Re: Should we unionize?

[Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>]

William J. Hartzer writes:

>Should we have a Technical Writer's Union?

>Perhaps if there were a technical writer's union, the Union could establish
>rates and help with medical, dental, and benefits for those technical writers
>who are contract writers.

>Having contracted some jobs before, I wish I had had a union to deal with
>rather than having to do all of the negotiating myself when it came to setting
>rates and drawing up contracts.

>What do you think?

I think that technical writers are not interchangeable cogs in an
industrial machine -- the mindset held by both unions and management
during the last big wave of unionization.

I think that we can't use strikes to force industry to accede to
our wage demands -- they'd just ship the old manual, or no manual.

I think that contractors are independent businessmen.  If you want
to be an employee, there are plenty of job shops out there.

I think that technical writers are, in general, rather unsophisticated
in the area of white-collar crime, and would have their pension plan
raided and their union operations taken over by crooks before you could
say "Jimmy Hoffa."

Let's just say I'm not wild about the idea.

        -- Robert
--
Robert Plamondon * Writer * robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (408) 321-8771
4271 North First Street, #106 * San Jose * California * 95134-1215
  "Life is like an analogy."