Communications

Ballots

Election ballots and contract ratification ballots are sent to all members in good standing via U.S. Mail. To ensure we have your current mailing address please send any updated info via e-mail to Jayme Graham at AFSCME Council 2, jayg@council2.com.

Notices

The fastest and easiest way to receive formal Union information about meeting and election notices, contract updates, and regular missives is by signing up for the C2everett@council2.com e-mails. If you didn’t include your personal e-mail address on your new member card, or if you need to update your contact information, e-mail the Council 2 office at C2everett@council2.com. Be sure to give your full name and say you’re with Local 1857, so they can find you in the database! Use your personal e-mail, not your KCLS work account.

Members who have not provided Council 2 with their personal e-mail address will receive meeting and election notices by U.S. Mail.

Minutes of the Executive Board and General Membership meetings can be sent via e-mail if requested.

Informal Online Discussion

The Watercooler is an online discussion list for any member of Local 1857 who is in good standing. Sign up by sending an e-mail with your first and last name to 1857-watercooler+subscribe@googlegroups.com. Topics related to our local and union, libraries, and labor are welcome.

To send an e-mail to the list, use 1857-watercooler@googlegroups.com.

Topics should be of interest to a broad section of the list.

If you have an individual concern or issue, please contact our staff representative or your shop steward directly. The Watercooler is not the place to send questions about a specific grievance or disciplinary meeting. Union board members or people who represent the Union will not use the Watercooler to communicate official business. Any comments in the Watercooler by board members are their own personal views and NOT the views of the Union board as a whole. If members have questions they want addressed by the board, the best way to communicate is by direct email found at kclsvoice.org/contact-us.

Remember you are interacting with people.

Because you only see letters stringing across a screen, it is easy to forget or ignore that a person sits on the other side of the network. Always remember behind every e-mail address is another person. While we all need a safe space to vent and post personal views, it is not a space without etiquette. We each can have differing opinions, and still work together peacefully. Any threats of harm, name calling, outing of people and derogatory hate speech will NOT be tolerated

Make subject lines descriptive.

People should have a flavor of the message from glancing at the subject line. “Hello,” is not as good as, “Changes in Library 2 Go Schedule.”

Sign your messages.

We have close to 1000 members working in 50 locations, and it’s helpful to know who someone is and where they work.

Be prudent with speculation.

On the Internet, rumor can grow extravagant and spread like fire. Remarks beginning with, “I have a feeling that …” or, “I think that …” are usually suspect.

Be cautious with humor and sarcasm.

Typed language is naturally colder than spoken language, because it is stripped of voice inflections and body language. Quite easily, humor can be taken as insult, especially if subtle. Some users prefer to use symbols that hint at tone, such as the smiley face: 🙂 It is safest to frankly note satirical messages.

E-mail lists are as good, and only as good, as the subscribers make them.

Lists work best when intelligent people bring fresh knowledge and ideas to the table. New ideas can stimulate discussion. Trivial or inane comments often kill discussion. Write meaty, thoughtful things and everyone will benefit from the list.