The PIAA Board has called a Special General Meeting itself, out-manoeuvring concerned members from the Printing Industries members Action Group who were looking to call an SGM themselves. On Friday afternoon the PIAA Board sent a notice to members of a SGM to be held on Tuesday, February 23. The notice was signed by national honorary secretary Craig Pearce. Friday was the same day the irate members from the Action Group were to request an SGM if the Board had not met their demands that had been sent in a letter two days previously. The notice from the Board sent by honorary secretary Craig Pearce says PIAA president Ross Black has requested the meeting which will be held at the Graphic Arts Club in Mascot on Feb 23. The agenda of the meeting which has been set by the Board is the association’s financial position, strategy, members concerns and confidence in the board.
The PIAA Board has called an SGM for February 23
The Board is likely to use the meeting to clear the air, and will be aiming for overwhelming support for its position. The number of signatories on the letter from members is more than 50, but not many more. The PIAA currently has more than 1000 members. If the Board is sacked, and with a CEO about to leave the country, it is unclear who would run the PIAA until a new Board is elected. Also not known at present is how members will be able to take part without physically being present in Mascot. Pearce was contacted for comment on the SGM but declined stating, “At this critical point with discussions going at the board I do not want to give a comment.” Tom Eckersley from Print Approach in Queensland who signed the letter from the members, who mostly emanate from Queensland, was also contacted but did not provide comment by deadline. The specific set of demands the members requested included the immediate departure of CEO Jason Allen, the re-employment of dismissed Queensland PIAA staff member Mel Ireland, and the reinstatement former SA state manager Peter Mansfield and former Victorian state manager Ron Patterson. As Australia Printer reported last week, a source close to the Board confirmed it would not respond to the Friday deadline because Board members didn’t have time.
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