Wow... I'm surprised.

Early this morning, I looked at the number of visitors on this website and the number of 'fast survey' votes... and wow. I shouldn't be surprised. I mean - I know how I personally feel about what's been happening, and I know what those around me had to say about it, so I shouldn't be caught off guard...

CLEARLY there is a need for this. The show of support from you all is amazing. I'm going to ask 2 huge favors from all of you:

1) Patience! There is a lot of work that needs to be done and this stuff can't happen overnight. I promise we are making headway. Things are starting to get worked into place but as I stated previously, there is a certain amount of 'vagueness' we're going to have to stick to on this public website. If you really want to be involved, and lord knows we could use your help (especially if you have experience with unions), please reach out to us via info@UnionOnTheNorthSlope.org

2) The second favor sounds the exact opposite of "patience" but: We need you to stay fired up. Because this takes time and this can't happen overnight. Maybe you'll mellow out after 2 weeks off and a few beers... Mellowing out would be OK if this was the end of the change. We mellowed out a year ago after they messed with our vacation and paychecks, but they lied to our faces, then slapped us again, and they'll do it again, and again, and again.

We need you to stay fired up and engaged. Talk to the off-shift crew when they get here, text your alternate and get them in the loop, share the website, etc. Once again, our "silo'ed" nature is our enemy. A lot can change in 2 weeks. We need to make sure that both crews, onshift and offshift, get this message and stay fired up so we can do the right thing, the brave thing, when the time is right. If you need to vent - vent here to us. Send us a blog post and we'll post it. Or send us encouragement and ideas.

Here is a note I got with a vote submission:

"Thank you! Thank you! This is what we needed. I came here because it was a great place to work. I would hate to leave here because it's just some place to work. Thank you for bringing a table for us to gather around." - FiredUp-2

One last thing - If you haven't submitted a 'vote' yet in the "Fast Anonymous Poll" listed on the home page or a few other locations on the website, please do so - but only vote once. Also be sure and include a "marker" like Alp or Maint or 1, 2, 3, or Other in your name so we can get a better understanding about which groups are underexposed or haven't been contacted. And keep up the great work with your name creativity... some of you chicks and dudes really cracked me up with your choices, damn I'm lucky to work with y'all!