Ramsdell Seeks Common Ground
for Union's Success

by Greg Ramsdell
Vice President for Mobilization and Communication

First a little background: My name is Greg Ramsdell. I have worked at the Buffalo News for 10 years, all in the Circulation Department, and I am currently the Circulation Marketing Coordinator. I have served on the Guild's Executive Board for the last five years as a representative for Circulation, and on numerous committees, including chairperson of the Finance Committee in 1998. I can be reached at 849-3400. Leave me a message or send inter-office mail. We will be getting e-mail addresses soon.

I figure it started about a year ago.

The "McCarthy Commission" was created, some ideas formed over a survey and lunch, and a small group of us suddenly changed the makeup of the Guild's hierarchy. The "Commission's" recommendations led to revisions in our Local by-laws. The Guild deleted some unnecessary positions, and created some new offices. Those created were the vice president for Mobilization & Communication (myself), and vice president for Contract Administration (Pat Gormley), formerly our Grievance chairperson.

During the long process of change that began in December 1997, and is still ongoing, came the TNG-CWA Sector Conference and CWA convention in Chicago in August 1998. At our first morning session the ground rules of tardiness were laid out. At lunch that day, some of our Buffalo contingent thought that there were some people involved in the convention who needed to relax.

Well, one thing led to another, and that evening, over a tasty brew and cigar, came a funny thought for Bob DiCesare and myself to run for a national office, President and Vice President, with our own "What's the Rush?" party line.

Hey Bob, someone over heard us (they both wound up elected to Local posts)! I guess we need to learn the small stuff before going to the real hustle and bustle of D.C.(TNG-CWA National).

Here we are, January 1999. We've got a new president, and two new VPs. What does this all mean?

The Local's top three officers are kind of new to this scene, please bear with us, but stay on us. Your ideas and positive criticisms are welcomed.

All of our members, from our ultra involved to the kid just out of school that we need to sign up later this week, have to learn to work together for the same cause. Yes, we all have individual causes that we strive for, and no, we don't have to like each other.

Believe me, I know I won't be invited to some birthday parties, but that in no way means that we won't try our darnedest to help someone out of a bind. Personal conflicts, arguments, opinions, we all have them. I'm human, too. But we need to focus our energy, positive and negative, to our cause, that being, for the good of our members, as a collective.

We all work for the same people, we know what they are capable of, but that will not mean that our members will be allowed, by your elected officials, to lie down and say, "Thank you for walking all over me!"

Now that I've got your attention, I can let you know that I need your help. Not only because this particular position needs to be molded, but nothing we want, or need, can be accomplished by an individual. I am asking for your help, to help you. Members are different, each with their own agenda.

Did you ever think that someone, somewhere within our Local has the same agenda as you? Yes, your agenda is important, but if we can help others get what is rightfully theirs, you may be halfway to your own accomplishment.

I will be communicating with people in other departments and asking for their help. When I ask, please think about you response before you give it. Heck, why wait for me to approach you. Call me or stop by my desk in circulation to invest some time and brain power. You'll be hearing from me.