Union-y goodness

Unions have been on mind a lot lately. Recently, on an auspicious Monday, I came back to my office after a very relaxing lunch time swim to my voice mail blinking away at me. The president of the RFA (Ryerson Faculty Association) wanted me to get in touch with him ASAP to discuss the possibility of filling the role of Vice President, External Relations. The deadline was 4pm that day and no one had come forward. No pressure at all. I called Dave back and gave him my usual roster of "I'm far too busy doing x, y, and z to take this on ... blah-blah-blah excuse cakes". Trouble was, even as the excuses were rolling off of my tongue, I knew that Dave had heard it all before. So, I changed tactics, and asked what exactly was involved. A few conferences, some meetings - nothing too crazy. Next thing I knew, I was saying "yes". Punishment? Meet this glutton.

Now, the main thing I am trying to highlight here is the fact that not one person in all of the RFA's 700+ members were willing to stand for what sounds like a pretty sweet gig. I naively Facebooked my announcement was overwhelmed with messages of congratulations - the vast majority of them from non-library people. Why is this? Aren't we the lucky ones? Membership does have its privileges, after all - shouldn't we be happy to give something back to the organization that fights so valiantly to afford us the wonderful lifestyle that we have? We have academic freedom! We have professional development time and money! We have salaries that keep our bank accounts healthy, and benefits to keep our minds and bodies healthy ... not to mention some pretty awesome vacation time. Why are so many reluctant to serve their union?

I'll tell you why - one word - work! Lots of it! And much of it is incredibly tedious! And disheartening, and frustrating. Etcetera, etcetera. But, alas, it must be done. Being a member of the RFA Executive will be my biggest challenge this year. Every second Tuesday, for three hours at a stretch, I get to sit in the company of some of Ryerson's most passionate minds. At that table we'll talk about everything from the use of faculty course surveys and their use in tenure promotion, to who's responsibility it is to vacuum the carpets in our offices. We'll have seemingly endless debates about process and the wording of motions. We'll agree to sponsor benefit concerts and increase the scholarship funds for aboriginal students. And there will be calorie-laden pastries and muffins beside bottomless cups of coffee the whole time. In short, it is a mixed bag. With breakfast!

The first meeting I attended, I kept very quiet. I got a feel for the group dynamics, and a sense of each individual's contribution style. Some are loud and crude, others are quiet and thoughtful in their responses. How did I want to fit in? The second meeting, I felt a bit more comfortable. I spoke up when I thought we needed to move on, and when I felt I had something to contribute (which wasn't often - this time). With every meeting, however, I will feel more emboldened to share my thoughts and hopefully, make meaningful contributions more often than not.

Though I am pretty sure I won't be responsible for any significant changes to the collective agreement, I'll be there - making connections with faculty members that will last long after the boring meeting. The librarians will continue to have their profile raised in the community through active involvement in the faculty association. Service to the university is a part of most faculty responsibilities. The unions have so many opportunities to assist their members in fulfilling this responsibility. We need to take the time out of our busy days to step back and look at the big picture. Collective is the keyword in collective agreement. Associations are only as good as their membership, and unions are no exception. Start small with a social committee or a Rep's council - at the very least, you'll learn a lot about Robert's Rules of Order, and maybe score an awesome danish while you are at it.