Hello out there in bloggerland...

So I've been gone a while....

Things have been busy on my end; can't say why-- if I did, I'd have to kill all of you.

Seriously, a friend of mine (who knows of my secret blogger identity) told me the other night, "Take it down, you haven't done anything with Homeslice in a while, you should just get rid of it,"...

NEVER!

Heh.

Seriously, folks-- let's talk about union officers getting cozy with management.

Specifically, I'm referring to Louise Sundin, former President of Minneapolis Something of Teachers or Education Association. I can't remember, and I really am too lazy to look. She was ousted after being criticized by her members as too close to management; the same thing happened in Ohio as well, with I think Mansfield or some little EA/ FT unit.

Quite frankly, the call for Bob Chase's "new unionism" is lost on the ears of the membership. They would advocate the same adversarial relationship that is typical of management and union; combative and uncompromising. The fact of the matter is that compromises have to be made; relationships have to be forged with administration, yet the rank and file can't see the union officers as getting "too close" with the administration, lest it doom them to lose the reelection. For real change to happen, rank and file has to abandon the illusion of a mostly adversarial management/ union relationship and realize that compromises have to be made, but not at the expense of members. Just 'cause we're coming to a consensus doesn't mean that your interests are falling by the wayside.

Look at UTLA, for crying out loud; 20 percent of the union members voted, keeping AJ Duffy in with just over 10% of the vote. Mike Antonucci had a field day-- and well he should; the idea that 20% of a union determines the leadership is abhorrent. UTLA needs to make sure its members are organized and informed, and, quite simply VOTE!

When I was in charge of a building, I made sure EVERYONE voted. I had a meeting. Those that didn't make it to the meeting, I tracked down. You don't put ballots in mailboxes; that's just asking for trouble, folks. And all but one member voted. Buh!