Would you want a grassroots OPG as GS or DGS(P)?

[smokerjim]

There has been a lot of talk over the past few months, even years, about poor leadership, & communication in the Union, and something Linkin Park said made me think

A Union operates the way the members want sadly most members dont get it and do little about it, most of the problems in the Trade Union Movement in the UK have come about because of apathy by the membership that has allowed power to be placed in the hands of a few of our Representatives instead of the collective membership.

( full post here )

What I want to know, is if someone from RMC was to volunteer to put their name forward for election to one of the top positions, would you vote for them - and if not, why not? Reasoned arguments ONLY please ( and saying "No, cos I'd be wasting my vote" or variations thereof will count imo ).

Finally, please, please, please, do NOT suggest people for any possible leadership bid - imo, they would have to volunteer, knowing that if they run, they will have to run under their OWN name, while connecting it to their username ( to maximise support from here ) and they will lose all anonymity ( and RM might try to harrass and bully them if they return to their old job )

Right, to kick this off, this is my opinion, I would vote for them, even if they fail to get elected, simply because if a signifcant number of people vote for someone fresh from the coal face, it might demonstrate to the leadership how badly out of touch we percieve them to be - for that reason I'd vote for someone if I agree with their spirit, even if I don't agree with all of their comments here

[lekker]

And when the new "leader" fails to fulfil all your hopes and dreams, as he or she surely will, do you go through the same thing again and again ?
It is very easy to promise something when you are not actually having to carry it out but very much more difficult to do when you are doing the job. We do not work in a perfect world therefore the union will never be all things to all people.

[Tman]

I bet you took apples in for the teacher, didn't you.....

[Exrep]

What odds would it make if it were some from the coal face were do you think billy hayes come from.

Before he became head honcho he was an area rep who came from the coal face so really i cant see the point.

Who ever elected would be in the same position unless you carried on working in the coal mines with the lads, and i doubt that due to the time that would be taking up by the elected post.

[smokerjim]

First of all I did say NO NOMINATIONS, secondly, AFAIK, the last time Billy or Dave went out with a pouch on their back, day in, day out, it was over 10 years ago ( someone correct me if I am wrong ), and imho the job has noticibly changed in the 3.5 years since I started, but it must be totally out of recognition for anyone with 10+ years of service - RM are changing the job based on what they think is best, the Union are trying to maintain it based on what they remember from 10 years ago.....they can get all the POVs from all the area, branch & local reps and members they want, but I doubt they truely understand.....I used to read everything about bikes I could get my hands on, but when I passed my test and got my first bike ( a piece of sh*t VF1000 ) the practice was totally different from the theory.

[Exrep]

I think he wants some one from this site to stand against Dave/Billy

[smokerjim]

I think he wants some one from this site to stand against Dave/Billy

More like how many people would support someone from here if they said they'd stand against the chuckle brothers

[Broxi51]

Obviously anyone interested in THAT job would put forward on this site why they want to run and what they think they can accomplish. If I agree with what they are saying then I would happily vote for them. Unfortunately peoples views change when they find out what it's really like and how difficult it is to push change when others who have been there for years are resistant to that change.