Responses
to March 2008 Hot Topic
A
Union for Volunteers?
Response
posted on November 4, 2009 by anonymous, Australia
Here's an interesting twist - Instead of a volunteer union, how about instead of gas bagging, those who have the ear of ministers and Govt commence getting legislation changed so that volunteers can be afforded member rights of the unions governing their parent organisation.
For example, the fire brigade unions, (state and fed) are not permitted to (or maybe don't want to) accept as members from the volunteer ranks. The volunteers aren't paid and therefore they can't pay subscription fees and as such are dead wood or "Scabs". If legislation were changed and incentives to represent volunteers were made to the unions we would have a voice.
Many volunteer organisations (ie NSW RFSA and QLD RFBAQ) are so caught up with their own importance that they have lost touch with those they purport to represent. In fact, the RFBAQ CEO was asked at this years inaugural volunteer conference why, when we have 2 new areas, we are not permitted a representative for those two new areas. His response was that HE had enough to deal with with the current reps and that HE would not be increasing representation. Since then, the rep for the old area was pushed out and a new, as yet unseen rep installed making it even harder to get representation. When contacting reps on one occasion to try and get an answer to a question, I was told unofficially that the business conducted at association meetings was confidential and not to be disclosed.
In NSW, there has been a splinter group known as the Volunteer Firefighters Association formed. This is a radical group who were fed up with the garbage and lack of leadership by the NSW RFSA. Unfortunately, they are a little too "in your face".
This could all be solved if Government made monetary grants to the Union Movement to represent volunteers who work alongside their paid counterparts. "Representation is relative to the agenda of those doing the representing"
Response
posted on March 6 by Liz Scarfe, Manager Volunteering
Resources, Villa Maria, Kew, Australia
What
a great topic – thank you. I have been thinking about
writing a hot topic about volunteer strikes for awhile
– maybe now is the time.
While
I agree with your general position I think there is
a conflict of interest for Volunteer Managers to represent
and advocate for the needs of their volunteers, within
the organization who pays their salary. It can be
very hard to advocate within your own organisation
(rock the boat) when you feel at risk (perceived or
real) for doing so (a huge mortgage, rising interest
rates etc).
The
article by the Centre for a Civil Society mentions
how volunteers are the “glue” of our community, but
much of
this
“glue” is in informal volunteering, by people who
don’t even self-identify as being a volunteer so I
can’t see how a generic union could ever represent
the “glue” of society. Obviously some of the more
specialist adhesives benefit from more specialised
representation, which is great of course.
I
don’t think a generic union is the answer at all –
my stomach would turn to see some large body claim
to speak on behalf of all volunteers but I think this
is another symptom of the bureaucratizing of volunteering,
which many volunteer managers are complicit in spreading
without question.
The
article includes a link to submit your ideas/thoughts
regarding the proposition so I would encourage people
to voice their concerns in that forum. I hope VA,
state peaks and AAVA will also make submissions.
Response
posted on March 5 by Anne-Marie Traynor, Co-ordinator
Volunteer Services, Calvary Health Care, Sydney
I
am in absolute agreement with all the points mentioned
in this article.
The Volunteer Manager is the one to ensure that the
volunteers rights and responsibilites & those
of the organisations for the volunteer are understood
& implemented. A commitment to training and ongoing
supervision and support mades a very happy workforce.
Ensure they feel part of the team and not optional
extras, make efforts to give them meaningful work
which is then acknowledged & an expression of
appreciation is given by Management. There is no need
for unions who cannot represent volunteers at the
coldface with the diversity of roles the volunteers
provide.
If
there is a need for a union, then something is going
wrong! We need to get back to the individual workplace
and address the issues at hand.
Thank
you for your article and the support you provide to
volunteer managers like myself. I also reinforce your
words on the need to make time to network. I am in
a very busy job however our group networks every quarter,
I make this effort not just for myself but also to
support the other Managers. It is a great opportunity
to discuss issues and problem solve….. And just support
each other.
Let's
hear what you think!
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