In Solidarity

Define Solidarity:

Solidarity is the integration, and degree and type of integration, shown by a society or group with people and their neighbors. It refers to the ties in a society - social relations - that bind people to one another. The term is generally employed in sociology and the other social sciences. What forms the basis of solidarity varies between societies. In simple societies it may be mainly based around kinship and shared values. In more complex societies there are various theories as to what contributes to a sense of social solidarity.

Yes my paper work is signed “In Solidarity” and I am proud of it!

Like it or not ATU757 is a group of people with social relations that binds us to one another. This would be why you would hear a member refer to another member as Brother or Sister. There are members that we get along with really well and there are other members that we don’t. The fact of the matter is that we are all a part of ATU757 and must find a way to interact with each other. Even though we are represented by a President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and an Executive Board our union is not a dictatorship. Our Bylaws, Constitution and National Labor Relations Board has provided us with rules that all of us must equally follow.

No member is above these rules including the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer and our Executive Board Officers. When these rules are violated there must be a course of action that can be taken to correct the violation. It is human nature to respond strongest towards fear than any other emotion. By install rules that assure our membership is governed equally has adopted the use of fear to maintain order. Without a negative it would be hard to understand a positive. I think it is safe to say that we all enjoy the positive feedback we get and fear the negative. The sad reality of life is that we must maintain a balance of both. This is even truer when it involves more than one person.

Rule violators tend to attempt to use fear against others to avoid any actions that might be taken against them. Words like “Union Buster, Beware, Blackballing, Hate, Take Sides and Divide” are some of the words used to distract and confuse people. As long as members are distracted from the rule violators, the violators are less at risk of being caught. The only thing rule violators have to fear is the membership staying focused on the rules. If the entire membership stayed within the rules we would all be a strong family that would be unstoppable.

Our membership is being asked by many people (including myself) to investigate and decide who is operating within the rules and who is not. They are also being asked about how to correct any violations that have been found. This is a lot to ask from a person and it takes a very strong person to do what is right. If members are following the rules there is nothing to fear. Our rules are here to protect us and they are in place for each of us to use equally. For those afraid to stand up don’t worry because there are many eyes watching and the right actions will happen in time.

Mistakes happen with all of us in one form or another. We are not perfect and we always have something that we can learn from. So I stand with ATU in solidarity to maintain the strongest Union that can be and to assure that our rules are being followed. If I am found to be in the wrong then I will have to learn from it and move forward. If I am found to be right then we must help the wrong to learn from it and move forward. We are here to learn from and help each other.