It has been ages since I last blogged and some of you have been kind enough to bother to ask why. Well the sad truth is that I am too scared to be honest in case I get into trouble! One of my friends remarked that was the same excuse her young son gives her...! Not promising major revelations so may not be worth your while reading any further!!
So what has happened, since last we blogged? Been on holiday with my recovering other half (now fully recovered) and bought a 'new' car. My last car was clearly very sick while we were away and sadly I decided I really couldn't afford the burnt orange mini convertible I really wanted, not even second hand, so I bought the next best thing. It's very much a girl's car, although (again, sadly) it's not pink. There was a pink one.....but it was quite old and I wanted something relatively new. And cheap. Ok, it's a smart. I know it doesn't match my girl racer image that I have been cultivating for so many years now, but it's cheap - did I mention that already??? - cheap on petrol, cheap on road tax, cheap to buy, and still a convertible. I have been shocked though by the number of cars that now cut in front of me and the a tad frustrated to find I can't cut them up in return. The only way is to have some calm motoring. It's not for distances, I have to say, but its fab round London. Should I ever want to take it into central london, its also congestion charge free! The other half has christened it and asked me where my little hat with the bell has gone. Of course that makes him Big Ears, but strangely he still thinks this is funny.
And work? Ah, work. Least said, soonest mended I would say. Interesting times we live in, with a new smaller executive that saw off all its opposition, in telecoms. It's opposition that keeps us honest (as someone once said to me) and I have never believed no opposition is a healthy state for any organisation. It encourages complacency and ultimately in-fighting and there are some who should recognise that state!
Bt remains the basket case we all know it to be these days. Unable to make the progress I want in some areas, I have done some good deals for people in bad situations. sadly they all involve them leaving the company which is not my preferred outcome, but in all cases that's either where they already were or about to be. One of these actually involved a very good friend from the postal side who helped out one f our branch officers recently. I was really pleased to meet up with him briefly earlier this week, for the first time in at least a year - probably more - and I it was great to have a good old honest chat and gossip with someone who knows me well and where we can have that rarity of things these days, an honest conversation!
Since I last blogged, my hair went pink again. Then it faded, very fast, so I complained. Never complain to a hairdresser about your colour as I found out to my cost. I wanted lots of pink, quite bright and in a way that will last. Be careful what you wish for!!! My discreet (erm, really) pink streaks are now so pink they are almost purple and I'm struggling to find anything other than pink. Now, I like pink, and I'm not afraid of a little, or even a lot, of colour but you could pick me out of a crowd now from at least a mile away. The other half has been wearing dark glasses for a week and warning everyone who comes to the house to not look directly at me in case it causes hair-glare.
In a weird about turn, a friend has been asking me about standing for the WAC and I have to say that unless it radically changes I can't see the point, and yet another friend, to whom I have previously referred on this very blog, has told me she may go to the women's conference, for the first time. Be still my beating heart! She quite rightly says its for them to win her over. Now the women's conference is a different thing from the WAC and I believe a good conference usually and well worth women in the union attending.
Got to go, the Seething Wells Talcum Colliery band is marching through Surbiton today - not to be missed ! www.seethingwells.org
Glad to be back, though..............later x
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Monday, 20 June 2011
Reflections in a Muddy Puddle
So! HQ has been all atwitter since the officers received letters inviting them to come and see the GS and SDGS about their jobs. Meetings were to be set up and everyone is to be interviewed, much fevered speculation which then blew itself out smartish when no meetings were set up! However, they are underway now and methinks there will be rumour and speculation abounding as people hope that the worst will befall their sworn enemies. [Actually, I'm making that up, don't think we have many 'sworn enemies' amongst the officers but it sounded more thrilling].
