Last Thursday’s Trader’s meeting was seen as uncomfortably
adversarial by a number of traders. The meeting was attended by management and
involved a presentation on the upcoming Music Week Event. Traders seeking to
make their point about any issue at QVM need to carefully tread the line
between reasoned argument and grandstanding if they are to achieve the maximum
response from negotiations.
A “them and us” approach probably has little point here and
yet a number of traders continue to pursue that course. There is a lot traders
want from management and fortunately the signs for effective negotiations are quite
good as two recent issues have shown. The single day absences for SL License
holders and the options sorted out for the Music Week Event have both reached a
reasonable conclusion.
One item on the trader’s wish list is for QVM to collect
subsidies for the Traders Association. Those subsidies will allow the
employment of an executive Officer/Negotiator to handle our affairs in a more
professional way than is possible with part time representatives. QVM are not
obliged to collect subsidies but if we can show that a professional traders
association will oil the wheels and benefit both parties we may get their
approval. If on the other hand we show our association as being unreasonably
adversarial we may not.
A Traders Association that doesn’t show professional intent
may be severely restricted in its operation.