Training

Last week I was thrust into the world of Full Time Officers. Not knowing what to expect, I was excited. What did I learn last week that I couldn't forget to do this week? Two words, bring food. I think I spent so much time dealing with phone calls, lawyers, conversing with staff, traveling and the executive I forgot to stop and just eat. Funny what you will overlook when you want to just be there whenever your needed.

The most surprising message I took from our Lawyer was that when he says that the case is "not viable". He means that the chances of it winning are in the single digits percentage wise. Floored me because when I sat in executive/general meetings, the translation on the floor is never so cut and dry. Life in the union is all in the wording. A total reversal from my life at work. When we say things in construction, it is concise, to the point and strong in language. In lawyer land, cases are looked at from angles, information is tailored and argued, and used however either side sees a win. Never cut and dry, a lawyer must make a recommendation that will be of a sound opinion. With some of the information being confidential, as a member or executive member we have to read between the lines. A hard decision to make in the 5 minutes we are given in a general meeting.

The table officers start their day at 7am... well more like 6:30am. You need 30min just to sit down, read through the regular bits of union business like mail, messages, emails, staff requests just to free your day for the scheduled appointments with staff, members, management, and the out of left field phone calls that can leave you stuck to a chair for literally hours.

Most of the questions are cut and dry. Members may not like the answers, but full time officers must relay the information be it bad or good to prepare people for where their questions are headed. It's the gears that you see turning in a members head. Trying to think 3 steps ahead. Sometimes they just don't realize that the hall has seen a lot of the same stuff going on everywhere. They know exactly where your thought process is headed. At least that is the way I am seeing it as I job shadow them.

Quite an interesting experience here at the hall. You don't know what to expect, so your training is specific to the issues being presented. So far I have really looked forward to the phone calls. Members call in to ask us questions, and we get back to them with answers. Simple, and to the point. The mishmash of meetings can be interesting. Being prepared is especially important to the process. You never know what is going to be covered. I have one more day, and then my training will be complete. Waiting for the day they need me to fill in.

I have to say that what I thought the Full Time members did and what I now know they do has had a positive effect on my views of the office. In the case of understanding what goes on at local 37. Doing is by far my choice then seeing.

June Meeting

Unfortunately we had no quorum. Short by only a few. Next meeting is in July.