The content of the meetings are confidential, so not for revealing on a public blog site. (Tee-hee!!) Its the first time I've ever had a formal meeting with the two most senior officers together and it was actually quite scary. However, its smart to see this as an opportunity for just that reason. One colleague is so keen to have his interview he may be sending the wrong signals. He has no other motive than he hasn't had an opportunity to talk to the GS in about 2 years but genuinely I think the senior officers don't understand that need, sometimes. If you are an industrial officer it is just nice to have your presence and your work acknowledged by the central leadership as there is a feeling that because we are at the sharp end and not dealing with the day to day intrigue (we wish) of the union, we simply don't count. Saying hello to the GS on the platform at Conference doesn't quite deliver the same as a 1-2-1 chat about you, your job and the union's future.
It's an interesting time. I don't believe that there is any reason why we cannot go on being a stand alone union for many years to come. Our finances are controllable and under pretty good control now, thanks to the SDGS. We may need courage to take some decisions and perhaps slaughter a few sacred cows/bulls - no need to be gender specific - but as long as we show that courage, we should be fine for the medium to long term. Sometimes I doubt our ability to take those decisions, or sometimes that we will take them and then immediately take another one that will undermine the right decision! Of course there are those amongst us who want to merge and fancy themselves as a big fish in a bigger pond. Naturally they over-rate their own importance hugely and it is usually those so nakedly ambitious who go onto be politically murdered at the hands of the much less niave and more streetwise in the larger union. May be worth it just for that, come to think of it..........only joking, honest!
You will be glad to know I am off on holiday tomorrow. My partner is finally on the mend although only in the last few days, so fingers crossed he's alright while we are away. It's a risk worth taking though, as we both would have been gutted by not getting away. I know I need to sleep for several days on end! Only down side is I have to leave my cat in the hands of her personal au pair. I would do like any other normal cat owner and put her in a cattery but this is no normal cat and once she'd been in one they'd never have her back. Vicious little beggar that she is. Likes her home comforts and is prepared to fight to ensure she is left with her own personal staff to look after her while we are away.
While I am on the subject of personal staff, can't thank Angela enough. Easily the person who has consistently cared about both of us the most over the last few weeks. Don't know where she gets the time, energy or inclination but we are both very grateful. Threatening us with her presence ensured we recovered more quickly so that wasn't necessary lol. Love you loads xxxx
BTW, she took great exception to the idea that she didn't 'get' equality. Still, you can't make all the people happy all the time..! A colleague reflected that she hadn't realised just how sexist some activists can be - and how she had been shielded from it because of where she came from. Sometimes however, we get so caught up in being robust and not looking weak that we don't realise its going on around us until we get slapped in the face by it. Without meaning to, we emulate the machismo of the organisation and I know I have had to try and step back from that on more than one occasion. It's too easy to become one of the boys, when really, we are actually better than that! It's interesting that people are lamenting the failure of the rule amendment to make one of the regional committee officers a woman. Either they really didn't understand what they were doing when they put that forward or they did it to ensure it was going down. A bit of both, I'll wager. I think I've said that deep rooted cultural change is what's needed and for that you require political will. Dipping your toe in the water in the least obviously offensive way possible will be treated with the derision it deserves. It serves both sides of the argument so well, it could only fail! Oh well.
I will have much to reflect on while I'm away. My blog, is it worthwhile? Don't know but I quite like talking to myself, so something to muse on. My family, all of them facing challneges, some more than others, but all of us with differing problems. My meeting with the TopTwo, my current patch and the challenges being faced there, reflecting on the future, my job, missing an opportunity to change pitches because I was looking the wrong way at the wrong time although that may well turn out to be the right way at the right time... and all the many, many things we (ie me and the TT) discussed that I can't tell you about... Not to mention indulging inthe idle speculation that I referred to at the very beginning of my blog. Well, I'm only human after all!
Try not to miss me too much, although if you're VERY lucky, I may blog from holiday x
PS Title courtesy of an album my sister used to own. Dreadful music but a great title, anyone recognise it?? Prizes too fabulous to mention, if you do.
