Now that the first steps have been taken to provide a new implementation, I feel safe in mentioning my attitude about a dark event in the history of our Union, CUPE.

This is not an in-depth, insider's exposé, just an observation of a frustrating situation for a small but growing portion of the labour community. My view is not the only one, but I feel CUPE made a HUGE mistake in canceling our world-class international conferencing system, SoliNet.

Some history is in order here. Back in about 1981, CUPE set up a nationwide conferencing system for labour activists and staff to communicate with each other on matters mundane to earth-shaking. It was text based, and ran over a special phone system called "datapac." It cost much to implement, many found it confusing to use, and some were even unable to get registered to use it. The potential, however, for this revolutionary form of intermingling grew widely known, and other unions and progressive organisations crying out for this new type of communications system subscribed to it. Over the years, technology advanced and other avenues became more traveled in the rush to implement a framework on which to hang "A New Internationale." Activists from all over the globe sought a way to strike quickly and together against forces they all-too often found overwhelming.

Then, in 1996, a new SoliNet was introduced. It worked over the Internet, using common web browsers. Now the only expense was the cost of an Internet service. Again, CUPE had triumphed, offering a system by which Labour Activists could keep up-to-date on world events from a worker's point of view. Since an American outfit also hosted a system under the same name, this appeared to be a third incarnation of SoliNet.

SoliNet had now become a true world labour organiser, with on-line seminars attended, and moderated, by participants from every continent. Yet, just over a year later, in December of 1997, came the announcement that it was to be modified again. This time it would be available only to CUPE members and staff. SoliNet 4, if you will, relabeled CUPEnet.

Many people (though not nearly many enough) spoke out against this change, to no avail. I put statistics together showing that a large percentage of the usage, and indeed of the life, of SoliNet had come from outside of CUPE. It was felt by some in power however, that SoliNet didn't fit CUPE's goals. This seemed, simply, wrong. Especially in light of the National Constitution's articles stating that our goals included the furthering of Canada-wide and international cooperation among unions. We were told, though, that since only about 250 CUPE members had registered on SoliNet, our resources could be better directed elsewhere.

Most of us reading this were unable to understand how there would be any cost-saving if a conferencing system were still to exist, as once the system is up and running, the only cost to maintain it is the time of the moderator to make it interesting. This is still required, if not more so, when all the use is in-house.

One on-line discussion brought to light that at one time, union leaders thought it ridiculous to invest in the new technology of the telephone, when you could send a boy across town with a message just as cheaply. At that time, the telephone was not only new; it had yet to reach the universal use it enjoys today. A recent survey put the number of Internet users at around 150 million. Taking the most conservative percentages, (from the U.S.) somewhere between 20 and 30 million are union members.

Now, admittedly they aren't all spending all their time doing research on the history and current state of the labour movement, but as time passes, more and more of us are going to be wanting to use the Internet to help us in our labour battles. There are now over 1500 sites devoted exclusively to labour issues. I think we might just be approaching critical mass…

…I am therefore pleased to announce the beginning of SoliNet 7, (in the interim I learned of a SoliNet in Germany, and I figure there's got to be at least one more I don't know about). This conferencing system has areas for CUPE (and VIDC) members only, with other areas open to all who are friendly to labour. Somewhat like the previous SoliNet, but still in its infancy, it is a volunteer and spare-time effort, so it will mature slowly, and not without frustrations and growing pains.

It is available now, at http://www.cupe-vidc.org/welcome/parlour.cgi (this is all case sensitive) in preliminary form, and will soon be directly available from the VIDC's main site as it matures. Registration, free, is required, and is not handled by robots, so it may take a day or so to get authorised when you apply. I do hope, though, that many people from around the world will find it a useful tool and fun to use.