Thursday, June 03, 2004
"New Page 2" Not So New
Newsletter:
It has now been more than a year since the union updated their web site.
"M I N U T E S
EXECUTIVE/GRIEVANCE BOARD MEETING
Tuesday, May 27, 2003"
It has now been more than a year since the union updated their web site.
Comments:
I think the union otta up date thier (our) website a wee bit more often. They might find it a more useful way to inform the union employees instead of trying to coax the folks by saying "You have to come to the union meeting if you want to know any thing, learn anything, or be manipulated by us." A lot of the members either live far away, have familys and lives, or are working thier days off to support thier familys. So who has time to sit and listen to a bunch of bull.
Thankyou
Thankyou
# posted by 
: 9:17 PM
: 9:17 PM
That is one of the reasons I created this blog in the first place. The union has an outdated idea of solidarity that demands physical presence at monthly union meetings.
Perhaps they believe that by not updating their web site they will convince members to attend, but, as you say, drivers schedules and living situations make that impractical.
This site does not solve the problem of having a quorum at meetings for voting on immediate issues, but it does help solve the problem of isolation of members who cannot attend the meetings the union holds. However, since this site is not affiliated with the union, I cannot post timely information from them without the participation of members.
Perhaps they believe that those who do not attend meetings don't deserve to know what goes on, that if they don't "care" enough to attend that the union is not obligated to serve them.
I believe the union should go more than half way to meet its members. Instead, they seem content to treat a perfect opportunity to communicate vital information to the membership -- their own website -- as nothing but a token that says "We, too, have a website."
Having a website is all well and good; it acts as a sign post that announces their presence. But a union website can be much more. Look at these ATU local websites for examples of what I am talking about: ATU Local 113, ATU Local 587, and ATU Local 1572. These locals maintain current, pertinent information on their websites that members can access and act upon without having to be physically present at a union meeting.
These sites are a stark contrast to ATU Local 265's site, which has not been updated in more than a year, which looks very unprofessional, and which is used more for political activism than for providing information useful to members.
When the title for the main page is "New Page 2" and the last update is more than a year old, the message is clear: We don't care if you have up-to-date information.
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Perhaps they believe that by not updating their web site they will convince members to attend, but, as you say, drivers schedules and living situations make that impractical.
This site does not solve the problem of having a quorum at meetings for voting on immediate issues, but it does help solve the problem of isolation of members who cannot attend the meetings the union holds. However, since this site is not affiliated with the union, I cannot post timely information from them without the participation of members.
Perhaps they believe that those who do not attend meetings don't deserve to know what goes on, that if they don't "care" enough to attend that the union is not obligated to serve them.
I believe the union should go more than half way to meet its members. Instead, they seem content to treat a perfect opportunity to communicate vital information to the membership -- their own website -- as nothing but a token that says "We, too, have a website."
Having a website is all well and good; it acts as a sign post that announces their presence. But a union website can be much more. Look at these ATU local websites for examples of what I am talking about: ATU Local 113, ATU Local 587, and ATU Local 1572. These locals maintain current, pertinent information on their websites that members can access and act upon without having to be physically present at a union meeting.
These sites are a stark contrast to ATU Local 265's site, which has not been updated in more than a year, which looks very unprofessional, and which is used more for political activism than for providing information useful to members.
When the title for the main page is "New Page 2" and the last update is more than a year old, the message is clear: We don't care if you have up-to-date information.
