Blogging trade unionists

I don’t normally write posts about blogs and blogging. Congratulations to John though for setting up a new site to bring together trade union blogs. This could be a useful way to maximise the benefits to our movement from using this relatively novel form of communication.

I am very encouraged by the number of union branches now blogging. I have commented before on Coventry UNISON’s picket line blog – an innovation more of us may need soon given what is going on in the LGPS dispute!

The Barnet local government branch of UNISON are also blogging as are Doncaster local government branch and my own local government branch in Lambeth. Nottinghamshire County are blogging too, as are Shropshire UNISON Labour Link. Has anyone found any others?

Such is my popularity with all officials of the Union that they occasionally come up with new names for me – one wit recently described me as Jon Blogs. Having been called worse (just occasionally) I don’t take offence. I would like to encourage more union activists and branches to get blogging.

A blog is much less work to update than a fully fledged website – it is much more appropriate for busy branch officers, who can update a blog as long as we know how to write a word document and cut and paste!