Applying for the job of union president....

After having had a few discussions with my colleagues in union leadership positions in the BCTF... a number of us are looking at the process used by people who become local presidents.

We have come up with the following ideas:
1. The job of the president is a job - a career component.
2. The position is a paid position, paid for by the membership.
3. The local association selects (hires) the person from all available candidates through an election (interview) process.
4. All members should be able to make a choice based on the skill set of all applicants for the job.
5. The job has a huge 'learn on the job' component, BUT it also includes a fair set of desirable prerequisites (related experience) that includes; knowledge of BCTF policies, procedures, and politics. knowledge of local association roles (PD, bargaining, Collective Agreement protection, Educational leadership, Social Justice), BCTF zonal work, Employer committee work, BCTF AGM, summer conferences, RA's, and more.
6. The election/election process impacts on the local post and fill process.
7. There is a deadline for all other 'requests for transfers' within a local that flow with the 'post and fill' process. The common date seems to be March 30th of the year.
8. The outgoing president must return to the classroom (return from a leave), and should have the right to be able to apply for transfers, etc., and to prepare for a return to 'the classroom'.

Therefore;
1. In order to run for election as a local president, any and all interested parties should need to APPLY for the job, just like you need to apply for any other job in the profession.
2. Applicants should need to supply a CV and a supporting statement that outlines their reasons for applying for the position, the reasons why they feel that they can do the job, and what they will bring to the role.
3. These documents should be shared with the hiring body (the local membership).
4. There should be an application deadline - say 1 month / 30 days before the local AGM. A firm date of March 30th would bring the process in line with requests for teacher transfers in the district.
5. There should be no opportunities to 'run from the floor' - to skulk around and manipulate democracy as it were.
6. All applicants should be allowed to campaign, by way of one 8.5 X 11 document (one-sided) distributed to all members prior to the date of the local AGM.
7. At the local AGM, each candidate / applicant would be able to speak to the hiring body (the membership), and to respond to questions from the membership.

The result would be an informed vote and selection by the local membership... what do you think?