McCarron mustn't be allowed to dissolve or merge LU608 and he mustn't be allowed to dissolve or merge any other local union of which the members themselves have not explicitly expressed such a desire. When ever he forces a dissolution or merger, he lessens the ratio of member representation. He lessens the ratio of local union officers to members, the ratio of local union council delegates to members, and the number of local union UBC General Convention delegates to members.
Currently, Local Union 608 has about 7,003 members. The local union has 10 E-board representatives (seven officers – president, vice president, treasurer, financial secretary, recording secretary, conductor, warden - plus three trustees), which is approximately one E-board representative per 700 members (1:700). It has 19 NYCDCC Delegates (7003/500+4), which is approximately one delegate per 369 members (1:369). And it has 16 GC Delegates (7003/500+1), which is approximately one delegate per 438 members (1:438).
Currently, Local Union 157 has about 3,937 members. The local union has 10 E-board representatives, which is approximately one E-board representative per 394 members (1:394). It has 12 NYCDCC Delegates (3937/500+4), which is approximately one delegate per 328 members (1:328). And it has 9 GC Delegates (3937/500+1), which is approximately one delegate per 437 members (1:437).
If LU608 were to be merged into LU157 there then would be 10,940 members in one local. (This would be a ridiculously cumbersome number of members in one local.) The 10,940 member local union would still have just 10 E-board representatives, which then would be approximately one E-board representative per 1,094 members (1:1094)! This is a ratio that would be almost 56% worse for LU608 and almost 178% worse than LU157. It is bad enough as it already is, but can you imagine how bad this would be? Furthermore, it would then only have 26 NYCDCC Delegates (10940/500+4), which is 5 less (19+12=31-26=5) than LU608 and LU157 combined and is approximately one delegate per 421 members (1:421). And it would then only have 23 GC Delegates (10940/500+1), which is 2 less (16+9=25-23=2) than LU608 and LU157 combined and approximately one delegate per 476 members (1:476). Additionally, 10,940 members is almost half* of the NYC membership. Can you imaging having nearly half the membership affiliated to the DC within one local union?! Imagine the domineering control such a local would have over the others, or rather its representattives. *(NYCDCC 2010 LM-2 states 23,501; individual NYC carpenters' local union 2010 LM-2's add to 23,111). Simply, fewer local unions equals less representation. Less representation means more and quicker control over the councils and local unions from McCarron and all the other top-down-management elitist-oligarchs.
If McCarron really intends to dissolve or merge LU608, instead of having to 'buy-off' a few thousand reps, as there were years ago, he now only has to 'buy-off' a thousand plus. If he continues to dissolve and merge local unions, eventually, the number of delegates to buy-off will be less than a thousand, especially with the total local union members dropping. As of the UBCJA 2009 LM-2 total membership was 473,777, which is 37,276 less than in 2008, which was 511,053.
And if McCarron does force LU608 to dissolve or merge, I think we have to have a protest march around the DC and/or rally in front to oppose the dissolving of LU608 and that of any NYC local union. Dissolving and merging is not a solution for betterment to the members. It is just a solution for betterment for McCarron and Co. At the moment, I cannot figure how dissolving or merging local unions actually solves or prevents underlying causes for such an idea to be honestly entertained in the first place. Nonetheless, it is evident and essential that McCarron's and Co.'s egos and power trips must be fought against.
To the Dissolution of Local Union 608 – Say NO!, Part 1
To the Dissolution of Local Union 608 – Say NO!, Part 3
No comments:
Post a Comment