Machiavellian

Machiavellian

The dictionary describes machiavellian as follows: 1. cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous, especially in politics.

“Machiavellian personality in psychology refers to a personality trait which sees a person so focused on their own interests they will manipulate, deceive, and exploit others to achieve their goals.”  For more information look up, “What is Machiavellianism in psychology?”  We are not diagnosing but merely seeking to explain things as we see them.

And now for the rest of the story:

Open, transparent and member driven are three of the most common terms used by our president to describe the basis for what the MGEU stands for.  She has based the past almost nine years of her tenure on these assumptions, but from the blogging consortium’s perspective this has been nothing but smoke and mirrors.  Well, it appears that we are not the only ones that are disgruntled with the lies and half-truths our president tells us.

It came to our attention that there was an interesting debate taking place, on the MGEU Facebook page regarding a posting, “There are 5 things that make the MGEU the best choice for Health Care workers.”  The usual faction appeared ready to fight with anyone who had an opposing view of the president’s rhetoric.  Members were being challenged for how they feel about our Union if they were not in agreement with the current doctrine.  There has to be a better approach, than the in your face pontification that these individuals use when feeling cornered, as we are after all, open, transparent and member driven.

The count for the number of comments made on this article as of the evening of Thursday April 11, 2019 was 101.  On Friday April 12, 2019 the comment count is 51, what happened to the 50 missing comments?  Is this kind of censorship we as members of the MGEU are going to tolerate when we have a differing opinion than our president?  The suppression of debate is very Trumpesque and contrary to our fundamental right of freedom of speech.  This may also be the appropriate time to talk about how scripted our Union has become, we lack the spontaneity we once had.  Is this really the face of democracy?  It would also appear that we are falling far short of our mission statement in allowing our Home Care brothers and sisters to be left so far behind.

And if the insult of censorship is not enough, someone in their ultimate wisdom chose to post a picture of the 1996 Home Care strike.  The objective of that strike was to save the jobs of our members, as well as the Home Care Program.  We were very successful back then, but now we choose to stiffle these same members voices.  SHAME ON US!  Censorship on any level is so blatantly undemocratic and contrary to what the labour movement stands for.  For our president to allow this sort of behaviour to take place within the MGEU is so Machiavellian on her behalf.  Stop talking about democracy, open, transparent and member driven if you will NOT allow our members to have their voices heard!

What is wrong with the concept of some of our health care members going to another Union where they may finally be treated with the dignity they so deserve?  We had no issues when the shoe was on the other foot!!  We gladly accepted another Unions member’s in the last round of rationalization votes and have never looked back.  We have however never lived up to our promises and for that reason alone we may lose some of our Health Care members this time around.  Our fault!  And who has been
our president since the votes took place in 2012?  Michelle Gawronsky!  This is not a threat nor is your life in danger, so put away your crocodile tears and step up to the plate and take your own medicine as you deserve everything you get.

Lastly a shout out to our Civil Service members who are at the bargaining table, we wish you the best of luck.  We all know this will not be an easy round of bargaining with a government that cares little for their employees.

PS.   We have heard about what the Risk and Strategy Committee has been up to and guess what that is?  They have spent most of their time focused on this Blog and what to do about it.  Isn’t it fortunate for us to have been able to find a way to voice our concerns in a public manner without interference or censorship by the MGEU?  We don’t expect everyone to agree with everything we say, but it is freeing to be able to say what we want!

In solidarity