Early Start........in January 2009?

Stewards training day.

The Union presented a number of classes to help train your stewards how to help you fight unfair work conditions, how to win grievances, file FJAs, and to make sure the State remembers that no member stands alone.

During a break, Bruce Hodsdon, president of the MSEASEIU said that he had heard from EVERY SINGLE UNIT at the bargaining summit that there was a desperate need to get going early, elect teams early, do research, and form some kind of network.

Give Bruce credit. He is already showing signs that he may be one of the most effective presidents in a long time. He said he hoped that teams could be elected by September or October. My question to the board is "Don't you think it is time you listened to the members?" They said EARLY! They did not say October with maybe a meeting in November and then nothing for December due to the holidays and only THEN we maybe meet with the State in January.


The Board said they are taking no action this month. No action last month. No action action the month before. In the summer of 2007 your last team voted unanimously to start early this time and until Bruce took this up, nothing was done.

The lack of action is curious because we are encouraged to consider the process of "continuous bargaining" meaning always doing organizing. Always doing research, always having our Union there to support us. Why is the board refusing to take action?

Is the board afraid that paying a few members mileage and meals is going to be too much of a drain on our resources? If that is the problem then I ask what better things could our members dues be spent for? If that is not the problem then what is? Why isn't the board connecting with the members and telling us what is taking so long?

This is putting a lot of pressure on our new President but whether Bruce agrees with the members calling for a quick start or not, I am confident he will Stand up and tell us exactly what he thinks and why. He is no pushover and at the same time, he knows how to listen.

As a Pro-Tech steward I started my calls today to co-workers to try to find out what they want and get them to know they are part of the process. Today I got the first person to agree to be part of a team to support us all. I expect to hear from a lot more. I am going to schedule work site meetings starting soon, whether it is one person or ten. It is not too early to get started.

Do you want to be heard? Bargaining Survey, What bargaining survey?

Click Here to take survey Click HERE to see how other members are voting..
If you have any ideas for putting together a survey for your local or your bargaining unit please contact me at Narsbars@UnionMaine.Org

If you get one person to fill out this survey you will be helping yourself. Ask a friend to fill out the survey and ask them to find another friend to do the same.





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