turning my union into a web 2.0 organisation 2

Turning my Union into a Web 2.0 Organisation

UNI Communicators’ Forum

Protaras, Cyprus, 10‐12 June 2009

Aristoteles Lakkas

Greek Federation of Bank Employees (OTOE)

UNI Communicators' Forum, Cyprus 2009 1

My Union: OTOE y

The strongest Federation in Greece, strategicallypositioned within the economic systemp y

60.000 members, 96% trade union density

Active, Decisive, Militant

T di i l C i i Ch lTraditional Communication Channels: announcements, fax, public speeches and tours, posters, one‐way electronic information provision (static websiteselectronic information provision (static websites, emails)


Experiencing the difficulties of our timesp g

The broad context of globalization, liberalization,outsourcing and flexicurity in industrial relations results in:

Difficulties to recruit new members in small privatebanksAn on‐growing environment of individualismDecreasing participation in union functions such asi d i l i d l i i ll i iindustrial actions and elections, especially in privatebanksUnion decision‐making becoming more or less anUnion decision making becoming more or less anabstract authoritative instead of a two‐way interactiveprocess


Setting the grounds for a new approachg g pp

C t diffi lti th t i i bilit d bilit t tCurrent difficulties threaten union viability and ability to act as anactive social organisation, establishing the need to innovate upontraditional processes and set the grounds for:

Unions as social stakeholdersUnions as employee‐centered organisations in which membersfeel integrated into policy making processesfeel integrated into policy making processesUnion officials dynamically connected with members

resulting inresulting in…

Union representation as an on‐going, active, two‐way process,transparent, legitimate, responsive, account‐giving and account‐taking, open, flexible, omni‐participatory, democratic, interactive,user friendly, providing equal access to excluded voices beyondgeography and other divisive factors


Introducing the Web 2.0g


OTOE’s Strategy – From Theory to Practice (1/2)gy y ( / )

No need to appear e‐friendly or in pursue of utopian dreamsattempting to revive the model of the ancient Athenian agoraLinking our efforts with everyday union agenda issuesLinking our efforts with everyday union agenda issuesSeeking to connect members through common web practices,explore new communication channels, integrate online andoffline activities examine the participatory potentials beyondoffline activities, examine the participatory potentials beyondcampaigning and information disseminationInitiation studies:

Social networking many of our colleagues virtuallySocial networking: many of our colleagues virtuallypresent on Facebook, not equally using other platformssuch as UnionBookW b 2 0 t l t b t ti ll l it d bl t bWeb 2.0 tools to be potentially exploited: blogs, youtube,flickr and twitter


OTOE’s Strategy – From Theory to Practice (2/2)gy y ( / )

Pilot phase (8 months):

A team of 10 dynamic, reliable and highly‐motivated colleaguesrepresenting thematic and geographic diversity with the purpose ofrepresenting thematic and geographic diversity with the purpose ofachieving cross‐regional and multi‐thematic engagement throughstructuring and maintaining Facebook groups

In parallel:

1. Setting up a Wordpress blog and updating it with contentsuch as reports, interesting news, UNI’s material, forthcomingsuch as reports, interesting news, UNI s material, forthcomingevents and youtube videos featuring statements from officialscommenting on their activities

2 Creating accounts on Flickr and Twitter2. Creating accounts on Flickr and Twitter

3. Transnational Videoconferences, Simulation of SocialDialogue and Role Playing


Dodecanese Islands: a case examplep

12 Islands

Isolated GeographicallyIsolated, Geographically Constrained Communities

600 k l600 Bank Employees Members of OTOE


Initial Evaluation ‐ First Lessons LearntInitial valuation First essons earnt

Initial assessment through: engagement figures, interviews,informal discussions and feedback from campaigningofficials.officials.

Not achieving active participation. Main barriers reported:

Younger members: socializing but not activelyYounger members: socializing, but not activelyparticipating in union dialogue, hesitance to postcomments or take initiatives. Asking to enhance on theirunion issues and social networking background beforefurther engaging.

Older members sceptical towards the whole venture inOlder members: sceptical towards the whole venture, inmany cases lack of underlying technical knowledge andinfrastructure.


Re‐assessing our approach ‐ Corrective Measuresg pp

In response to demands, we organized educationalseminars on issues such as Web 2.0 technologies,union policies and industrial relations in order to setunion policies and industrial relations in order to setthe ground for achieving more active participation

Examining the development of eLearning systems inExamining the development of eLearning systems inorder to make massively available the above material

D fi l i f t bj tiDefine a clear meaning of our engagement objectives

Developing criteria for effective evaluation( tit ti d lit ti i di t )(quantitative and qualitative indicators)


Towards an eOTOE: a Roadmapping approach (1/2)pp g pp ( / )

Dimensions of shifting our electronic strategytowards the desired:

Future Challenges and Barriers: political commitment,building capacity, behavior, technical infrastructured k ll b d l d ffland necessary skill, bond online and offline activities,

evaluating

Tools and Activities to be exploited: ePetitions,eConsultations, ePanels, eVoting, chats, RSS feedsand further alert mechanisms forums newslettersand further alert mechanisms, forums, newsletters,polls, surveys


Towards an eOTOE: a Roadmapping approach (2/2)pp g pp ( / )

Extroverting and broadening our engagement:

OTOE as a key player in the South‐EasternOTOE as a key player in the South‐EasternEurope Mediterranean and Balkan region

J i t ff t f t ki d ffi i l ’Joint efforts of networking and officials’videoconferencing with ETYK (Cyprus), MOBE(Malta) and FABI (Italy)(Malta) and FABI (Italy)

Disseminating our international activities, suchas the results of the DialogoS+ European projectas the results of the DialogoS+ European project


Future Visions

Turning implies momentum, commitmentg p ,and open mind.

Turning my Union into a Web 3.0 / SemanticWeb Organisation ?Web Organisation …. ?


Thank you for your attention…

[email protected]@otoe.gr

turning my union into a web 2.0 organisation 2

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