I think it's a good idea but you may want to broaden it out to include information about negotiations (on going and upcoming) that have not yet reached the strike stage. There's a lot that can happen in the lead up to bargaining that's important for members to know about as well.
New Forum?
What would you folks think about a new forum set up strictly for *strike* information and news?
This story prompted me to ask.
You'll notice that the UFCW isn't asking for the employer to change its scheduling language. The scheduling language is what gives Westfair the big advantage over its competitors. Westfair is allowed to schedule from the bottom up.
For example, the available anytime employees may get scheduled 16 hours a week. Minimally restricted my get scheduled 12 hours and restricted may get 4 or 8 per week.
It sort of works like this: Additional hours get allocated to the bottom people until they reach 12 hours, then the mid people get hours until they get 16, then the bottom get hours until they get 16 and then the top may get some hours and then the middle and then the bottom.
This system ensures that few as possible employees ever reach benefit level or full-time level. With no hope of ever achieving full time, employees leave before they reach top rated. Likewise, by restricting the number of hours given to senior employees, it takes many years for them to reach top rate.
Yup a glass of water at the till is more important all right.
Like the President of Westfair once told me, "stay away from the big stuff; go after the small stuff like short pay and stuff like that."
quote:
you may want to broaden it out to include information about negotiations (on going and upcoming)
Ya, totally.
The idea would be to have visitors who happen across a story or info about an impending strike, a strike, a lock-out, negotiations etc. etc. bring the info to the forums.
Just someplace specific to put the information you find.
Better yet it would be cool to have a quasi-reporter(s) from every local in every union bring us the info. 
I'm gettin' lazy in my old-age... I just can't read the news sites like I used ta'. 
edit: Sorry HJ I didn't mean to ignore ya 
I think a strike area is good because it lets people know that there is a strike. Unless there's violence, a large number of people on strike or the public are really inconvenienced the media usually give little space to the issues. Giving profile to a strike is as important as giving the strikers a chance to articulate their issues.
I know, some will say that all airing of laundry must be done in-house, and in some instances, I may agree. If the issues are as the leaders say they are, that is what will be discussed openly. The only downside will be if there is a narrow split among the strikers and then that would give the employer an advantage in knowing whether it has to go an inch or a mile to satisfy the strikers. I guess the upside would be that nothing is secret. If the numbers aren't there to support an issue, that's life. Leave the fight until the issue has the support required (I could muse for hours on the advisability of openness and secrecy).
I really thing the only argument for not having discussions about ongoing strikes is the argument for controlling what union members say. Can the truth really hurt? What do you others think?
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I know, some will say that all airing of laundry must be done in-house,
Only those who wish to perpetuate the conditions under which oppression thrives, will say this. Airing of laundry - I would prefer to say "the exchange of information and ideas" - should be done as broadly and publicly as possible. This way, the discussion is more inclusive and there is greater awareness, on the part of union members and also of the broader community, of the issues and why they are important.
I think that the shroud of secrecy that has traditionally enveloped collective bargaining helps nobody except the employers and union representatives who would rather not have anyone know what they're really up to. It's going to fall away eventually anyway. Probably sooner than we think. Once everyone is connected through technology - all the sweating about secrecy will seem like something from out of the dark ages.
*bump*
Any thoughts about reviving this idea?