The content of the meetings are confidential, so not for revealing on a public blog site. (Tee-hee!!) Its the first time I've ever had a formal meeting with the two most senior officers together and it was actually quite scary. However, its smart to see this as an opportunity for just that reason. One colleague is so keen to have his interview he may be sending the wrong signals. He has no other motive than he hasn't had an opportunity to talk to the GS in about 2 years but genuinely I think the senior officers don't understand that need, sometimes. If you are an industrial officer it is just nice to have your presence and your work acknowledged by the central leadership as there is a feeling that because we are at the sharp end and not dealing with the day to day intrigue (we wish) of the union, we simply don't count. Saying hello to the GS on the platform at Conference doesn't quite deliver the same as a 1-2-1 chat about you, your job and the union's future.
It's an interesting time. I don't believe that there is any reason why we cannot go on being a stand alone union for many years to come. Our finances are controllable and under pretty good control now, thanks to the SDGS. We may need courage to take some decisions and perhaps slaughter a few sacred cows/bulls - no need to be gender specific - but as long as we show that courage, we should be fine for the medium to long term. Sometimes I doubt our ability to take those decisions, or sometimes that we will take them and then immediately take another one that will undermine the right decision! Of course there are those amongst us who want to merge and fancy themselves as a big fish in a bigger pond. Naturally they over-rate their own importance hugely and it is usually those so nakedly ambitious who go onto be politically murdered at the hands of the much less niave and more streetwise in the larger union. May be worth it just for that, come to think of it..........only joking, honest!
You will be glad to know I am off on holiday tomorrow. My partner is finally on the mend although only in the last few days, so fingers crossed he's alright while we are away. It's a risk worth taking though, as we both would have been gutted by not getting away. I know I need to sleep for several days on end! Only down side is I have to leave my cat in the hands of her personal au pair. I would do like any other normal cat owner and put her in a cattery but this is no normal cat and once she'd been in one they'd never have her back. Vicious little beggar that she is. Likes her home comforts and is prepared to fight to ensure she is left with her own personal staff to look after her while we are away.
While I am on the subject of personal staff, can't thank Angela enough. Easily the person who has consistently cared about both of us the most over the last few weeks. Don't know where she gets the time, energy or inclination but we are both very grateful. Threatening us with her presence ensured we recovered more quickly so that wasn't necessary lol. Love you loads xxxx
BTW, she took great exception to the idea that she didn't 'get' equality. Still, you can't make all the people happy all the time..! A colleague reflected that she hadn't realised just how sexist some activists can be - and how she had been shielded from it because of where she came from. Sometimes however, we get so caught up in being robust and not looking weak that we don't realise its going on around us until we get slapped in the face by it. Without meaning to, we emulate the machismo of the organisation and I know I have had to try and step back from that on more than one occasion. It's too easy to become one of the boys, when really, we are actually better than that! It's interesting that people are lamenting the failure of the rule amendment to make one of the regional committee officers a woman. Either they really didn't understand what they were doing when they put that forward or they did it to ensure it was going down. A bit of both, I'll wager. I think I've said that deep rooted cultural change is what's needed and for that you require political will. Dipping your toe in the water in the least obviously offensive way possible will be treated with the derision it deserves. It serves both sides of the argument so well, it could only fail! Oh well.
I will have much to reflect on while I'm away. My blog, is it worthwhile? Don't know but I quite like talking to myself, so something to muse on. My family, all of them facing challneges, some more than others, but all of us with differing problems. My meeting with the TopTwo, my current patch and the challenges being faced there, reflecting on the future, my job, missing an opportunity to change pitches because I was looking the wrong way at the wrong time although that may well turn out to be the right way at the right time... and all the many, many things we (ie me and the TT) discussed that I can't tell you about... Not to mention indulging inthe idle speculation that I referred to at the very beginning of my blog. Well, I'm only human after all!
