On Tue, May 26, 2009 at 10:06 AM, joseph seddon <life_is_bitter_sweet@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> >> I've advised Mike on this in detail, but I'll put a summary here. If
> >> this committee is going to be negotiating with WMF before we've spoken
> >> to a lawyer, then we want to have nothing to do with it.
> >
> > Thomas, who is "we"?  As far as I know, WmUK was one of the many chapters
> > that mandated the committee, so I am not sure whether "we" is "you
> > personally" or whether the board's opinion has officially changed.
>
> I mean WMUK. Strictly speaking, I should have said "we *should* want"
> or "it would be in our best interests to".
>
> _______________________________________________

Speaking as a board member (but not the whole board), I felt it was in our best interests to be
part of the combined efforts of the chapters to deal with the multiple issues associated with the
new agreement. It is simply not an option to try and work unilaterally whilst the other chapters
are working on producing a refined version together and as a whole. There is nothing stopping
us from seeking legal advice and I believe steps are being taken towards that, but I have to whole
heartedly disagree that we should have nothing to do with this commitee.

If, following legal advice and the work being done by the commitee (which we have a representative on),
there are still issues with the chapters agreement, we can follow these up. We arent required to renew our
agreement for some time so we have some breathing space. Lets work as both a chapter and with the commitee
in smoothing over this chapters agreement.


May I also say that the Committee is a very nice venue to share and compare legal advice received by chapters in a confidential setting? WmCH for example has mandated a lawyer to review the agreement and we have already received a first analysis with quite a lot of detailed comments (from a Swiss  perspective, of course, but many of them globally applicable) -- and we have sent these comments on to the committee or are just about to do so.

Best,

Michael



--
Michael Bimmler
mbimmler@gmail.com