Originally Posted by
Albief15
Busboy,
I pay my bills via the internet, bid via the internet, communicate with the company via the internet....
At any given time, 40% of our crew force is on the road.
You are correct--we need to pony up and make the sacrifices in the short term to get/stay involved. In the long term, we need to use whatever process is required to bring the access to the information and vote to the union membership. Conference calls, web-based seminars, and secure voting are not cosmic ideas--there are business tools currently in place in a host of venues. There is no reason--RLA or not--that we cannot embrace the technology available to us in this century and find a way to allow those folks who want to participate a means to do so. IMHO, a guy sitting in a hotel on a layover has as much right to participate as a guy burning a day off to go to a meeting. A commuter has as many rights to have his/her voice heard an an I-240 surfer.
We have the tools. What we don't have is the mandate. Our comm is stuck in 1995. Its time to update, fix, and adjust.
While some of our MEC might balk at getting "that much" input right now, think about how valuable those same comm channels could be during our next negotiations. It could certainly help keep everyone informed, unified, and focused.
I think you missed the whole point of my post. I completely agree that we need to use every available means to allow people to participate.
What I was saying was that, we need to be using what
is available to us, right now. Until today's technology is made available to us. 52 total votes, out of 1000+ eligible, on a matter that important is embarrassing. We could do better by telegraph or the friggin' Pony Express, if people really cared!!
In fact, I think an LEC meeting is a perfect opportunity to introduce a resolution that we begin using said technology.
But, since we can't attend the meetings via the internets...I guess no one will be able to go and introduce it. Because the members of our current MEC are the deciders. And, I haven't seen much of a push for it, from them.
Like that internets and deciders stuff?