failing this, the Board will receive a requisition signed by 50 or more members, seeking a Special General Meeting, at which will be moved a motion of ‘’No Confidence’’ in the Board’s ability to manage the affairs of the Printing Industries Association of Australia.
Our requirements are that:
- Jason Allen be paid out his period of notice and leave the PIAA immediately.
- The Association be placed in ‘çare-taker’ mode. That is (save for item 3 below), until a new CEO commences employment, no operational decisions be made; any operational actions be put on hold; and that all staff be instructed accordingly. This includes:
- Putting on hold any leasing or renting out of the Association’s state offices.
- Halting the decision to end on 9 February the employment of Queensland State Sales Manager, Mel Ireland; and to thereafter employ her on the same ongoing basis as other current Association staff.
- Former SA-based employee, Peter Mansfield, be re-employed by the Association on the same ongoing basis as other current PIAA staff; in an (SA-based) position commensurate with his previous role (such as Regional Manager for SA & NT); and for remuneration on a par with that before he was terminated.
- Former Victorian-based employee, Ron Patterson, be re-employed by the Association on the same ongoing basis as other current PIAA staff; in an (Victorian-based) position commensurate with his previous role (such as Regional Manager for Victoria); and for remuneration on a par with that before he was terminated.
- The new CEO:
- Have a track record of engaging, consulting and communicating with staff and shareholders (in this case, PIAA members), in an effective and timely manner;
- ideally have experience in working with an industry organisation.
- A small but representative group of members be consulted prior to and about the appointment of the new CEO.This group be selected by the Board as constituted at the time and comprise of at least one representative from every state.
- In terms of the current casual vacancies on the Board:
- Any person who is to fill a casual vacancy to be an owner, Director or General Manager of a member of the Association, and not (for example) a Manager of Sales/Marketing employed by a member of the Association.
- The Board vacancies for Queensland, Australian Capital Territory and New SouthWales be replaced by a member who is nominated from the Association members in those regions where the vacancy exists.
- That the Board approve a constitutional change (in time for it to be implemented for Board elections at the end of 2016) to increase the Board numbers from 9 to 12, with 2 Board representatives each from New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.
- The Board undertake that wherever stored, any property of the PIAA, (including honour boards, historical memorabilia and artefacts) will be returned to the PIAA’s premises at level 3, 9 Help Street, Chatswood, and remain thereafter in the care of (and be maintained by) the PIAA.
Please do not dismiss the genuine, serious and deep thought that members have given to determining these requirements and please respond to Tom Eckersley at tom@printapproach.com.au.