Waiting for Somebody Else to Step Up

By Robert Brink, CLAC Representative

A few weeks back, I found myself in downtown Toronto, midday on a weekday. I walked up to a pedestrian crosswalk near City Hall, where a few dozen people were already waiting, and I stood still, idly watching those in the growing gathering on the other side of street as they fidgeted with their coats and briefcases. I’d say cars were whizzing by, but this was Toronto. They moved by at an average of five kilometres an hour.

A few minutes passed before I realized that nobody on either side had pressed the button to trigger the light. Everyone assumed someone else had done it, or that it didn’t need to be done at all. Even when I realized that we were waiting without a good reason, I saw the size of the crowd—by that point it was likely over a hundred people—and thought to myself, “Someone else will do it!”

(Western Canadians may make one Toronto joke now).

A few weeks before I stood like an idle idiot at an un-triggered crosswalk, I led an evening proposal meeting for a group of about 30 electricians. All but three or four attended the meeting, and those who missed out were apologetic. At the end of the meeting, I solicited nominations for the bargaining committee. Eight electricians and apprentices were nominated, seven accepted the nomination, and the group eventually elected an excellent bargaining committee! This was not a group that would be waiting for a crosswalk button to be pushed by someone else!

“Someone else will do it” may be true some of the time. If you’re not well suited to something, encourage those who are, and be grateful for those who become stewards, run for the local board, or work on the bargaining committee.

And if you are fit for the role, step up! Otherwise, we’ll all be standing around instead of moving forward.