Try not to miss me too much, although if you're VERY lucky, I may blog from holiday x
PS Title courtesy of an album my sister used to own. Dreadful music but a great title, anyone recognise it?? Prizes too fabulous to mention, if you do.
Friday, 3 June 2011
What a bloody awful fortnight!
You know when I started this I intended it to be full of little titbits about the frustrations of my union but every time I went to write something actually controversial, I kept rethinking it and chickened out. For example, the senior union person that told me I shouldn't be the officer in Openreach because I didn't have an engineering background. Erm, good enough for Virgin Media, but not BT? Hmmm. (not to mention I've never been a mechanic, or worked in a stores, or a call centre, or a shop, or a factory......). Reflections of a failed election campaign where one activist was honest enough to say I wasn't an engineer. The fact I represented engineers perfectly well didn't cut any ice at all. Anyway it wasn't going to be personal, in a personal sense and so my blogs in the last couple of weeks have been particularly dull.
However, I'm in this now for good or for evil and as I'm really only talking to myself and doing so because I have no-one else to talk to, I might as well update you on the sorry state of my life. Self-pitying? Moi? Perish the thought!
Conference was awful. Dreadfully ill and never went anywhere all week except out with the fabulous Dave and Imelda to the pizza place next to the hotel and with my bestest colleague Nigel for a Mexican another night, all within a couple of hundred yards of the hotel.
Looking forward to a long weekend of being ill but pampered came to nought when my partner got ill at the end of conference which ended up with him being taken to hospital on Tuesday morning. Lights, sirens, the works. Scary stuff. He's still there and likely to be there for about another week. Didn't get to work Tuesday or Wednesday and had a dreadful falling out with someone who I now acknowledge is not even a colleague, never mind friend or comrade. Not that I was ever under any real illusions, but all the same.
Next week is an important week with lots of decisions to be made and here I am with another chest infection and running to the hospital twice a day. Don't mind that at all, but so tired, I can hardly blog!! Timing just could not be worse as carefully laid plans over many months now seem to be undone and I have no idea what to do. No doubt an answer will emerge.
On a lighter work front have sent my ideas for the PM campaign to communications and hope to get some mock-ups at least next week. Have only had one morning actually in the office so haven't yet actioned any of the motions other than to start the ball rolling on the campaign. Missed the exec (missed in the literal, NOT emotional sense) but am delighted to say that they did the right thing on the 'other company' elections. Much credit to Dan Andrews who worked his socks off convincing his colleagues.
Am terribly worried about my partner and also my sister and my brother and his family for differing reasons not for sharing here. None of us having a good time at the moment but some, I always remember, much worse than the rest of us.
Did I mention we also missed Clapton at the Albert Hall, Rod Stewart at the Liberty Stadium and are going to miss Peter Kay at the O2 on Wednesday as well. To be honest I actually don't care about any of it, just hoping we can get on holiday ok on the 21st but we'll have to wait and see.
Must, must, MUST try and be a) more upbeat and b) more interesting in next blog. So many stories of sexist behaviour or just plain barminess screaming to be told! In the meantime a real high point of the week was this morning when we met BT Fleet over my wee TUPE guy and I am delighted to say I was able to tell him to relax over the weekend. Don't have the letter yet -BTF better not renege or else - but am very, very optimistic we have won that one.
Well campers as I am half way through my bottle of wine and the next glass is calling me from the fridge, must go. Feel better for talking to you, thanks x
However, I'm in this now for good or for evil and as I'm really only talking to myself and doing so because I have no-one else to talk to, I might as well update you on the sorry state of my life. Self-pitying? Moi? Perish the thought!
Conference was awful. Dreadfully ill and never went anywhere all week except out with the fabulous Dave and Imelda to the pizza place next to the hotel and with my bestest colleague Nigel for a Mexican another night, all within a couple of hundred yards of the hotel.
