The Internet as a Battleground for Internal Union Politics
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Last week, I posted about two unions taking their war against each other to the Internet.
Well, I just got done watching a video that popped into my mail box (thanks to Chuck Lezette) which demonstrates how internal union politics is going online as well. The video chronicles an apparent revolt against Doug McCarron, the head of the Carpenters union, by some carpenters in British Colombia, Canada.
Now, whether or not you are for or against McCarron, the video raises a lot of questions about the future conduct of union business and debate in a more connected, transparent world.
One thing is certain, the carpenter's video clearly demonstrates that the Internet is a game changer. You can be pretty certain this video is spreading fast around the Internet amongst carpenters all across North America and is probably generating a lot of debate and discussion. If this same event happened just three years ago, the pre-YouTube era, no one would have known about it. Or, if they did hear about it, it certainly wouldn't have had the same dramatic impact as this video does.
So clearly, the Internet is injecting a whole new dynamic into internal union politics. So what will come out of it? The only thing certain is that there will be change. Unions and leaders will have to think hard about how to best manage the change.
Some unions and leaders might try to resist and adopt policies to try to control and manage the communication of their internal politics. For example, they may begin restricting the use of recording devices at union meetings. However, unions aren't corporations so they can't fire anyone for talking union business online after a meeting. Besides, it's likely illegal for unions to try to restrict member speech. So any policies they do try to implement will just be thumbs in the dam.
Other unions and leaders will see the technology as an opportunity to become more open and transparent. But this option comes with its own set of problems. Publicizing your internal strife obviously isn't going to give you a strategic advantage over management.
What do you think? Will the Internet result in a stronger labor movement, a weaker one, or just a different one? How can unions and their members best turn these new communication technologies to their advantage?
- Steve Dondley's blog
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You have the right to remain silent
First may I say that this video is at least 5 years old. The result of that meeting is that the BC Carpenters have spent millions of dollars breaking away from the UBC because its Corporate Unionism refused members their free speech.Their democratic vote and their Union. Just as we now see with the Teamsters and Stern and his bunch.The record of the fight can be found here http://carpentersunionbc.com/. The outcome here http://www.cmaw.ca/view.php?id=221. They had the guts to stand together and throw of the yoke of the UBC International and its policies of raping the American Labor movement. However they were only able to do so by using the Canadian Constitution and getting the support of the Canadian Government to do it. Now they have a free uncensored and democratic Union. It was a very public and open fight as the BC Carpenters have had it online since the beginning.This should be a fine example of the need to expose Union Corruption in a public venue to bring about change that serves the membership. It forces the the few who prosper behind closed doors answer for their actions.It forces what they fear most. Accountability. The message this sends to management is that when those in the Union movement find corruption in their ranks they expose it and remove it. More importantly they do not hide it just because it is a Union that is corrupt. It signals management that we will not tolerate or condone "Good ole Boy" Union politics. One important part of this video is towards the end when a BC members sums it up. You can hear him repeating in reference to Union rights" You have the right to remain silent"
(Thank you Charles Lezette for finding it online and posting it. I told you it was a moving moment. I had thought when we talked about it last year that everybody had left the room as a whole. Perhaps you are not the Great Pretender after all)
And to further add to the debate of hiding dirty laundry and censoring members.
Local 157 Wins One for The Rank and File
The question of rank and file members success with a web site or blog that “Rocks the Boat” so to speak has been answered at Carpenters Local 157 in NYC. Local 157 Blogspot created by members John Musumcei and Pat Brennan is a FREE and OPEN blog without restrictions set by the Union.All are welcome to post and the only restrictions are civil behavior. All Union business can be discussed and there is no attempted to hide the so called dreaded”Dirty Laundry” There are no Teamster Power type gag orders just free and open discussion of all UBC Union business.
