Building new unions
This picks up on the discussion that was developing at http://www.ufcw.net/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=4&t=000062
Let's talk about the resources union reformers and union reinventers have at their disposal and how we can use these to our advantage.
To start the discussion, how could we use the Internet (and technology in general) to build really good unions?
[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: remote viewer ]
Moderator sleK is a wizard and workhound. The old site was an extremely good example of how the Internet can be used to better a union. The new site should blow people's socks off.
The worst thing that can happen to the machine is when the Power Source collects information and talks to one another. The Internet allows that.
If you check the machine sites, they are trying their best to use the Internet, but in most cases the results are a tacky as a satin sports jacket.
And speaking of trying their best.... Machine heads are beside themselves in fear. Their naughty business agents and staffers are sneakin' peeks at the MFD site and learning stuff they only suspected. The machine heads are trying their best to look their best by actually representing the Power Source.
The MFD pushed Local 1518 to take the Safeway #196 arbitration and guess what?, the union won! They won an arbitration that they tried to sell as a loser. The MFD pushed them to victory.
This old site had them runnin' scared; the new site will have them runnin' "nekid" with all their warts and fat asses hangin' out. (Who ever said that dieting was hard. With that picture, I won't be able to eat for a month.)
This coming year is a year of education for the Power Source, academics, lawmakers, and the LR community as a whole.
The Internet is one powerful way for the "new" unions to flourish, and the "old" ones to die, taking with them the smokestack cabal who corrupt freedom and democracy for millions of people who work.
Happy New Year! 
quote:
Safeway #196 arbitration
The one where Safeway closed #194, displaced all the senior employees, then opened up a new store #198 and staffed it with new hires? You mean the one where the machine said 'No use .. the language supported Safeway'?
I think the net also has great potential for getting people involved. When you think about how inconvenient it is for a lot of members, especially those in the really large locals, to attend membership meetings - think what could be done if we had meeting online? I'll be there would be much greater participation and a lot more open discussion. The machine heads love the traditional be-there-or-be-square meeting because they get to control the time, the place and the agenda. It's also a lot easier to make people feel intimidated or shut out in one of these "captive audience" settings. Much more difficult to that that in an online venue.
quote:
how could we use the Internet (and technology in general) to build really good unions?
To start, there are about a half-billion tech services that unions could use to better service the membership.
Most are pretty simple too, expensive but simple.
- Equip the BA's with an insight. High intitial costs, long-term savings. Modifications could be made to the car to enable accurate mileage logging (the data would be entered *automagically* into a database on an accounting server back at the office, GPS: Know where your reps are!).
- As the BA'a are the union equivalent to your ISP's tech-support (yet paid a couple thousand percent more
), equip 'em with a wireless connection, a laptop, and a cell phone capable of sending and receiving email, browsing the intranet (notice the emphasis on "intra", I wouldn't want 'em surfing porn on my dues) and instant messaging. There is absolutely NO excuse for the unions NOT to build a comprehensive database of related decisions, member records, grievances, precedents or... whatever and make it available via the internet.
- Websites: One of these days the unions will finally figure out that the Internet doesn't work very well for selling. It's all about news and information. A few union sites have got the hang of the "news" aspect but I haven't seen any provide any actual "information" yet. They could save a bundle and have a further reaching effect by offering online courses in related fields and procedures.
- Lose paper completely. There is no reason a union couldn't put a terminal or a kiosk in every shop with a decent web app to interface with the office servers and information. File a grievance during your break, have it sent via email immediately to your BA and receive *instant* feedback and recommendations as per similar grievances logged in the database. The cable is already laid, all they have to do is provide the data and the interface.
With decent information exchange unions could cut their operating costs in half, and lose a bunch of useless staff as well.
In order for us to build better unions, we'd have to beat them to it... show 'em how it's done. Then, naturally, let them take credit for the innovation.
We've got a pretty good head-start, but they've got the resources.
quote:
think what could be done if we had meeting online
That kind of tech won't be available for years yet and, when it does finally appear, it will take a few more years to become affordable.