Looking forward to a long weekend of being ill but pampered came to nought when my partner got ill at the end of conference which ended up with him being taken to hospital on Tuesday morning. Lights, sirens, the works. Scary stuff. He's still there and likely to be there for about another week. Didn't get to work Tuesday or Wednesday and had a dreadful falling out with someone who I now acknowledge is not even a colleague, never mind friend or comrade. Not that I was ever under any real illusions, but all the same.
Next week is an important week with lots of decisions to be made and here I am with another chest infection and running to the hospital twice a day. Don't mind that at all, but so tired, I can hardly blog!! Timing just could not be worse as carefully laid plans over many months now seem to be undone and I have no idea what to do. No doubt an answer will emerge.
On a lighter work front have sent my ideas for the PM campaign to communications and hope to get some mock-ups at least next week. Have only had one morning actually in the office so haven't yet actioned any of the motions other than to start the ball rolling on the campaign. Missed the exec (missed in the literal, NOT emotional sense) but am delighted to say that they did the right thing on the 'other company' elections. Much credit to Dan Andrews who worked his socks off convincing his colleagues.
Am terribly worried about my partner and also my sister and my brother and his family for differing reasons not for sharing here. None of us having a good time at the moment but some, I always remember, much worse than the rest of us.
Did I mention we also missed Clapton at the Albert Hall, Rod Stewart at the Liberty Stadium and are going to miss Peter Kay at the O2 on Wednesday as well. To be honest I actually don't care about any of it, just hoping we can get on holiday ok on the 21st but we'll have to wait and see.
Must, must, MUST try and be a) more upbeat and b) more interesting in next blog. So many stories of sexist behaviour or just plain barminess screaming to be told! In the meantime a real high point of the week was this morning when we met BT Fleet over my wee TUPE guy and I am delighted to say I was able to tell him to relax over the weekend. Don't have the letter yet -BTF better not renege or else - but am very, very optimistic we have won that one.
Well campers as I am half way through my bottle of wine and the next glass is calling me from the fridge, must go. Feel better for talking to you, thanks x
Friday, 27 May 2011
Reflecting the week
Well, still ill and home sick today, chest infection not shifting although the cold is beginning to go. Probably be fit by Tuesday, sod's law, would love a week off work!!
Not a good week, conference is a terrible place to be ill. Didn't get any calls or emails done and very aware my poor Scottish BT Fleet chap is awaiting his outcome, so need to get that sorted asap.
Dreadful speech on 49, can only blame the combination of no sleep, chest infection and various painkillers - the only comfort is that I think 49 was going through anyway. Fair play to Coventry who did the work and also caught the mood of conference. Somewhat mixed messages though as we then almost immediately supported the emergency motion and some others that called on us to do a joint launch of a PM document based on the agreement and changes to the procedure from which we are withdrawing! To be serious though the main message is that enough is enough and branches have lost patience with BT, who need to find another approach smartish or we are on a collision course. Got some good campaigning ideas in my head to take to the team and executive. While I didn't want 49, got to admit a campaign against this nonsense is altogether more interesting than yet another attempt to polish the poo.
I did get the chance to informally talk to some senior managers about the mess that is PM and also the problems with sick absence. No easy answers on PM but hopeful they were listening on Bradford Factor. Seemed to be listening on both but frankly actions speak louder than nice words, so we'll see.
So, now we will be having executive elections no doubt and those will certainly be interesting. Bit of flack for those who published a tad early (rightly) and clearly not all clerks are enamoured of the new set up so I guess it's watch this space. I am more interested in the non BT seats, how they are going to be elected and who will stand. I hope the exec do the right thing and allow those members within each company to be the people who elect their representative and not allow it to be dominated, as it is now, by BT members. One constituency was described as a leap of faith, let's hope they can lose the controlling strings and leave the fate of the three non-BT to the people to whom they are most accountable for the elections they will be leading - their own members.