There has been much discussion on the subject of uncontrolled open forums on the Internet by Union members and its potential to result in the sky falling if unchecked by Union Officials Control. I have always argued that it is just plain censorship by those with quite a bit to hide. Supporters of this type of censorship and Union Propaganda sites have given us speech after speech trying to rationalize and justify the need for Union Officials to censor their membership for the good of the Union.We have been given the doom and gloom warning about the potential for irreversible damage to the Union movement if members are allowed to have democratic rights or free speech.We have been warned that we must hide all negative Union actions behind closed doors for the sake of the movement. The 157 blog has given us an example of free rank and file speech that has not resulted in the sky falling.That is not to say that the UBC Officials who now have to answer for their actions are very happy that they did not attempt to impose Teamster Power gag restrictions on this site .It is however to late. By the way John Musumeci is a 157 Trustee.
Local 157 has been seized by the International in a Trusteeship which as it turns out might be in violation of the LMRDA and at the least in violation of the UBC Constitution. For all the possible violations see the blog at http://local157.blogspot.com/. The issues that have been allowed to be posted on the 157 Blog for the past two months have resulted in a special call club meeting for the 157 members to discuss the continued supervision and to discuss the Constitutional issues raised on the 157 blog. This meeting is the direct result of the members discussion and postings on this blog.It would have been business as usual otherwise. After the postings on this blog the required LM15 appeared at the DOL which was not there in February when the blog discussion began.The outcome of this meeting and the actions taken to resolve the issued raised on the blog will have a wide ranging on all members of the UBC.
Local 157 Blogspot is a shining example that rank and file members can engage in open and uncensored discussion on all Union business. The result is not doom and gloom as predicted but a positive and beneficial conclusion for the rank and file 157 member. Members and outside posters conducted themselves in a civil and positive manner and worked towards a goal that was in the best interest on the membership. Rude behavior and vulgar language was dealt with as Matt Noyes predicted in his previous post. It was done so in a n expedient and constructive manner and the blog and discussions continued on.The Local 157 blog further proves that the membership can conduct itself in a productive manner without the guidance or restrictions of the Union Official who would rather keep his activities in the dark.
The Local 157 blogspot should also give us an insight into the need for open and uninhibited exposure of possible illegal and detrimental actions by Union Officials. Had the issues raised been not posted in public and had the UBC moved to censor the blog than the possible illegal actions would have gone unchecked and unchallenged. The result would have only benefited those that hide behind the cover of gag orders to continue their questionable activities. The end result of the 157 blogspot is that free and open discussion has resulted in the membership demanding and receiving the rights they are guaranteed in a democratic Union. Thank god John Musumeci did not build just another Union Propaganda site.Had we listened and keep these possible illegal activities in the dark behind closed doors than we would have enabled the behavior.If Union Officials engage in questionable or possible illegal behavior we have a duty to expose it for all to see. If they are so worried about the negative impact on the Union then perhaps it is THEIR duty to act in a positive manner. It IS NOT our duty to help them cover it up
Update: As a result of the very public exposure at 157 Blogspot it has been announced that regular meetings will resume on May 7, 2008 and that Nominations will take place in July and Officers elected in September.The people illegally planted as officers by the District Council will now face nomination and election as is dictated by the UBC Constitution or must be sent packing.The UBC has informed the members that their lawyers are drafting a response to the possible After the NYDCC attempting to shut down the club meeting it was held APRIL 21,2008 by the members. While there are many issues still to be resolved this is a great victory for the rank and file members of Local 157. It was made possible by the PUBLIC FORUM and EXPOSURE that the Union "Dirty Laundry" received at 157 Blogspot. Not only was it essential to stop the UBC from railroading the Local but it should dispel the theory that Union members need to be guided,censored and controlled by the very people who are attempting to railroad them. The question was asked if the Union should be responsible for providing the membership with an open forum at their expense with the possibility of ridicule. The answer is a resounding yes. Why. Because the sites are built with members dues and built by Union employees who are paid with members dues and assessment money. The question should have been should the Union Officers spend money on building Propaganda sites where they censor the membership with members money. You see the Unions are operated under the premise that the members need someone to think for them. The theory is promoted that the membership are to ignorant and uncivilized to solve their own issues in a public forum. Local 157 blogspot is an example for the future of the Internet and Unionism.
