AFSA election 2009.

• Author: Jones, David T.
• Position: American Foreign Service Association

Editor's Note: A retired FSO and long time member of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) analyzes the recent election for officers of the Association. -- Ed.

Bottom Line First: The good guys won--and lost (the judgment depends on your perspective).

Some Background

AFSA acts in a dual capacity as the Foreign Service's professional association and as its exclusive bargaining agent--most importantly with the Department of State. In its role as bargaining agent, AFSA addresses many essential concerns subject to bargaining, e.g., EER instructions; promotion precepts; time in class/time in service rules; and assignment procedures. Unfortunately, AFSA is frequently deemed as failing in its dual role: perhaps satisfactory as a professional organization (although what constitutes "professional" credentials for an FSO is vague when there is no "continuing diplomatic education" akin to "continuing medical education" or "continuing legal education") but ineffective in promoting Foreign Service interests with State/FA agencies management. As a result, significant percentages (approximately 25%) of over 12,000 active FS personnel are not AFSA members and even fewer retirees (24% of 15,700) hold/retain AFSA membership. Very few AFSA members vote in Governing Board elections (20% in 2007; 23% in 2009). The essential conclusion must be AFSA members regard the effect on their lives as so ancillary and/or the consequences from AFSA efforts so ineffectual that voting was not worth the few minutes to review candidates/platforms (or the cost of postage to return the ballot). The result of this indifference was predictable: those few who cared gained and held control of AFSA abetted by de facto abdication/ indifference of the Foreign Service majority.

The 2009 Election

Although it was well known that there would be a Governing Board (GB) election, preparations in early 2009 appeared desultory. Indeed, in mid-January there were no fleshed out slates of candidates, despite a 2 February deadline for nominations. One might have concluded from this lackadaisical approach that the 2009 election would be a "promotion from within" nonevent as David Firestein, a State Department GB representative, had been quietly assembling a team. He announced for AFSA president on 16 December, and there appeared to be no organized competition.

This slow-motion nomination/self-nomination process contrasted with AFSA's Election Committee (EC) which issued its basic alert message on 14 November. On 23 January, in the absence of significant response, AFSA issued another notice inviting, indeed urging, candidates for positions since, ostensibly, the deadline for nominations was nearing. It was not quite a "Help, will somebody please run!" epistle; however, it was an unusual appeal. And it prompted me to respond. Although I had not run for any office since (losing) an election for 9th grade homeroom representative, I inquired about the status of nominations for Retiree Representative. AFSA responded that there were no nominations; so, sensing competition might be modest, I nominated myself as an "independent" and awaited developments.

Indeed, the next several months were the proverbial "education."

First, in what can be regarded as, if not a violation of the AFSA election rules, at least a vigorous variation from the norm, the EC extended nominations until 25 February, significantly beyond the original 2 February closing date. This recalibrating the clock gave Firestein's opponents time to assemble a Slate designated "Team AFSA 2009" headed by senior FSO Susan Johnson.

During this "overtime," both AFSA 2009 and the somewhat pretentiously titled "CLEAN (COURAGEOUS LEADERSHIP, EFFECTIVE ACTION--NOW) Slate" raced to fill every slot in foreign affairs agencies and active and retired candidates. Additionally, Johnson and Firestein examined self-nominated, independent candidates to see if they fit their slates.

In my personal case, it meant that Firestein telephoned me on 1 February, discussed the evolution of the nomination process and the creation of CLEAN Slate, and suggested I join him as one of his four candidates for Retiree Representative. Since AFSA campaign circumstances had changed from when I volunteered (no formal slates; few nominees), I accepted his offer, appreciating that independent candidates...