Right, another cup of tea and a nap, I'm knackered again x
Not a good week, conference is a terrible place to be ill. Didn't get any calls or emails done and very aware my poor Scottish BT Fleet chap is awaiting his outcome, so need to get that sorted asap.
Dreadful speech on 49, can only blame the combination of no sleep, chest infection and various painkillers - the only comfort is that I think 49 was going through anyway. Fair play to Coventry who did the work and also caught the mood of conference. Somewhat mixed messages though as we then almost immediately supported the emergency motion and some others that called on us to do a joint launch of a PM document based on the agreement and changes to the procedure from which we are withdrawing! To be serious though the main message is that enough is enough and branches have lost patience with BT, who need to find another approach smartish or we are on a collision course. Got some good campaigning ideas in my head to take to the team and executive. While I didn't want 49, got to admit a campaign against this nonsense is altogether more interesting than yet another attempt to polish the poo.
I did get the chance to informally talk to some senior managers about the mess that is PM and also the problems with sick absence. No easy answers on PM but hopeful they were listening on Bradford Factor. Seemed to be listening on both but frankly actions speak louder than nice words, so we'll see.
So, now we will be having executive elections no doubt and those will certainly be interesting. Bit of flack for those who published a tad early (rightly) and clearly not all clerks are enamoured of the new set up so I guess it's watch this space. I am more interested in the non BT seats, how they are going to be elected and who will stand. I hope the exec do the right thing and allow those members within each company to be the people who elect their representative and not allow it to be dominated, as it is now, by BT members. One constituency was described as a leap of faith, let's hope they can lose the controlling strings and leave the fate of the three non-BT to the people to whom they are most accountable for the elections they will be leading - their own members.
Right, another cup of tea and a nap, I'm knackered again x
Sunday, 22 May 2011
Too much excitement is bad for a girl
Well, here we are at conference and already I have had to retire through injury. Not as I may have misled you with the title because the excitement proved too much but because the chest infection I had hoped was just a minor annoyance has turned into a full blown infection, bah.
BTW thanks to one loyal follower who told me she is enjoying the blog and that I shouldn't worry about being too grumpy (see first blog), it makes the more upbeat ones even better. I started to thank her before realising there hadn't been any upbeat updates and realised she was indeed accusing me of being grumpy. Hmm.
Despite chest infection, I was heroically in conference nearly all morning to listen to the tense debates around important structural changes. What! I hear you cry, What tense debates were those then??? Well there was one debate which made the morning more interesting but sadly that was it. So little debate has there been that we were well ahead of time by lunchtime and headed for an early bath. Either this morning was a testament to the quality of consultation that has taken place or branches have just lost the plot. Not sure which, frankly, but methinks its probably a bit of both. Not that anyone wants to return to the days of terrible scenes at the rostrum with constituencies being bitter and twisted about each other but a bit of considered debate wouldn't have gone amiss.
Thinking of considered debate, the most lively one was the internal debate I had about whether or not to go the joint WAC and RAC fringe meeting. Having not gone to the Equality do last night (tucked up by 11, much good it did me) I kind of thought I should. But then I looked at the flyer. No subject, no speakers, just come along and hear what work the committees have been doing for the past year. Did that last year and really wasn't too impressed at the reports such as the conference working party of the WAC who decided how many chairs were needed for delegates to sit on. I like to think I take an interest in all the equality committees but especially the WAC. I'd love to hear what they've been doing all year as I have yet to see any outcomes. There has been debate around proportionality but no lead on this issue from the WAC or any of the other committees. Isn't it time they decided if they want it, if so what form it takes and then plan how they are going to achieve it, or change the rule if they don't want it at all? The committees are under attack and yet have not taken the opportunity presented by conference to prove their worth. Turkeys and Christmas come to mind. So rather than go and be depressed beyond measure I went and got my prescription and headed back to the hotel. I will check with sisters later but hope that turned out to be the wrong decision, though I suspect not.
