Oh I'm sure they attempt to guide & coach but Bob Owens & Chuck are classic examples that just because they attempt it doesn't mean it's going to happen, some Officers work for their Members & couldn't care less what the International thinks, proving once again that it comes down to the Members.
They also coordinate things like organizer drives, deal with bankruptcies, lawsuit's, Politics (thats a big one) etc. they have plenty to do but most of it has little to do with our day to day lives, they don't worry me most of the time.
It's the Officers & the Members that can really make or break a Union, we have had some decent one's & some bad ones, same goes for Members, not voting on things + lots of Apathy = a bad one ..... Like my math
After 40 years as an AMT I've seen a lot of Local/International representatives come and go. No matter what the Int'l does its the Negotiating Committee that votes on the proposals and company responses to them, not the International. Don't kid yourselves that its always the Int'l that screws things up. In my experience the Local's members want to be told what they want to hear. Few if any Local officers get reelected by telling the members the truth, so they avoid the problem by acting like tough guys. It plays well with the members and its a good political strategy for the Officer/President for their next election. As the Joan Baez song goes, we elect leaders and get gamblers instead. Unfortunately, a bankruptcy is not the place for political rhetoric and amateur night should be over. The members will end up paying the price if they don't get the show on the road and knock off the political posturing.
