[Linux-aus] Professionals Australia (formerly APESMA)

[Lev Lafayette]

Hi Daniel,

On Tue, December 17, 2013 4:01 pm, Daniel Bryan wrote:
>
> I'd like to know whether anyone in LA has been involved with this
> organisation as a rank and file member; specifically, whether their IT
> division has any real representation or understanding of people who work
> in
> the OSS ecosystem. I'm concerned that the union might only represent the
> experience of IT workers hidden in an vendor-owned enterprise burrow
> somewhere.

I was a member for a few years. In some ways they were a good combination
of professional association for groups like pharmacists, managers etc, and
trade union insofar they did have some input for occupational health and
safety etc.

In direct response to your question however, no, they did not show any
real representation or understanding of IT workers, let alone FOSS. Nor, I
must quickly add, does the ASU, which also is supposed to represent IT
workers, or the CEPU (Comms division), which is more for
telecommunications line workers.

All of these I have been a member of at some stage. I am currently in the
NTEU.

There is a real need to establish an IT workers union by IT workers who
actually understand IT work. I would certainly assist in this process is
there is genuine interest, but am very aware of the steep level of initial
work that will be required.

All the best,


-- 
Lev Lafayette, BA (Hons), GradCertTerAdEd (Murdoch), GradCertPM, MBA (Tech
Mngmnt) (Chifley)
mobile:  0432 255 208
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