CoD Organizing Committee
An old post buried deep in the forum mentioned the idea of a CoD organizing committee. It occurred to me that one of the first, and easiest functions this committee could fulfill would be to greet new members personally, explain a little about the site (recent and frequent topics, core member bios, goals), and encourage them to post something, most likely experiences, on their CoD blogs.
This idea is a lot like the designated "greeting committee" on Wikipedia. These committee members bring new members into what feels a little more like a community of interest, with just a little personal touch. Actually finding new members is a different function entirely - but its definitely worthwhile to encourage better participation from existing members.
And maybe other functions could be charged to committees in the future? What do others think, and who would be interested?
Building the Community
It has always surprised me that more people haven't written stuff about their personnel experiences around technology or organization in labor. This blog seems a pretty informal and welcoming place to do so and since most labor leadership doesn't read blogs - fairly safe. If I could be of some help - I'm in.
Yes, I'd like to facilitate this
Francisco, thanks for digging this up. I would like to help facilitate this. Let me get the newsletter together and out the door and then I'll turn my sites on this.
1st meeting of the CoD OC proposed.
Great find!
I am working on an Invitation for labor techs who are going to LaborNotes to come a day early for an open space meeting. I am interested in sharing my ideas about wiki, community calendaring and also would like to create a map similar to the CyberneticRoadmap (big picture) - and look forward to hearing other ideas. Tenatively we have a room available 1-5pm on Friday, May 5. Best, MarkDilley
I'll be there
We should definitely use the Labor Notes venue to meet, whether it is the "first meeting of the CoD OC" or not. It would be good to check with LN staff about the other events taking place on the 5th, though it may be the best time. I'm coming with a group of unionists from Japan,including LaborNet people and will invite them to the meeting, too.
I like the idea of open space. I have done a lot of popular education-type work, but not open space, so I want to try it out. I'm interested in looking beyond immediate problems of getting unions to do a better job with tech, to longer term questions of how we can all use the tools to recreate the workers movement, and make it democratic, strong, collaborative, open.
How much work should we do in advance in order to use our time well?
Do we want to make use of the "labortech" tag in some way? (There is a lot of stuff gathering there.)
Do we need some ground rules like those found on the sites Mark mentions here: http://www.communicateordie.com/node/226?
Me Too
Nice to see there will be some familar faces and at least a legitimate forum for talking about technology and its uses inside labor's reform movement. Several members from the UFCW will be attending the Labor Notes conference, including a couple of the more pro-active 789 staff and members and several from the old MFD gang. We also will have one of the UFCW 588 candidates (Sacramento CA) for reform there.
This should be entertaining and informative. I/we have used the net for ten years and see it as one of the single most educational tools available to workers and leaders who aren't afraid of the truth; who we are, what we do, and what and stand for. Of course if you are ashamed or embarassed of your grossly obscene salaries, benefits, perks and lots of spin doctored bullshit, then please, stay with one way communication and pathetically lame websites that do nothing other than telling members how good you are.
Looking forward to seeing some of you in Detroit.
"It is often easier to fight for one's principle's than to live up to them."