For the record, I am dropping my position on reserved seats. I actually believe that more fundamental change is needed and also that until the sisters start getting their act together, deciding what they want and actually putting some work in to achieve it, I have done all I can. I will still support women throughout the union as I generally think I have, but time to bow out of that debate.
The most interesting thing for me about conference and the agenda is that of all the worthy (but generally inaccurate, ill conceived or misguided) papers that were floating about over the last few months and spawning facebook pages etc., have just died a death. They are not reflected in the rule changes nor are they really reflected in the general conference agenda. I could speculate about why not but am guessing this blog has already got me in enough trouble...x
BTW thanks to one loyal follower who told me she is enjoying the blog and that I shouldn't worry about being too grumpy (see first blog), it makes the more upbeat ones even better. I started to thank her before realising there hadn't been any upbeat updates and realised she was indeed accusing me of being grumpy. Hmm.
Despite chest infection, I was heroically in conference nearly all morning to listen to the tense debates around important structural changes. What! I hear you cry, What tense debates were those then??? Well there was one debate which made the morning more interesting but sadly that was it. So little debate has there been that we were well ahead of time by lunchtime and headed for an early bath. Either this morning was a testament to the quality of consultation that has taken place or branches have just lost the plot. Not sure which, frankly, but methinks its probably a bit of both. Not that anyone wants to return to the days of terrible scenes at the rostrum with constituencies being bitter and twisted about each other but a bit of considered debate wouldn't have gone amiss.
Thinking of considered debate, the most lively one was the internal debate I had about whether or not to go the joint WAC and RAC fringe meeting. Having not gone to the Equality do last night (tucked up by 11, much good it did me) I kind of thought I should. But then I looked at the flyer. No subject, no speakers, just come along and hear what work the committees have been doing for the past year. Did that last year and really wasn't too impressed at the reports such as the conference working party of the WAC who decided how many chairs were needed for delegates to sit on. I like to think I take an interest in all the equality committees but especially the WAC. I'd love to hear what they've been doing all year as I have yet to see any outcomes. There has been debate around proportionality but no lead on this issue from the WAC or any of the other committees. Isn't it time they decided if they want it, if so what form it takes and then plan how they are going to achieve it, or change the rule if they don't want it at all? The committees are under attack and yet have not taken the opportunity presented by conference to prove their worth. Turkeys and Christmas come to mind. So rather than go and be depressed beyond measure I went and got my prescription and headed back to the hotel. I will check with sisters later but hope that turned out to be the wrong decision, though I suspect not.
For the record, I am dropping my position on reserved seats. I actually believe that more fundamental change is needed and also that until the sisters start getting their act together, deciding what they want and actually putting some work in to achieve it, I have done all I can. I will still support women throughout the union as I generally think I have, but time to bow out of that debate.
The most interesting thing for me about conference and the agenda is that of all the worthy (but generally inaccurate, ill conceived or misguided) papers that were floating about over the last few months and spawning facebook pages etc., have just died a death. They are not reflected in the rule changes nor are they really reflected in the general conference agenda. I could speculate about why not but am guessing this blog has already got me in enough trouble...x
Tuesday, 17 May 2011
Conference -5 days and counting
So as the approach to conference reaches fever pitch there is much excitement on the telecoms side about the planned changes and what, more importantly, they mean for people and positions. This has culminated in one of the slates getting so excited they have prematurely despatched their preferred list in case the changes all go through. As a mere observer of these things I have to say there is some good news and some bad news. Nearly all the good news is about who's going and nearly all the bad news is about those hoping to stay. The changes mean that more lay reps will have quasi national positions, which may or may not attract facility time and again there is significant jockeying for position....I will say the ineffectives (as I believe some still call them despite their name change from Effective Left to LAN) have pulled together a decent gender split. I suspect the Broad Left (BL) will not be able to field any kind of gender split as they are both telecoms dominated [LAN are all telecoms] and engineering dominated, the clerks having walked out on them many years ago, shortly after Tony Young (sorry, Lord Anthony) was elected General Secretary of the NCU. Since the engineering community is overwhelmingly male, my suspicions are that so will their slate. The LAN have also not fielded any women from the constituency formerly known as engineering.