Richard's right.
The unofficial BC Carpenters website goes way back (at least to 1999), and has always been a great example of a rank-and-file site.
The Construction Maintenance and Allied Workers has a website and a blog open to comments (unmoderated), and has a link to the unofficial BC Carpenters site.
The Local 157 blogspot site is great -- lots of nice features and it plays an important role in the struggle to rid the local of corruption and promote member control over the union, as Richard describes.
Interestingly, the posting guidelines for comments on the Local 157 Blogspot site suggest members should conduct themselves as if they were at a local union meeting and include this line: "Rude, mean, or obnoxious comments are not welcome and will not be approved to post."
As a posting policy, this is not much better than the one on TeamsterPower -- one person's obnoxious is another's vital truth. Again, like a broken record, why not be more specific -- ban foul language, porn, spam?
There are many tools that could be used as well to organize the "offending" content without killing it -- tags for flaming, or for off-topic comments, flags for inappropriate content, etc.
But what is more interesting about this to me is the relationship between the posting guidelines and the larger purpose. The Local 157 Blogspot site functions as an independent, rank-and-file site, a forum for member participation in reforming the local and holding the UBC acountable. The guidelines seem intended to create a space which encourages participation, including criticism and challenges to the leadership. Those on the TeamsterPower site, which is a forum for promoting officially chosen campaigns (see http://communicateordie.com/node/479) seek to ensure that the comments reinforce the blog's official message.
I agree with Richard's view that worries about the members' ruining the union website are misplaced. I second his suggestion that union's should provide space for free speech and participation and should link to members sites -- even those that oppose the leadership.
Steve worries about what "unions and leaders" should do to manage the often volatile nature of internet free speech. This is an old way of thinking about the "problem". I think the development of the technology itself offers a better perspective, one that matches the old cliche that the members ARE the union.
Because of the internet, we can now see unions as both leaders and members, official PR and unofficial critique. The Carpenters video is a great example. In the pre-internet era, only participants at that meeting would ever see the union in that way: strong and vocal leaders and members; McCarron answering clearly and truthfully; Carpenters rejecting the official meeting in favor of a rally around a speaker on the bed of a pickup, organizing a rank-and-file referendum. What would everyone else see? The Carpenters union newspaper, the professional pamphlets, the press releases, etc.
Ironically, some people think the latter -- updated with pseudo-participation -- makes a union look stronger. Does the video make the BC carpenters look weak?
Lights Out at Local 513
Hi Matt, thanks for the kudos. That video was made on July 7th, 1999 at Local 513 on Vancouver Island, BC Canada. More info can be found on a page I built for "Lights Out at Local 513" the following weekend: http://carpentersunionbc.com/Pages/bbq513.html
If you scroll down to photo # 19 you can see the camera Glen used to make make the video. Three of us from my Local, UBC 2300 attended the meeting. (photos 7 and 8). I was along as the a working union carpenter and editor of carpentersunionbc.com, then a fledgling website. Having you use the Wayback Machine to show that site in the early days was a real treat for us to see today.
After the meeting, the three of us drove down Island for another meeting and a motel for the night and enroute we drafted a message to post to UBC members list about the lights being turned off on McCarron. I read it over the phone to my wife, she posted it by email to UBC list. It was about 9 at night, within an hour emailed congrats from NY and California came in and were in turn faxed back to our motel and passed around in the pub over brews.
We returned home - about a 12 hour drive - the next night and by the time I woke up 8 rolls of photos were being delivered to the door. They were scanned and uploaded to the website by noon. That page is still there and the original photo story board is still standing beside me as I type this 9 years later. The internet rocks!
fraternally, dave livingston, CMAW Local 2300, Canada
You have the right to remain silent
And in the naked light I saw
Ten thousand people, maybe more
People talking without speaking
People hearing without listening
People writing songs that voices never share
And no one dared
Disturb the sound of silence
"Fools", said I, "You do not know
Silence like a cancer grows