Just so as we can all be completely clear what appears to have gone down here chaps -
I have looked back at a snapshot on membership status taken at the end of the 49er financial support period. The Unions newest member was listed as " EX ".
What this means is that the individual had resigned from the Union prior to the end of this dark and difficult period in our unions history. He'd cut and run. Decided he didn't want to stick his neck out, didn't want to contribute to assist his brothers who had been sacked, didn't want to stand by the rest of you that had the fortitude to do what you knew was right. Since that time he has benefited in many ways from that decision, taken advantage of his position as a non-member whilst continuing to benefit from the hard work the union has undertaken defending our contract.
I recall in the wash up after the deal that was reached on the 49ers, discussing with a GC member the implications of allowing quitters back into our Union. I told him the only thing that would make me think twice about staying was allowing quitters back in .... we were better off without them - far better a smaller membership made up of people you could trust and depend on, then one diluted by the selfish and spineless. The GC member told me that they were aware that guys like me might leave as a result of a decision to " broaden the membership " , but that the number of members leaving would be far less than those that would rejoin - this was therefore deemed an acceptable trade off, pragmatic I expect. Risk losing members that stayed the course throughout the most difficult period in our unions history, in the belief we would be better off by taking in anyone at all.
It seems this mindset is at work once again, are we really prepared to overlook the character of applicants in the hope that it won't matter ?
I can tell you it does matter, that the individual concerned should be ashamed, and that the GC should take pause to reflect on just what they have done.