The document discusses the role of a communications consultant for the Oregon Education Association (OEA) and how it is similar to and different from a corporate consultant. A OEA consultant works with organizing committees to help communicate with members, the public, and media about issues like contract negotiations. Unlike corporate consultants, OEA consultants directly advise organizing committees on retaining members and take less aggressive stances to avoid retaliation. While both jobs require being innovative, OEA consultants must adhere to association policies and priorities over members.

1. by
Barbara Stoutamore

2.  How is a communications consultant from
the Oregon Education Association similar
to and different from a consultant from a
corporation?

3.  National Education Association (NEA)
 Oregon Education Association (OEA)
 UniServ
 School Association

4.  Communications consultant with OEA
 Works primarily with electronic media
 His training was on the job

5.  Organizing committee is within each
association
• In charge of communications
 Internal: members
 External: public, students (if applicable), media,
board
• OEA consultant deals directly with this
committee

6.  Direct organizing committee members as
to how to keep members
 Corporate consultants don’t do this

7.  organizing committee members
• Do too much too quickly
 Advertisement in paper
 Stand the association is taking
• Confrontational
 Towards administration or district
 Towards members

8.  Counsels less aggressive measures
• Newspaper advertisement usually not effective
• Shouldn’t give all information about association’s
stand
 Reminds organizing committee of
contract being negotiated

9.  Organizing committee afraid of
communicating to members/public
• Say and/or do little
• Fear retaliation from district or administration
• Fear “tipping their hand”

10.  Helps committee form statements
• To members
• To public and media
 Nudges group into action

11.  Race: Oregon demographics is
predominately white
 Gender: Seldom an issue
 UniServ: helps with these
 More corporate issues

12.  Difficult to establish standards
• Often have to “wing it”
• Must be innovative and imaginative

13.  Must adhere to some conventions
• Never go against
 Association, its bylaws and policies
 Lie
 Interfere with election of union members running for
office

14.  Listening to members
• What works for one school doesn’t always work
for another
• City schools have different needs than rural
schools
• Each level of education has different needs

15.  1. How is the job of an OEA consultant
similar?
Answer
 consult clients on ways to communicate
 must be ethical

16.  2. How is the job of an OEA consultant different
from that of a corporate consultant?
Answer
 He/she has more clients
 Deals, predominantly, with organizing
committee
 Directs committee as to how to keep members
 Doesn’t deal with race or gender, as a rule

17.  Thanks for watching my presentation.