Prepared Remarks of
Eddie L. Parks, OCSEA President

Team Up ODOT, May 8, 2008

I am glad to participate in the 10 year milestone of Team Up ODOT.  As many of you know this is truly unique to ODOT – OCSEA works hard to support this event. Actually this event is unique to state government.  No other agency holds this type of event, much less 10 years in a row.  We invite members from other agencies with the hope that they can learn something from the ODOT continuous improvement journey and take it back to their agencies

I appreciate the work that goes into the TOP awards – this is a joint labor-management effort to review and score the applications. This speaks to a shared value of recognizing all employees in ODOT.

As you know we are facing serious economic challenges – some thought we were immune from the tax revenue problems as we are tied to the gas tax.  Rising fuel costs, slower growth in gas revenue and high construction cost inflation are very serious challenges.  I read yesterday that California expects to actually have a decrease in gas consumption.

What these things mean is that we need to be creative and we need to look at improving the way we get the job done.  Every one of us can be a contributor to making a positive difference.

The Governor’s Efficiency Review and Continuous Improvement Initiative is one very important pathway to involving everyone.  By its design – all suggestions from employees are considered and a response is provided about what action was taken.  We encourage our members to participate because we believe it gives more voice to employees and because it is a transparent process.  No one knows the work of the agency better than the front-line employees who do it every day.

It is in these types of efforts that the union should be placing our energy – and we do.  I appreciate persons like Willa O’Neill and the other labor and management representatives that work everyday to assure that all ODOT employees can become involved.  OCSEA understands that we have to be deliberate about assuring that ODOT is the provider of choice – that we can compete with the contractors because we can out perform them at a competitive price.

This day is devoted to all ODOT employees who labor each year – who work to make a difference and get the job done.  I want to express my appreciation for your work.

In particular I want to thank Director Jim Beasley for his invitation.   I want to express my appreciation for the hard work of Willa O’Neill and Carol Schubert and their steering committee who work all year long to make sure that Team Up ODOT is successful.

I would like to leave you today with a quote that is consistent with our theme today: “To succeed – do the best you can, where you are, with what you have.”

Thank you and please enjoy this day – you deserve it.