CIO;
As far as the cards signed, why would you want the names? So you can go after card signers? Is that your idea of Democracy? The NMB would verify the cards. Then if there are enough there would be an election. Why do you fear allowing the members to make a choice? What is wrong with Democracy?
The process is already biased in the TWUs favor in that a majority must call for an election. If all elections were held to the same standards then there would almost never be elections anywhere. If there is an election it would be a likely indication that the structure where an appointed official who is not accountable to the members, yet has the right to determine their working conditions is no longer tolerable. It means that the members want a real voice in the affairs of their union, that they have an interest in their union, not just at their local and isnt that what you and all the other "leaders" have been advocating for years, that members become involved? To me, this would be a positive development regardless of the outcome. Or by involved do you mean blind faith in appointed leaders who tell you that you are better off accepting less than you deserve while they continue to draw their full salaries?
By the way, they collected almost 7000 cards already. Does that make you nervous?
I did not pick this union, it came with the job. My peers picked me to represent them, and I do so to the best of my ability. My primary duty is to them, not to the TWU, regardless of anything else. If another union should come in and offer us accountability and the chance to make a better living I would not hesitate to run for office in that union just like the guys in MCI and STL did. They were not expected to set themselves on fire for the IAM. They just ripped the IAM sticker off the wall (not even all the way) and became TWU officers.Why, because that was the new union, they did not pick it, but they got it. In this industry our union affiliation is tied to our employer not our career. Change companies (while still doing the same job) and you change unions. The union is paired with the company, not the work, or the craft or trade. Thats not the way unions should be structured. Your union should be an organization that is tailored to the career that you chose, not the employer. In this situation the union/company relationship is stronger and more permanent than the union/member relationship.
Given the fact that members have no control in the AA-TWU system beyond the local level, which is restricted, can they really be expected to have an interest? Why should they when they have no power within the organization? They cant vote for the top officers. They cant vote on Constitutional changes. They cant vote on who is the head of their division, and they dont even have the right to vote on their contract. To dismiss the fact that 3000 members did not recieve ballots as a minor unimportant error reveals how the organization considers the individuals, expendable and unimportant. Our union is structured to dictate to the members and the locals, thes commands come from unelected unaccountable persons. Can you really blame members for not taking an interest in another forum where they are simply told what is to be? Where their opinions and desires have no real clout? Criticism or suggestions to change are not treated as subjects worthy of debate but rather an act of treachery. The fact is that there are very serious problems with the ATD. Problems that will not be solved by members simply attending union meetings and "becoming involved".
The main problem that we have is not a TWU thing, its an AA/ TWU thing. There are TWU locals that have full control over their contracts. Locals that can vote out the guy in charge of their negotiations. Locals where if the contract is put in place without a vote, they will get the chance to remove that person. We do not have that option. Since that person also has the power to impose changes this is a very serious problem. Basically it means that the members do not have any power, the union advantage is not there. What we have instead is a middleman who can, and does put his own interests ahead of ours. Its like having a lawyer that can cut his own deals with your opponent.
42 PM will fix for food wrote:
