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The Freelance Party received this valuable information from Radovan Pletka,
who secured |
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I found something on Compuserve:
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12 November 1997
Andrew J. Mohr, Esq.
Cohen and White 1055 Thomas Jefferson Street, N.W. Suite 504 Washington, D. C. 20007 Dear Mr. Mohr:
I wish to acknowledge receipt of your letter, re. Associate Members; Translators
Services Directory,
dated November 4, 1997, at ATA Headquarters in Alexandria on November 5, 1997. I learned of its existence when Mr. Pletka "served" me with a
photographic copy during his mass
distribution of this letter on Thursday, November 6, 1997, at the annual conference of the American Translators Association, Inc., in San Francisco. Since my term in office ended on Friday, November 7, 1997, I have asked
the new president of the
Association, Ms. Muriel M. Jerome-O'Keeffe, to respond to it on behalf of the Association. Sincerely,
Peter W. Krawutschke
cc: Dr. Radovan Pletka
Ms. Muriel Jerome-O'Keeffe ATA Hq === |
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Another one:
Subj: ATA chickens coming home Section: Transl/Interpr MISC
To: all, Tuesday 19:01:13
From: Radovan Pletka, 74150,1532 #867513
November 4, 1997
Dr. Peter W. Krawutschke
President
American Translators Association
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 220
Alexandria, VA 22314-2840
Re: Associate Members; Translators Services Directory
Dear Dr. Krawutschke:
I represent Radovan Pletka. Mr. Pletka has retained me to enforce his right
to be listed in the Translators Services Directory ("TSD") published by the
American Translators Association ("ATA").
Mr. Pletka is an Associate Member of the ATA. According to the ATA's bylaws,
Associate Members have the same rights as Active Members, with a few
specified exceptions:
Associate members have all the rights and privileges of active members except
the right to vote, to hold Association office, and to serve on the board of
Directors or standing committees.
ATA Bylaws, 1997 Membership Directory, at Art. III, Membership, #164# 3.c.
Since Active members are listed in the TSD, and since the exceptions
applicable to Associate Members as listed in the ATA's bylaws make absolutely
no reference to the TSD, Associate Members therefore have the same right and
privilege as Active Members to be listed in the TSD. The ATA's failure to
list Associate Members in the TSD violates its own bylaws, and is thus
illegal and wrongful.
The ATA is undoubtedly aware of this illegality, as seen from the ATA's
webpage. Under the heading "Membership," the ATA webpage states that
Associate members "have all the rights and privileges of active members
except the right to vote, to hold Association office, and to be listed in the
Translation Services Directory." (emphasis added).
The ATA, however, cannot simply add at its whim the TSD as an exception
applicable to Associate Members. Very much to the contrary, to add TSD as an
exception applicable to Associate Members the ATA must first change its
bylaws. This the ATA has not done. Therefore, the ATA's listing in its
webpage of the TSD as an exception applicable to Associate Members is an
illegal act beyond the ATA's corporate powers, and is of no force or effect.
The ATA's failure to list Associate Members in the TSD has wrongfully
deprived Associate Members from the rights they should enjoy under the ATA's
bylaws. As a result, Associate Members have undoubtedly lost revenue and
business opportunities through their omission from the TSD. Moreover, since
Associate Members' annual dues should have included their listing in the TSD,
Associate Members have for years subsidized the listing of Active Members, to
the detriment of Associate Members.
Mr. Pletka demands that the ATA immediately agree to list Associate Members
in the TSD in compliance with the ATA's bylaws. In addition, Mr. Pletka
demands that the ATA remove the statements in its webpage stating that
Associate Members are not entitled to listing in the TSD. Finally, Mr.
Pletka demands that the ATA waive one-half of Mr. Pletka's annual dues for
the next five years in repayment of its subsidization of listing Active
Members in past issues of the TSD.
I appreciate your attention to this matter, and expect your prompt reply.
Yours very truly,
Andrew J. Mohr, Esq.
Attorney for Radovan Pletka
Copy: Radovan Pletka
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[Readers please note that the ATA (and ASAE) lawyer in the letter is the same as on the electioneering letter JEFFERSON C. GLASSIE December 19, 1997
HAND DELIVERED
Andrew J. Mohr. Esq.
Cohen & White
1055 Thomas Jefferson Street
Suite 504
Washington, D. C. 20007
Re: American Translators Association
Dear Mr. Mohr:
We represent the American Translators Association ("ATA") and
have been asked to respond to your correspondence on behalf of
Dr. Radovan Pletka. While we disagree with the legal contentions
in your letter, we have been authorized to provide you with the
followings information relevant to the issues you have presented.
Please be advised that the ATA Board of Directors at its recent
meeting voted to expand the Translation Services Directory to include
listings from all Active, Coresponding, and Associate members of ATA.
This decision poses a number of practical difficulties, since it
expands the Directory from some 1400 member listings to approximately
4600, but ATA has undertaken a review of the implementation steps and
expects the Directory to include all such member listings. Although
ATA is not in a position to agree to any dues waiver or abatement,
ATA will take conforming steps to reflect the Board's decision
concerning the Directory in its publications and on-line
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely
Jefferson C. Glassie
cc: Ms. Muriel Jerome-O'Keeffe
Walter W. Bacak, Jr.
Jerald A. Jacobs, Esq.
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