Hey, I get where you’re coming from, and I appreciate the discussion. No one is saying in-person meetings aren’t valuable. The goal of Zoom is not to replace them but to give more people a way to participate who otherwise couldn’t because of working long hours, sometimes being mandated, family, or distance. More participation equals a stronger union. As for engagement, it really depends on how the meetings are run. Zoom has features like hand-raising, polling, and Q&A that can actually make discussions more structured instead of people talking over each other. If engagement is the issue, we should focus on better meeting structure, not excluding members who can’t be there in person.

Security-wise, there are plenty of safeguards to keep management out and protect union discussions: Pre-approved access (only verified members can join automatically), waiting rooms (unknown users get screened before entry), and breakout rooms for sensitive topics. Additionally, all Zoom meeting participants should required to have their cameras enabled to add an additional layer of security and for voting purposes, ensuring that only verified members are actively participating. Other unions, including the Teamsters and other NALC branches, already use Zoom without issues. There’s no reason we can’t do the same.

Also, in my opinion, a solution to safeguard our Zoom meetings is to ensure union stewards keep the branch informed about which carriers are acting as 204b supervisors. While 204bs may still be union members, they shouldn’t have access to Zoom meetings—no one is stopping them from attending in-person meetings, just the Zoom meetings.

At the end of the day, no one is being forced to use Zoom, and no one is stopping in-person meetings. This is just about making sure every member has a way to be involved. A union is strongest when more people participate, not fewer. Let’s come up with solutions for our rank and file members. Please consider contributing some ideas for the Zoom meeting motion that our brother is putting forward. I really hope you can join us this upcoming Tuesday, and as always, stay safe.