The following from Lynda Young was sent to twothirdsmajority@bikeunion.to in response to the Board of Directors’ Letter to All Members re: Changing the Name of Our Organization to Cycle Toronto. Lynda has served as both an outreach volunteer and Outreach Coordinator for the bike union.
Dear friends at bike union,
I have been an outreach volunteer and coordinator for the bike union at various events since June 2011. When I first heard about the consideration of a name change, I thought it was bizarre. Until a tabling session outside Evergreen Bikeworks changed my perspective.
A guy walking past my table through the farmers market cheerfully asked, “What’s this?” I smiled and started my by-then near record-perfect speech, “Hi! Are you familiar with the Toronto Cyclists Union?”
This was what he said, “Union?”
Then, he turned and strode briskly away.
Through my many discussions with others in support of the bike union, including members, non-members, board members, volunteers, partners, I have come to realise that it is the work of the bike union that leads them to support the organisation. The name change may rock the boat a little, but those on board will stay on board, even those who lose their balance and fell off the boat will climb back on eventually.
On the other hand, the name change will serve to open the minds of those who have issues with the name for the name’s sake, allowing us the chance to tell them who we are and what we are about.
Hence, name change is good. Better now than later (to minimise cost of name change due to reprinting of material etc).
With regards to choice of name, again, people who support should, by logic, continue to support the work that the bike union does. I believe you when you said the board has spent months considering options and alternatives. I trust that. And I thank you for doing the research and taking on the (I imagine, painstakingly long) discussions on behalf of the rest of us members!
One other thing to point out, it was suggested that cycleto.ca might be used as the future site after the name change. I wonder if cycletoronto.ca is a better option, for the purpose of differentiation from ibiketo. Don’t get me wrong, I like Herb’s blog. But I also think making it easy for people to find our website will be a good thing.
I also wonder if after the name change and site change, bikeunion.to (as a web address) can still exist to redirect webusers to the new website, whatever it ends up becoming.
my two cents (and 1 cup coffee),
Lynda
So one reactionary anti-union person scoffs at the word ‘union’ and we should change our name? What about someone who scoffs at the word ‘Toronto’?
We should be winning people over with action and ideas that we use to enter the public discourse. We will never win anyone by being so internally focused that we think we would be doing better if we just changed our name – what is this a Trotskyist sect!?
If someone won’t join the Bike Union just because he has a problem with the word ‘union’, the Bike Union is probably better off without him anyway.
People’s Front of Cyclotopia!
There was a time when people were proud to unite over a cause, I thought that was what the Toronto cyclists Union was about ? Why would the name not reflect that union? I am proud of the accomplishments made by unions and hope that the Toronto Cyclists Union keeps it current name….
Daryll
I agree, Lynda. The Bike Union needs to expand into Etobicoke, Scarborough and N York, and the word “Union” makes that unnecessarily difficult. Also agree on the website using Toronto instead of TO. People outside Canada don’t know what TO stands for.
I like unions, unions of the political kind, Union Station, and others. But, with the union bashing going on these days, it’s a sad sign of the times to see union as a liability instead of a badge of pride. So, I like the new name. It’ll do just fine. But keep the old URL as well to mirror the new one. People won’t need to change their bookmarks, and if you want to you can still type in the word Union. Just don’t tell that guy our deep dark secret.
The less political sounding the better. Less off-putting to people who are currently being told not to elect unionists, activists, bikers, etc.
Havent been following much of the debate but while the use of the word ‘union’ still remains ‘debatable’, the newly suggested title (‘Cycle Toronto’) sounds outright flat and insipid. Did the word ‘coalition’ ever came up ??
Any name we choose can be turned against us by opposing interests. Small L liberal is an offensive adjective for American politicians. Mr Harper uses ‘coalition’ as a pejorative. If there are people who find the word ‘union’ off-putting, we need to educate them about what we are and what we are not. I don’t think it is a good idea to change the name which is already established. We are not a labor union. We are a union of Toronto bicycle advocates. There is no need to apologize for or to change our name. That said, I will certainly continue to support the work of the group whatever we decide to call it.
How do we connect all 44 wards and 140 neighbourhoods? Will it be by Advocacy? Promotion? or a balance of both? Which name can connect our city? Toronto Cyclists Union or Cycle Toronto?
I completely agree with Lynda. I would hope that our organization can be inclusive of all who cycle in Toronto. I believe that Cycle Toronto can best connect with our increasingly diverse City.