Brother and Sisters,

As your State and Local Legislative Representative, I'd like to update you on some of the hats I wear for our Union;

When I was asked to get involved years ago I had no idea what I was getting into, I’ve stayed busy! I was asked if I’d be willing to become the Local Legislative Representative, I said sure as long as I don’t have to layoff to do it! That should have been the first sign I had no idea what I was getting into, it’s impossible to do this job without laying off, but you’ll notice when I do and I’m holding my turn first out, it will be strategically for 24 hrs, knowing ahead when I’ll be done with whatever business I’m off for, marking up sooner only creates issues and hurt feelers.

Anyways, I digress… It was suggested I go find the local Democratic Party, Bannock County Democratic Party (BCD) I did and was asked if I’d be willing to be BCD Committeeman, I asked what that involves, “not too much”, (don’t ever believe that!) that involves being part of the Dem County Executive Committee, (one meeting a month) that automatically makes one part of the BCD Central Committee, (one meeting a month) this puts me directly involved with fundraisers and Party functions, like last summer when I was asked to participate in a fundraiser cook-off for the yearly summer party and accepted, then was told I’d need to cook for 75+ people, I ended up buying a new grill then buying a smoker, and laid off to do it.  Anyways…. I’m involved locally, sometimes helping out on election night or whenever I can.

Being BCD Committeeman automatically makes you a member of the Idaho Democratic Party (IDP) State Central Committee, which involves up to 4 meetings a year 2-3 in person, one roaming, usually up north Coeur d’Alene, Lewiston area, the other in conjunction with the IDP biggest fundraiser of the year the “Frank and Bethine Church Gala” in Boise, somewhere along the line I was asked by the former IDP State Chairman to join the Executive Committee and did, that’s at least one conference call a month and occasionally an in person meeting, which means I’m the Region 6 Chairman, that’s many of the county’s to our south and southeast.

The current IDP Vice-Chair of the party asked if I’d be willing to be part of the IDP Personnel committee that was in a nationwide search for a new Executive Director, that involved weekly phone conferences and a couple drives to Boise for in person interviews, while I have not been released from that committee since  the position was filled, we also have not met again or broadened our work like originally planned, although I’d imagine that work will resume shortly, it involves the work of creating job descriptions, outlines and duties for each IDP Staff position as well as salary minimums and maximums, etc. As a side note; the IDP Staff Unionized last year, Idaho is the first state party to put their money and actions where their mouth was and facilitate a unionization. (Congrats to them as they became part of the IBEW) and before I depart the political part of this update I’m also an honorary member of the Idaho Democratic Woman’s Caucus, as I firmly believe in woman’s rights, and I sit in on an occasional meeting.

Somewhere along the line while all that was happening I became the BLET-Idaho State Legislative Board Chairman, not a huge deal, we are a small state, but never-the-less, this takes me to the National Association of State Legislative Board Chairman (NASLBC) meetings once a year, where we meet in person, I cannot stress enough how fundamentally important these meetings are, then we keep in touch all throughout the year either be phone, texts, emails Facebook and a private Facebook page. Many of these Brothers from our surrounding states were very helpful with our effort this year on “Two Man Crew”, the language we borrowed from the California bill that passed a couple years ago, I had a ton of research sent to me from the Nevada SLB Chairman and our Brother to the north, Montana SLB Chairman is on the NTSB- National Transportation Safety Board, he was going to come down and testify on our behalf before the Idaho Transportation Committee, before the bill was killed by the Transportation Committee Chairman Joe Palmer (R) of Boise.

I sit on the board of Idaho Operation Lifesaver as the representative of rail labor, we meet in person three times a year, I’ve also just been accepted as a new presenter, which means at some point I’ll have the training to do school assemblies etc.

Which reminds me, I also just became Idaho District 28 Vice-Chair, and I’m on the ballot this May to be Bannock Precinct Committeeman (captain) for my precinct 57.

As you can see I wear many hats besides Engineer, you can also see I don’t just get my information from TV, radio and Facebook, I wouldn’t expect all of us to agree on everything about politics, I don’t apologize and I still represent and wear each hat separately, when I’m in the Statehouse I’m there for one reason, a lobbyist, your union representative, when I’m at a (IOL) Idaho Operation Lifesavers meeting, (much of the board is made up of state employees) basically nobody knows I have any involvement with politics at all, not that it matters, I have great conversations with people from both sides of the political spectrum and we made a few friends who support us in the Statehouse this year too.

We must elect representatives that have (our) best interest in mind, you should get involved!

Fraternally,

Alan Humphries
BLET-ISLB Chairman
P.O. Box 4506
Pocatello, Idaho 83205
208-241-1125 or jagfan@ida.net