The PIAA board is today speaking with the Members Action Group (MAG) in lieu of the deferred SGM that was due to take place today.
According to the PIAA, interim president Kieran May and MAG unofficial spokesperson Tom Eckersley have established ‘common ground’ and are set to discuss the issues at hand in a ‘non-confrontational’ environment.
The objective of the meeting is described to be focusing on ‘clear strategy and structure’, however the Association says it will also involve a ‘detailed discussion’ around ‘some concerns’.
May says a resolution between both parties is the desired outcome, however is aware of the meeting’s challenging context.
“While it is unlikely everyone will agree on every point, any disagreement will be respectful. Goodwill and clear thinking on both sides will go a long way to resolution,” he says. The PIAA says the resolution needs input from a ‘wide cross section’ of members.
Eckersley says the action group has no issue with the postponing of the SGM. The MAG includes some 53 PIAA members from Queensland and another 42 Australia-wide. The much debated SGM was scheduled for today after former president Ross Black called the meeting in a strategic move to put the PIAA back in the front foot. It is now slated to take place within the next two weeks after it was deferred by May on Friday, although the Board is clearly wanting the issues that have caused the conflict will be addressed in a more conciliatory forum, and will hoping that the SGM will not be needed.
The action group has been steadfast on discussing items associated with the list of demands it made three weeks ago, but the Board was adamant on keeping to the agenda it set as it called the SGM. The MAG was left fuming, feeling its concerns were not being addressed.
The number one demand was to preclude Jason Allen from working out his three month notice, which was met when Allen sensationally left the PIAA office on Feb 12, although it is not known if he jumped or was pushed.
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