OPEA’s platform serves as the basis for association activities and advocacy during the upcoming legislative session. Platform planks come from members and are discussed, amended, and approved at the OPEA Annual Convention and Delegate Assembly.
When a member has a good idea about legislation that would improve state employment or retirement or one that might be beneficial to implement at their agency, we encourage them to send the ideas to OPEA as a platform plank. We also encourage ideas to be submitted that would improve OPEA as an association.
“Platform planks are the great way for members to bring an idea to reality,” said OPEA Executive Director Sterling Zearley. “For example, state employees now have two days off at Christmas because a member thought it was worth OPEA pursuing. After it was approved as a plank, OPEA went to work with legislators and got it done. The process is part of OPEA’s grassroots efforts.”
You may submit them by mail to the OPEA offices at 13 NE 28th St., Oklahoma City 73105, or via email to Tony DeSha (tonyd@opea.org). Please include the following information in your submission:
- Name
- Email Address (personal email address preferred)
- Contact Telephone Number
- Platform Plank Information: What legislation or OPEA policy would you like to achieve and your reason why this is important.
Potential planks must be received by OPEA no later than by 5:00 p.m. on July 9, 2021.
If you have questions about the process, please call the OPEA offices at (405) 524-6764 or email your regional director.
2021-22 Carryover Platforms
1. Implementation of a state employee market-based pay plan
2.Tie the state employee minimum wage to a family of four instead of the current family of three amount
3. Require all state employees receive a certain level of compensation for working “on-call”
4. Prevent state employees from losing earned annual leave due to “use or lose” provision in state law and require payment for hours over limits
5. Increase state employee longevity pay by starting at $500 and increasing by $250 up to $2750
6. Increase the health benefit allowance for retirees from $105 to $150 per month
7. Modify OPERS statutory requirements to ensure at least one OPEA member serves on the OPERS board through statuary requirements
8. Reform or eliminate the OPLAA and the institution of retiree COLA triggers in OPERS rules to make sure COLAs are safely provided to retirees more frequently than in the past
9. Develop a new form of state employee leave to be used specifically for time spent volunteering for charitable causes and organizations
10. Move OPERS members hired after 2015 into the defined benefit pension plan instead of the Pathfinder defined contribution plan
11. Adding an additional form of administrative leave to be used to improve state employees’ physical wellness
12. Tie Court Reporters’ salary to the Judicial Compensation Review Board
13. Establish a yearly stipend for state employees who are teleworking to be used for office supplies, internet, and other related expenses not covered by the employer
14. Return to legislative and executive appointments of boards and commissions that provide oversight of state agencies.
OPEA Platform Plank Process Rules for 2021
- Any Platform Plank from the 2020 OPEA convention that did not make it through the legislative process will be automatically rolled over into a 2021 platform plank
- All rollover planks will be provided to members no later than June 1st.
- Members can begin to submit platform planks on June 2nd
- Members must submit planks online and/or at membership meetings
- Online Platform Plank submission will be done by filling out our online form or by emailing them to tonyd@opea.org
- You must be an OPEA member to submit a platform plank
- members who submit a platform plank must present the plank in person at convention or designate someone who is familiar with the plank to present at convention such as your regional director. Planks not introduced at convention will not be eligible to be voted on.
- All planks submitted will be sent to the platform plank committee for review
- Members must submit planks online and/or at membership meetings
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- Once the plank committee has reviewed a plank submission. Each board member will receive a copy of each platform plank from their region to reach out to the member to discuss the details and if approved by the plank committee they must determine who will introduce the plank at convention.
- All platform planks must be submitted to OPEA by July 9th at 5 PM
- Submitted platform planks up for consideration will be published through OPEA’s electronic advocate, social media, and the website no later than July 23rd
- Planks will be officially introduced at OPEA Convention on August 28th
- The OPEA member who submitted the plank will introduce it at convention or the designated person from their region will introduce the plank as their proxy.
- OPEA Convention will be live-streamed online using Facebook Live
- Online attendees may ask questions
- Online Attendees may not debate, or amend platform planks
- If they wish to do so they must contact their assigned board member
- Online Voting on Platform Planks will begin on August 28th at 5 PM
- Voting opens following the conclusion of OPEA convention to ensure that the online voting system accurately reflects any changes to planks
- All votes must be placed online. No votes for the final approval of planks will be heard at convention
- OPEA platform plank committee and staff will count and verify votes using the online form
- To vote on platform planks you must be an OPEA member prior to July 1, 2021
- Voting on Platform planks will end on September 8th at 5 PM
- OPEA platform plank committee will certify the votes
- The voting results on the platform will be announced on or before September 13th.
