CALMC

Good-Bye (For Now, at Least)

That’s right, this is it. As of the end of May, I will be retiring from Columbus Area Labor-Management Committee.

Since I joined CALMC is 1995, Meredith and I have had the opportunity to promote labor-management cooperation in a wide range of situations. We have trained in workplaces of over 1000 employees to locals with as few as 6 bargaining unit members. Each has presented their own unique challenges. In most cases, we have watched them grow and find the ability to work cooperatively together.

In 2014 we began writing this blog. When we decided to try this, we wondered whether anyone would be interested enough to want to read it. Since then, we have posted over 500 entries and attracted over 21,000 readers from around the world. Although those numbers would be lower than blogs from a teenage rock star, we were able to share information each week that could help their organizations grow.

This is reflected in the most read topics, including “What Are the Differences Between a Committee and a Team”, “What is the Difference Between Mediation and Arbitration”, a variety of topics on effective meetings and problem solving, ways to improve communications, and an examination of trends and events with labor and management.

There are so many people and organizations I want to thank I can’t begin to list them all, so I am not going to list any. I don’t want to leave anyone out that gave us the opportunity to provide assistance and the tools to grow and succeed. We are grateful for all of you.

We also want to recognize the organizations and individuals who have been members of CALMC. Your commitment and support have helped us to continue operations and will continue to do so. At the end of each blog entry is a list of our members, and we appreciate their support for us and CALMC.

Over the years we have been privileged to have many outstanding members on our board of trustees. We have always been able to count on those trustees for the support and encouragement they have afforded us, as well as the expertise they offered. They not only talked about labor-management partnerships, they practiced it in their unions and employers.

I want to express my appreciation to everyone who participated in our trainings and seminars, was helped during a downsizing by a worker transition committee, came to our membership meetings, golf outings, and other activities, and read our blogs. Your involvement and enthusiasm kept us going.

The best news from all of this is that Columbus Area Labor-Management Committee will continue to operate. The Board of Trustees meet last week and submitted a contract offer to a new interim director. I hope you will continue to show that person you provided me.

It’s been 30 great years. I hope you will continue to support our new director and the mission of CALMC.
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CALMC activities, including our blog, are made possible in part by the continuing support of our members, such as

• American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 8
• American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 1656
• Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council
• Columbus City School District
• Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
• Electrical Industries Labor-Management Cooperation Committee, including
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 683
Central Ohio Chapter, National Association of Electrical Contractors
• Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Department of Human Resources
• Ohio Civil Service Employees Association/AFSCME Local 11 and the Union Education Trust
• Ohio Education Association
• Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 189
• Roofers, Local 86
• Seafarers/United Industrial Workers
• Sheet Metal Contractors of Central Ohio
• Sheet Metal Workers Local 24
• Skinner Diesel Repair
• State Council of Professional Educators (SCOPE)
• State of Ohio Office of Collective Bargaining

Our activities are also made possible in part by a grant from the City of Columbus.

Contact us for more information about Columbus Area Labor-Management Committee or to become a member.