In today's working world, the rights of the workers still remain a paramount issue. It is still unfortunate that at a modern time like this the rights of the worker have not been truly recognized. With this reality, the unions have a major role to play in the workplace as it relates to workers' rights.
However while this is obvious of the role of the union, the union should not take for granted their role of representing the workers. Over the years, we have seen businesses go bankrupt for different reasons. But chief among these is usually the failure to adjust to new and developing times, ideals and changes. This could happen to the trade union movement if these changes are not taken into consideration.
The trade union has made considerable contributions to the workplace in the past and continues to do so that we currently enjoy and benefit from. Basically what we represent for now may be different but bear in mind that we still represent. However it seems in recent times that not all persons see the contributions as meaningful, especially the younger members.
How can we as unions leaders prevent this and keep members, especially the young trade union members and activists, keen on representation? I tell you, we need to get our members to realize all we do for them, and its not just wage negotiations. Right now while things and times have changed, representation for the workers has gotten more serious than ever before. Look at Jamaica right now with an IMF deal, the trade union movement has to do more than ever to secure the rights of the workers.
However how can we achieve this? This can only be done by developing better communication avenues and one such is through social media. As mentioned in the theme, using the tools, we have a new tool here to use and that tool is social media.
What does social media bring to the table for unions and its members
It brings greater engagement than before which is needed if the trade union movement is to survive in this age. Trade unions across the region and even internationally, if they havent, need to get onboard the social media train and adapt to it. Trade unions face a crisis where the younger members are no longer keen on being activists and alot of the younger members are even skeptical of the mission. We have a myriad of social tools to use most notorious, the facebook, twitter, blogs, youtube amongst others. Imagine a union leader doing a monthly address to the members and workers via youtube, this would definitely spur interest. Use google docs to make forms and carry out polls on facebook in a bid to find out what the members want. Use the comment section to understand the feelings that the members are showing. Faster interaction is now available, utilize it.
Most of the persons that unions are trying to attract are the youths of the mobile generation. The union basically need to look at the options available and basically utilize them to their benefit. These younger members are tech savvy and attracted to such devices. These devices provide the means to interact via social media, thus the aim should be to work in the areas where they are. Unions need to go where the young workers and members are.
With social media we can raise awareness about issues in a widereaching manner. We have generally used methods such as letters, telephone, fax amongst others. While we dont plan to abandon the traditional ways of disemminating information on particular issues, new ways can be adopted to provide this info. Remember emails are still the most popular forms of communications so we cannot abndon it but we can incorporate the other tecniques for a wider reach. With the advent of social media to include blogs, news feeds and social forums, it has spawned a new age of communication. Also with the advent of technology, these aspects of social media are ably supported in a manner where it can be common to everyone. The facebook, twitter, google blogs are all supported in mobile formats which has taken the world. Here trade unions can bring to the attention of its members key issues that they are inclined to know. Its quite easy now to let workers know that the government wants to impliment pension reform by blogging about it in a closed door format.
Persons can bb a message about a particular issue faster than a telephone to a much larger group. However let me say there is nothing wrong with the traditional means but these new methods make it easier to connect with the mobile generation. At my station majority of the workers are below 35 because we have a severe age gap affecting the brigade, ur either the elderly or young. While we might have a problem with a few with the new media, the trend is generally being adapted by most. Dont get me wrong tho, some of the elder firefighters are getting into social media especially the social spaces such as the facebook.
We can also speak to increase service delivery, we simply mean to widen our scope. Its good to provide information on the issues, but sometimes we have to extend our arms to other areas that can aid our delegates and members. With social media media, members can be advise on matters other than the main and critical issues. Delegates can be pointed to scholarships and readings by a simple share click. Members can be pointed to financial help that can be quite helpful to their daily lives.
Shamir Brown
JALGO delegate
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