So where are the women engineers and why are they not standing for the executive? The BL currently has one woman on their slate but there are others out there. Its not like the male talent is outshining the women! The fact is that women get a harder time in the organisation. Over the past few years I've watched women being bullied out of their branch or sidelined or threatened with extinction if they don't toe the line. Are all these women saints, am I making them martyrs for the cause? Well no, they make mistakes, one in particular was incredibly naive. But women don't get to make mistakes, one slip and they have failed. If they are shining at all, they become a threat to the hierarchy at whatever level and must be taught a lesson. This happens across all the current constituencies but from a telecoms perspective is sometimes more obvious in the engineering constituency where there are fewer women to start with. While the merging of the constituencies is a good thing I fear it may mask some of the issues we have with bringing women through the organisation and may well foster the view that if I can survive then so can others; that women have to 'toughen up'; that if you have talent you will shine through. I genuinely hope they are right.
Out with my good friend Ed last night. Ed is Chair of ACAS and therefore gets involved in all sorts of interesting stuff, not least of which is the BA dispute. Sadly the consummate professional he doesn't gossip about it! We had a great time however gossiping about people we knew when we worked together and a fair number who are still or have become mutual acquaintances. Ed is unfailingly supportive and always makes sure I know he thinks I'm brilliant. However, too much wine and an almost fatal decision to have a Vecchia Romagna after the meal have left me a tad delicate this morning.
Don't shout x
So where are the women engineers and why are they not standing for the executive? The BL currently has one woman on their slate but there are others out there. Its not like the male talent is outshining the women! The fact is that women get a harder time in the organisation. Over the past few years I've watched women being bullied out of their branch or sidelined or threatened with extinction if they don't toe the line. Are all these women saints, am I making them martyrs for the cause? Well no, they make mistakes, one in particular was incredibly naive. But women don't get to make mistakes, one slip and they have failed. If they are shining at all, they become a threat to the hierarchy at whatever level and must be taught a lesson. This happens across all the current constituencies but from a telecoms perspective is sometimes more obvious in the engineering constituency where there are fewer women to start with. While the merging of the constituencies is a good thing I fear it may mask some of the issues we have with bringing women through the organisation and may well foster the view that if I can survive then so can others; that women have to 'toughen up'; that if you have talent you will shine through. I genuinely hope they are right.
Out with my good friend Ed last night. Ed is Chair of ACAS and therefore gets involved in all sorts of interesting stuff, not least of which is the BA dispute. Sadly the consummate professional he doesn't gossip about it! We had a great time however gossiping about people we knew when we worked together and a fair number who are still or have become mutual acquaintances. Ed is unfailingly supportive and always makes sure I know he thinks I'm brilliant. However, too much wine and an almost fatal decision to have a Vecchia Romagna after the meal have left me a tad delicate this morning.
Don't shout x
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Copenhagen
First off, must say it was a really good and productive meeting. Worked until about 10 on the Thursday evening so we finished a bit earlier on Friday and had some time before dinner to actually see the city. That was a good call, as it is lovely. Tivoli is stunning and buzzing, and the city is just a mass of waterways. Managed to do the open top bus and a boat trip but nothing else, but at least that way I saw a lot, even if I didn't get time to look around much.
Couple of pics: top is the little mermaid and bottom is nyhaven, bustling with boats and outdoor restaurants, below id the End Hunger boat, with spookily fab sculptures.
Finally, Tivoli Gardens where HK took us for dinner.
Well aware of the need to spice this up, will do my best, later x
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