What do you do all day?
Here’s an example of a working week from around the beginning of March. What I notice about this week, looking back is that it’s a remarkably unstructured.
At this stage I was beginning to think about my work plan and I certainly had some ideas but nothing had been given the go-ahead. I was still trying to get a handle on things, orient myself and work out the parameters of what might or might not be achieved.
Monday and Tuesday are fairly quiet. I have a little bout of panicky wondering what to do (apparently this happens to all project workers and is normal) then phone calls, emails and facebook. People seem to reply faster and more helpfully to facebook messages for some reason so I try and friend contacts where possible. This is legitimate networking and NOT, repeat NOT time wasting as suspected by certain people in my office (Ok, sometimes it is!) On Tuesday there’s a student meeting at SOAS but we won’t count that because it was only around the corner and I couldn’t find them anyhow!
During this time I also design some flyers for the GMB Equalities conference and send them down to the print room. I don’t really like them because I can’t find any good images so I end up using naff clip art.
On wednesday things start to pick up a little; I have an appointment with some people in the organising department of PCS. The PCS building is in Clapham and not knowing South London I get a train to Clapham North rather than Clapham Junction and have to find a bus to take me the rest of the way. I get in just in time and am very warmly received.
“Oh it’s great to see an Academy Organiser on the project”
“Really? You realise I’m basically a trainee right?”
We have a very useful discussion on the difficulties of organising contracted out staff, even in workplaces where they already have a presence. The recognition agreement only allows reps facilities time to consult with members working for the same employer. This means that until the contracted out staff have their own rep: they are basically asking activists to take on extra work in their own time. To relieve the pressure somewhat they plan a centralised team to take on casework for a time.
I then run back to the office to talk to the print room. They can’t get my flyers done for two days, which will be too late because the conference is tomorrow. I am clearly failing to develop the kind of friendly relationship with the print room that can so easily make or break a TUC career. After a brief panic resolve to get in at 8 the next day to run some off on the photocopier.
Then I run over to Hackney to check out a Hackney Unites meeting. Hackney Unites is a pretty impressive project, initiated by Hackney Trades Council and intended to build community cohesion, anti-racism and generally promote progressive stuff. http://hackneyunites.blogspot.com/ The most interesting part of the project from my point of view is their plan for drop in workers advice sessions, feeding into a course in workplace rights and organising. I stick about for a while being quietly impressed, have a quick chat with a few people and arrange follow up meetings then wander up Stoke Newington High Road for the bus home at about 9.30, arriving home soon after 10.
A quick phone call, reveals a good friend, down from Cardiff is drinking in my local. A few beers and a chat later I hit my pillow only to drag myself up about 5 minutes later (That’s what it FELT like!) for early morning photocopying at the office and then onto the train station.
The GMB equalities conference is in Southampton and is an enthusiastic if slightly under attended affair. I needn’t have worried about the printing really. My official business here is to encourage more nominations onto the SERTUC council and committee’s but it’s also a good opportunity to meet and talk to their youth organiser, Rachel Verdin, who puts my gripes about the early morning into perspective by telling me she was up at 4am: 4! One of the participants accuses me of looking like a “demented gnome” because I turn up wearing a jumper with a busy pattern and then stand outside in it with the hood up. I let it go. Then it’s the train home at 10ish and in the front door at midnight.
On Friday I wake up at 8, wanting to do anything else but go to the office. Luckily, in SERTUC world, attending a demonstration is pretty much always a good reason for being out of the office and it just so happens that the English Defence League are in town prompting a small but spirited counter demonstration by Unite against Fascism.
I ring the office explaining that I will be there (The UAF one Obviously!): “Promoting the SERTUC anti fascist strategy” It just so happens my mate from Cardiff is still about and planning much the same thing (minus the promotion of SERTUC) so we team up for a leisurely breakfast and a proper catch up before heading over to Charing Cross. The sun shines down on us as we make our way down Whitehall and I show off slightly about getting paid to do stuff that I would have done anyway.
The UAF demo is best summed up by this remark overheard by a cop explaining the situation to a passer-by:
“The far right are having a demo and the far left are upset because they can’t do anything about it”
Not looking good comrades, not good at all.
Still, I give out flyers and I chat. Some old guy in an anorak asks me “Who’s in charge of SERTUC these days?” I explain that Megan Dobney is the Regional Secretary and he says “yes, but who’s in charge, really?” as if he expects me to let him in on some great conspiracy.
Normally of course I’d be happy to help, its just that Megan says if I betray my secret oath I’ll be killed and have my tongue buried at a crossroads at midnight and besides, i’m still in my probationary period and i don’t want to rock the boat.
So sorry anorak man, I’ll leave you to it this time. Remember the truth is out there!
Filed under: Academy, Organising
