Wednesday 18 February 2009

UnionBook

Colleagues,

Most of you will be familiar with the news and campaigning website LabourStart (www.laboustart.org) and it is they that have launched a new social networking aimed solely at trade union activists and officials. Although the developers of this new phenomenon, UnionBook (www.unionbook.org) know that it won't come to rival its competitors Facebook etc., (not yet at least) they do recognise the value of having an online space to enable global communication within the international trade union movement.

I'd like to use this post to give a mighty big plug for UnionBook and ask you to become a member and use its space to engage others in valuable dialogue that supports our aims.

In answering the question, Is this for Me? UnionBook responds:

UnionBook is your website - if you are a trade union member, or a supporter of the trade union movement.

In other words, even if you're not currently a union member -- let's say you're working in an unorganized workplace, or you're retired, or you're a student engaged in pro-union campaigning -- you're welcome here.

But the site is specifically designed to serve the needs of organized workers around the world, and we encourage them -- the vast majority of whom do not have accounts on other social networks -- to sign up here.

If you are already signed up to another social network, we are not at all suggesting that you abandon it for UnionBook. To the contrary, we encourage trade unionists to use social networks as an organizing tool.

Please do register colleagues and let me know what you think the potential of UnionBook is as a tool to support your trade union work.

Cheers

Ian

5 comments:

ShopSteward85 said...

Ian - are you on this?

I dont want to sign up and be the only person on it that I know - billy no mates!

Not sold on this internet stuff to keep links with trade union people.

Ian Manborde said...

Hi,

Yes, I have definitely signed up.

You can even sign me up as your 'friend' so no need for Billy-no-Mates.

In any case, you should really be using UB as a way to link up with other activists and officers you know and to share more broadly your views on issues that concern you as a trade unionist.

Hope to 'meet' you soon on the site.

Cheers

Ian

Unknown said...

Why do trade unionists need to design ways to discuss things without actually meeting up - I don't understand this trend and will not be bothering.

Ian Manborde said...

Hi,

Thanks for your contribution.

I am highly puzzled though by your comments as you have used this blog now, and previously, to discuss matters of relevance to trade unionists.

I am not sure whay you see UB as massively different?

And in any case, why not use web technologies to support our work?

What are you afraid of?

Cheers

Ian

ShopSteward85 said...

Ian- tried to sign up but can't see many others that I know doing it.

Will keep my page but not for long if I can't see the value of it.