TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
From: "Ehr, Meg" <Meg -dot- Ehr -at- smartworks -dot- com> asks
> To Diane, and any others who belong to TW unions, what benefits does your
> union bring to you? I certainly agree that unions as a whole have done
many
> good things over the years (as well as many not-so-good things), but what
> can/does your specific union do for you as a tech writer, particularly if
> you're an FTE rather than a contractor?
My involvement is with the NWU, and it is limited. The benefits I've
received when I was contracting included reduced cost health insurance,
legal assistance when negotiating contracts (nothing major -- I just needed
help in writing one, and some negotiating tips), and access to a restricted
job board.
I'm not sure that a union makes sense for FTE. The work environments are
quite different from industrial or retail sites where unions started and
predominate. When unions first formed in the US, there were very real,
dangerous problems within the workplace that couldn't be solved by the "If
you don't like it, leave" approach. As bad as our jobs are sometimes, it
isn't even remotely close to that of mineworkers in the 1920s.
===================
steve arrants http://www.compbear.com Certified Cruelty Free
"The dream was marvelous, but the terror was great.
We must treasure the dream, whatever the terror."
---Gilgamesh
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Announcing new options for IPCC 01, October 24-27 in Santa Fe,
New Mexico: attend the entire event or select a single day.
For details and online registration, visit http://ieeepcs.org/2001
Your monthly sponsorship message here reaches more than
5000 technical writers, providing 2,500,000+ monthly impressions.
Contact Eric (ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com) for details and availability.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
