CRITICAL ISSUE #5ORGANIZE OR DIE!
BROTHERS:
OUR CURRENT BUSINESS MANAGER HAS BEEN A FAILURE AT PROTECTING OUR JURISDICTION AND IN ORGANIZING TO GROW OUR GREAT UNION AS HE IS REQUIRED TO DO! HE HAS NO IDEA WHERE TO BEGIN IN TERMS OF SETTING AN AGENDA OR GAINING AFFILIATE SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZING OR FOR CAPITALIZING ON ANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COUNCIL. IN SHORT, FOR HIM, IT’S JUST TOO DIFFICULT AND TOO MUCH WORK!
MISSED OPPORTUNITY – OUR LiUNA! CONVENTION DECISION
AT THE LAST INTERNATIONAL UNION CONVENTION WE ALL MADE THE DECISION HOWEVER CONTROVERSIAL, TO ADMIT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY AND CRITICAL TO OUR EXISTENCE TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ORGANIZING FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF .25c/HR. MANY OF US HAD NO IDEA HOW THE CONTRIBUTION WAS TO BE MADE (ULTIMATELY, IT WAS TAKEN FROM THE MEMBERS’ VACATION CHECKS.) ALL OF THE BUSINESS MANAGERS WERE THEN EXPECTED TO EXPLAIN TO THE MEMBERS WHAT THE CONTRIBUTION WAS ALL ABOUT AND WHY IT WAS JUSTIFIED.
NO PLAN, NO PLAY, NO NOTHING
FOR ALMOST 2 YEARS, OUR LEADER FAILED TO DO HIS JOB AND SIMPLY LEAD THIS IMPORTANT EFFORT! HE HAD NO PLAN DESPITE GETTING MANY IDEAS FROM THE AFFILIATES. A LOT OF US BELIEVED HIS TRUE MOTIVATION WAS TO SIMPLY HIRE AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE COULD REGARDLESS OF THEIR QUALIFICATIONS OR EXPERIENCE TO ENTRENCH HIM IN HIS POSITION FOREVER THROUGH DIVISION AND INEFFECTIVENESS. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, THE INTERNATIONAL UNION APPEARED TO SENSE THIS INEVITABILITY AND TOOK POSSESSION OF THE ORGANIZING DEPARTMENT. WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT IT WAS NOT WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL UNION HAD ORIGINALLY SET OUT TO DO!
A COMPLETE FAILURE & FORFEITURE!!!
EVENTUALLY, THE DECISION WAS MADE THAT THE REGIONAL OFFICE BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FUND AND THE ORGANIZING PROGRAM…DESPITE ITS’ BEST EFFORTS AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL. WE OWE IT TO OUR MEMBERS WHO PAY INTO THE FUND TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN HOW IT’S BENEFITING THEM IN THE LONG RUN WITH INCREASED HOURS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES. OUR CURRENT LEADER SIMPLY LACKS THE COMMITMENT AND MOTIVATION TO MAKE IT HAPPEN OR EVEN SUBMIT SUCH PROPOSALS ON OUR BEHALF BECAUSE HE DOES NOT REPRESENT THE MEMBERS MAKING THE CONTRIBUTION.
WHEN ELECTED, I WILL COORDINATE ORGANIZING EFFORTS AND URGE A REGIONAL PLAN THAT MAKES SENSE IN ALL AREAS THAT WE COVER. I WILL PROPOSE THAT WE FORM A COMMITTEE FOR WORKING TOWARDS AN ORGANIZING DEPARTMENT AND EFFORT THAT TRULY IS EFFECTIVE IN ALL AREAS AND THAT THE AFFILIATES SUPPORT (ANY APPROACH WILL NOT WORK UNLESS WE HAVE “BUY-IN” FROM ALL OF THE AFFILIATES TO ENSURE THAT THE EFFORT IS LEGITIMATE, FAIR, AND EFFECTIVE, NOT JUST FOR HIRING CRONIES.)
JUST LIKE OUR PENSION AND OUR HEALTH-CARE, ORGANIZING IS ABOUT OUR FUTURE…IT’S JUST THAT SIMPLE! WE NEED SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT OUR UNION AND OUR MEMBERSHIP LONG AFTER HIS OWN RETIREMENT DATE.
JOIN THE NCDCL UNITY CAMPAIGN!
(pictured: Oscar with Labor Leader/SFPUC Commissioner FX Crowley who oversees 4.4 billion Hetch-Hetchy Water Project, during EFCA Event in SF. As sweeping changes and reforms take shape, we need a leader who understands that we need to confront such challenges head on in order to be ready to put our plan into place!)