With a little know-how, they could web-cast the current meetings and accept questions and comments via email or instant message clients.
quote:
It's also a lot easier to make people feel intimidated or shut out in one of these "captive audience" settings. Much more difficult to that that in an online venue.
Yet, it is much easier to pick out and deal with trolls in a captive audience.
EDIT: remote! Your link opens to a reply page?!
[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: slek ]
Those ideas are really good! can you set up computers so they can only serf specific parts of the web. Say the union puts a terminal in every store. Can we set the computer up so that you can log on to the union site or surf other labor sites etc? I wouldn't want people to just use for their hotmail.
What if - and this is going to sound pretty radical but then what are we if not radical - what if, a union (a democratic member-driven union) were to go one very big leap forward and put hand held wireless technology (like, for example, this http://www.rim.com) in the hands of every member? . Setting aside for the moment the costs and logistics issues, what do you think the impact could be?
[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: remote viewer ]
[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: remote viewer ]
quote:
can you set up computers so they can only serf specific parts of the web.
Sort of. AFAIK, it depends on the software and the OS. For instance, in Windows you can set *permissions* for each user: disk quotas, what apps they can run, can they install apps, access to specific folders and or programs only.
Wanna stop ALL internet access? Block port 80. I'm pretty sure unions could set their servers to only deliver data through particular ports and have the users devices only able to receive through those ports.
quote:
(like, for example, this http://www.rim.com
The blackberry is a pretty well respected piece of equipment. Never used one myself but have read a bit about them:
Link
Link
Link
Have any of you folks ever used atomica?
I know siggy uses it. Download the personal version and try it out. It's a wealth of information literally available with just a single click. If you have broadband this software is a *must-have*!
Type in a query, get an answer.
I alt-clicked on the word "port" in a previous paragraph and Atomica returned this:
quote:
port
A pathway into and out of the computer or a network device such as a switch or router. For example, the serial and parallel ports on a personal computer are external sockets for plugging in communications lines, modems and printers. Every network adapter has a port (Ethernet, Token Ring, etc.) for connection to the local area network (LAN). Any device that transmits and receives data implies an available port to connect to each line. See port speed, line card, serial port, parallel port and PC input/output.
To convert software to run in a different computer environment. The phrase "to port the program to UNIX," means to make the necessary changes in the application to enable it to run under UNIX.
A number assigned to an application running in a server. See port number.
Read about their corporate services too. Unions have no excuse not to implement something like this. Albeit at a much smaller scale.
It's going to happen nonetheless, but the sooner the better.
[ 01-02-2002: Message edited by: slek ]
Machine Head: Information in the hands of the members will be the death of us. We must stop the flow.
Brainless Executive Assistant who is related to some other Machine Head: They are getting this stuff from the Internet. They are visiting that bad, bad, MFD site.
Machine Head: Sue the bastards, buy the Internet, sue the Internet, buy the MFD, and buy a hotel while you're at it.
Brainless Executive Assistant who is related to some other Machine Head: We can't sue the Internet, it's not a thing it's, it's...? Well I don't know what it is but it can't be bought. Apparently, neither can the MFD.
Machine Head: Oh shoot! Then buy another hotel and get me Florida on the phone. There must be something the great one can do about this pesky information stuff.
Brainless Executive Assistant who is related to some other Machine Head: Ah, but they say even the great one fears information and doesn't understand anything that can't be bought or sold. 
[ 01-03-2002: Message edited by: Richard ]
Exalted leader of machineheads, from his Florida residence: "Oh the horror, the horror..."
Yes, that communication thing is really powerful. It has the power to tilt the playing field completely. What do you think would happen if every member had the ability to communicate with all the other members (all of them or groups of them or individuals) instantly, freely, for whatever reason they wanted? It's a pretty radical thought, but then again, that's just what we do.
We may have ourselves a Guinea Pig!
Well there you go. If an entire nation can choose its government on-line, there is no reason the technology can't work for unions.
