With apologies for using Lactnet as an ILCA forum (but I would like to
respond to several recent posts...)

L. Jonathan Kramer writes:
<Suddenly, what had impressed me as a sensitive, caring organization seems to
be <becoming POLITICAL!  YUK!

Jonathan, you have my sympathy, but if you think a group of lactation
consultants can conduct its business without politics you don’t know LCs very
well yet!  Of course there will be disagreements.  How could there not be,
when we are such energetic, committed, idealistic, revolutionary, mostly
underpaid, and assertive folks?

I have the benefit of having been a Board member for five out of ILCA’s
twelve years, as well as having been an ILCA member since 1985.  I remember
many annual ballots with bylaws changes, and I believe that until now those
proposed changes have uniformly been accepted by membership vote.  I don’t
recall the process being any more detailed than that the Board would agree
that a change was needed, draft an amendment, and place it on the ballot,
usually with a rationale attached.

This time a more extensive overhaul of the bylaws is proposed, and the Board
has collected some expert opinions about what belongs in the bylaws as
opposed to what belongs in a policy manual.  In addition to making changes in
ILCA’s structure, another goal of the Board this time is to simplify the
bylaws and make them more usable by members.  From the members’ point of
view, though, it looks the same: the Board has thought up changes, and the
members’ only opportunity for input is to vote the changes up or down.

From comments that have recently been posted on Lactnet, as well as from
correspondence and conversations I have had with fellow ILCA members, I can
see that there are many doubts and concerns about the proposed bylaws
changes. Let’s remember that all members have the option of voting against
the proposed changes.  If those concerns are widespread, then the changes
will be defeated, and ILCA will continue to function under the 1994 bylaws.

But whether or not the current bylaws changes are accepted by the membership,
I would like to propose that ILCA find another way to handle making bylaws
changes in the future.  To require IBLCE certification for voting, to expand
the number of regional delegates---these are major changes which will affect
how the association functions.  Issues of such importance deserve more
deliberation than is possible under our present system. An issue like voting
privileges should have been discussed and debated in the ILCA Globe for
several months before it came before the membership for approval.

I can think of a couple of ways to do this.  One would be to have an "ILCA
Structure" Committee, whose role would be to examine questions of how the
organization should be configured, conduct discussion via the ILCA Globe, and
advise the Board.  Another would be to use the President’s and delegates’
columns to raise such issues, again soliciting member input and discussion.
 The Town Meeting at the Conference could also be used as a forum for members
to voice their concerns.  But in all cases, there should be time and a place
for discussion before a question comes up for a membership vote.

ILCA has always taken a strong stand to declare its independence from any
financial influence by the baby food industry.  Members are now making it
very clear that they value this strong stand and want it unmistakably stated
in the bylaws.  I have no doubt that the Board will respond to this opinion.

Many comments that I have seen refer both to external threats (from industry)
and to internal ones.  In my opinion, our biggest internal threat is that we
will fail to find a structure that allows a volunteer board and volunteer
committees to function effectively in managing the work of our growing
association.  We have so much that we want to accomplish, and our profession
is so young and so vulnerable!  Yes, we are revolutionary, assertive, and
idealistic, but we are also working long hours, for low pay, or for no pay,
and struggling against the same obstacles that face the women and children
whose advocates we are.  One of ILCA’s first purposes is mutual support among
lactation consultants.  I hope that all members will demonstrate this mutual
support by carefully considering their vote on the proposed bylaws changes.
 And for those who have the time and energy to give, please make yourselves
available to serve on the board or on an ILCA committee.

Chris Mulford