Weak local.

[KBCraig]

Not exactly -- official time cannot be used to solicit membership. To stay kosher, our reps will use A/L when they give the pitch at IF.

[cllingo]

Our IF class schedule is emailed to everyone in the complex about 2 weeks from class starting. It has always had a time block for a union presentation. Since 95 when we opened up there has been union presentations. Everyone is on official time and they are allowed to sign up new staff during the class.

[Movementarian]

Originally Posted by gijanetexas

Check with American Federation of Government Employees, AFL-CIO and COUNCIL OF PRISON LOCALS 33 for more information. The CPL33 website lists your Regional VP and the National Officers. I have e-mailed and talked to many of them at Caucuses and the Convention. If you are going to complain about the union or your local, those are the people who make the big decisions and help the local union do their jobs. But just don't be a no dues paying whiner riding on the coat tails of union victories. If you can afford to waste money at Starbucks, at the liquor store, on lottery tickets, etc, put your money (dues) in something that will help secure your job and your benefits. Don't let the IF thing get you down. Sometimes the union gets notified and it is on everyone's days off or something like that. Or the person who gets the e-mail is off and no one else knows. Sometimes management gives us less than 24 hours notice for meetings and we chew on them for it, but we do have our regular jobs to do as well. The more people in the local who are involved in the process the better to have coverage for all types of meetings, etc. Our Sergeant at Arms does our IF classes faithfully, but not all locals have someone always available.

Hey now. I wasn't whining.

[bubajay]

Originally Posted by Movementarian

I have to join before I can drop out, I haven't been working here long. I have tried to obtain information on what the union is doing and how to join, but information has been hard to come by. I asked about weak local because most everyone I talk to says that our is. There was time scheduled for the Union to speak with us during IF but no one showed. I have gotten more information here than I have from anyone that works at my institution.

Cheers for the information. I am going to be a bit more persistent about getting information from the local and once I am passed my probationary year, I will try to get more involved.

funny thing, nobody showed for our last day of IF either.

[cllingo]

Unfortunately, I am going to say this: If your e-board for your institution cannot send at least one representative for a 30 minute presentation during a IF class, I honestly feel its not worth joining the union. If they wanted to get elected so badly and wanted to make the bargaining unit unified, they would do everything they possibly could to present a positive appearance of the union. If my union doesn't want to present their information to our new staff, they obviously are not too concerned about other important issues either.
All bargaining unit staff need to step up to your union rep and ask why they aren't showing up for IF classes. Management will make "official time" available to the rep's, since its on the IF schedule.

[KBCraig]

For our last few IF classes (they're few and far between), we've had almost 100% signup rates. Membership at Texarkana is now 85% of the bargaining unit.

[bop_steward]

Originally Posted by cllingo

If my union doesn't want to present their information to our new staff, they obviously are not too concerned about other important issues either.

Except for right before our last elections, when was the last time your union posted a newsletter for the old staff? When was the last time your union updated their website, which is not free? They have not even updated the new e-board and new stewards. The point is, everyone on this site could say how their local could be more efficient, but sometimes you have to set priorities. Are you active in your local, cllingo?

[cllingo]

Originally Posted by bop_steward

Except for right before our last elections, when was the last time your union posted a newsletter for the old staff? When was the last time your union updated their website, which is not free? They have not even updated the new e-board and new stewards. The point is, everyone on this site could say how their local could be more efficient, but sometimes you have to set priorities. Are you active in your local, cllingo?

Our local 506 website hasn't been updated in months, and the only updates are when the meetings are. The Big Toe and other "phenomenal" letters are few and far between. You know who I am. I have a very good guess as to who you are. We have worked together many times. Yes, we are the largest local in the bureau but are not the strongest. I have been a dues paying member for 10 years now but I do not make it to the meetings. The last meeting I went to, it was just complete BS fighting between members. I almost quit after that nonsense. It was like Survivor, each had their own alliances and fought with each other. I stood back and couldn't imagine what the hell was going on. The last election didn't change a thing in the group, except one person was removed and another added. The remaining e-board stayed the same.

[shawnr73]

Educate! Educate! Educate! The more knowledge your members have of the Master Agreement, they will soon follow. I'll bet that a majority of most bargaining unit employees don't even know we have a Master Agreement. let alone read the damn thing.....

[bop_steward]

Master Agreement, Local Supplement...all staff should know these 2 documents. Most, unfortunately, do not even know what LMR stands for, or what their own local number is. It is not so much about Educating, it is more about teaching those that don't want to be taught.