8th September 2011, 06:49 PM
(This post was last modified: 8th September 2011, 06:49 PM by chiz.)
Jack Wrote:However, my point still stands. Its not a democracy. I don't support that kind of nearly democracy. Why can't members vote on issues and not candidates?
But Jack, it is very similar to democracy (unless you mean Ancient Greece, where everyone had the vote... as long as you weren't a woman or a slave or a foreigner, or got too popular, or unpopular, or...). You vote for members and they make informed decisions following debate. ANYONE can stand, whether you are a digger starting out, or a retired archaeologist, and your opinion would be listened to.
And by the way, you CAN vote on some issues directly. There will be votes on specific issues/changes at the AGM on October 3rd. And any member can get any subject debated at the AGM as long as they get enough support from members. And you can influence 'policy' by lobbying on any issue, plus the myriad of consultations like that on Southport. Very few reports, policies or decisions come out of the IfA without extensive consulatation -hence David's reference to it being like wading through treacle! Everyone has a chance to say what they think.
At the DF we try and help diggers get their voices across on these consultations and when these policies are being formulated -witness all the work we did on Southport- and we give a voice to site workers in council and on committees and through the newsletter. Plus we try and work for better policies and improvemnet s to things like th ecomplaints procedure and validation procedures. I want to make sure that continues which is why I'm standing. I don't understand every issue that comes to the council -I don't pretend to, but I know the issues that affect site workers because I still work on site and I have a pretty good awareness of how IfA decisions affect diggers, and how they feel about issues. If elected I will listen to all the opinions and arguments and evidence, and make a decision accordingly according to my best ability.
To be honest though, if there was a vote on every issue the result would be bedlam, imagine a world where you could vote on setting income tax? most would vote for the lowest option, only to vote for higher pensions the next day.
Chiz