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Editorial - Letters to the Editor
Well, I am pleased to report that the deliberately provocative "rant" in my last editorial provoked some letters. The following represent opposite ends of the spectrum. I will leave the readers to decide for themselves where they stand on this issue. On my part it is just good to see that I have managed to provoke some reactions.
Dear Sirs,
I am writing to take issue with your editorial in the January edition. What a blinkered view you must have of members who don't attend branch meetings. Time is the main problem, not what's on the 'telly'. I attended 172 hours of CPD last year, over half of which was evening attendance. Add a business, 3 kids at school and college, sport and a social life and there just isn't a lot of time left over to watch TV.
I've been a member of the CIArb for nearly 30 years. I pay my subs each year, read the magazines and documents sent out and keep abreast of what's going on. Like many other ACIArbs, and I suspect many MCIArbs I doubt if I'll ever be a resolver or get any deeper into the running and organisation of the Institute but just want to keep up to date. I can do that without attending meetings.
Arbitration/Adjudication/Mediation is not a source of income for me, they are subjects that I am interested in and if I see something particular to my current workload then I will put it on my list of possible events to attend, but the presentation has to contend with a whole host of other commitments. It's a judgement call for events outside of normal working hours, family first, work, then CPD and social. TV is a long way down the list. I haven't had a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evening free since Christmas so unless the branch presentation is of such earth shattering importance or relevant to a particular project I just won't be attending.
Finally I would like to remind you that it is members like me that help subsidise the Institute just by being in the background and stumping up the annual fee. We don't interfere and don't pass comment on the members who want to be involved. What I don't like is to be criticised in editorial, and if the Institute wants me to go on subsidising the active members then comments such as yours are not helping.
Derek Nicholson
Dear Sirs,
I am writing further to Peter Cousins' editorial, "I can't be bothered to be apathetic" in the last edition of News & Views [issue 59 - January 2006]. Isn't it a shame that Peter is absolutely right?
We are lucky enough, in the South East Branch, to have an enthusiastic and supportive core of members who realise the value of our regular Branch meetings, or at the very least appreciate the opportunity to catch up with their peers and colleagues in a sociable and relaxed environment. We also have a committee who demonstrate a loyal dedication to providing meetings and other events so that Branch members are able to benefit from such a forum. If only more of them took the opportunity to see what they were missing! So why the apathy?
I must admit that, working full time in London with many other commitments to meet, it would be easy for me to cry off as being 'too busy' to attend Branch meetings. It takes me 2 hours to get to Reigate from my office. I need to make sure my car is in the right place on the day in question, and that my other work commitments have been met to free up the time. Sometimes I feel like I need to traipse to Reigate like I need a hole in the head, but, as a committee member myself, I feel obliged to go. And do you know what? Every time I get there I'm pleased I did.
OK, so sometimes it's a huge effort, and my fellow committee members know that I'm never quite there on time as I've been rushing to do something else before I leave the office, or I've been stuck in traffic, or on the train, or for some other reason. I'm always slightly harassed on arrival, and come rushing in at the last minute. But once I'm there I'm delighted to relax and talk to my fellow members. So much time and effort goes in to finding interesting speakers with wide ranging areas of expertise, and I've learnt that, even though my practice specialises in construction, there are lessons to be learnt from topics which might not immediately appear directly relevant.
I've seen papers from speakers before they've 'done the rounds' elsewhere. I've met people I wouldn't otherwise have met who I then bump into at other larger and more formal events; a friendly face from the Branch to talk to at another more forbidding function in London or wherever. I've taken back information of use to all my colleagues. I could go on, but I'm sure you get my point: Branch meetings give me an opportunity to calm down to a mad rush and be sociable, and I get to learn something of value into the bargain.
So going back to Peter's editorial, why is it that more members don't attend? Well it's a bit of a mystery if they don't speak up. The editorial encourages members to tell the committee what they want, but I'll bet Peter doesn't get more than half a dozen responses.
Maybe there's a perception that Branch meetings suit a small clique of stuffy established members with nothing better to do. There's no point in suggesting change because they're happy as they are and no-one will actually listen. Well just for the record, that's not the case. I got involved with South East Branch about 3 years ago. I was new to the Institute, and I believe I fit into the category of what's classed as a 'Younger Member'. I hardly knew anyone in the Branch as most of my other activities, and my work, are based in London. I'm not a Fellow, or even a practicing arbitrator. So it was with some trepidation I attended my first Branch meeting, and I was met with a great welcome.
I got involved with the committee, and there I found a group of people committed to listening to members, working out if changes need to be made and embracing them. I've learnt from those established members who, rather than having nothing better to do, are committed to making the time to share the knowledge they've gained and continuing to learn themselves. If you've not been before, then come along and I'm sure you'll find the same thing I did. If you used to come but don't any longer, then either tell the committee why your interest waned and what would change that, or come along and remember what it was you used to enjoy.
The dates are published months in advance (indeed monthly meetings take place on the same Tuesday each month, and there's always the option to check the website), so there's little excuse for a clash in the diary. The committee are looking at other venues in the Branch area, so you might find a meeting coming closer to you in the foreseeable future. If only half the members made it to just one in three meetings, we'd have a regular attendance approaching 100; wouldn't that be something to work towards?
Helena Brown