Union

[auinc]

I understand that there is a union for fee appraisers being established in maryland. I think this is a good idea, since appraisers have no voice, and legislation/congress keep making all these bills. Does anyone else have any thoughts about this?

 

[timd354]

I have a thought, and that is how do the business owners form a union? What are going to do, go on strike against ourselves?

 

[auinc]

1. The individual appraisers become the Union members.
2. It only takes 10 people to create a charter and start a union
3. No we wouldn't be striking ourselves.
4. We would be creating a unity that would give the appraisers voice strength. We could lobby for ourselves to make sure any legislation was to our advantage.

 

[timd354]

By definition, the owners of a business cannot be in the union.....now business owners can form all kinds of other organizations to promote their interests, but a union is not one of them

 

[Jon Liberatore]

Let me know, I am all for creating some type of group to stand with

 

[CONSUMER]

You have to keep an open mind to unions. There not all created equal. I know it is difficult when someone says union we think employee/management relations. There are several unions like writters, accountants and in the entertainment industries in wich they all own a business. I know that there is a union for appraisers that has started in Maryland. The union is a vehicle or media to have the appraiser voice heard, debate different views, develop positions and establish plans of action to insure our interests are represented and our livelihood is procted. Grow in numbers, have a collective voice, bargaining power and help find solutions for a variety of appraiser concerns for legislation, appraiser independence, HVCC, Fees, Quality, Benefits. All these years appraisers have not led our own industry. Educational facilities, software companies and mortgage companies are on the senate floor and very little appraiser led organizations. So, It's not working. This union is for all real estate appraisers with and in co-ops, staff appraisers, fee appraisers, all real estate appraiser companies large and small. The more the better chance we have. The difference in a union is it's a collective voice. Your voice will be heard. Bring your thoughts, solutions and concerns to the table.

 

[TJSum]

What extra benefit would a union bring that the Maryland Association of Appraisers could not already do? The MAA can do all the lobbying it wishes.

The politicans as well as the Public in general could care less about what is best for the appraisers, why should they, we are not the "end". We are just the means to the end of sound mortgage lending which does benefit the public trust. Unless your focus is on the latter issues, no amount of lobbying with all the focus on the appraiser will amount to a hill of beans.

 

[CONSUMER]

More Union

Don't give up. This is why we are not strong and in congress representing ourselves. Yes "public trust" "public education". All goes hand in hand. Issues, Quality and Fraud are part of public trust. We are all consumers of our own industry. This is about "appraisers" uniting to bring these issues to the table to find solutions. "Help Find Solutions" "Your Voice Heard" is a key. After all this is about appraisers the quality of our work and the "end" result. Public trust included. We could sit and watch all this pass by and hope that the Maryland Association of Appraisers does something or perhaps some other type of association. But what, where, who? MAA educates and informs. MAA does a very good job. MAA does not lobby. Other large education associations do lobby but if you look into a few bills in congress you will find that lobbing is favorable to the bottom line. Unfortunately most appraisers believe other associations like MAA are out there doing this for them. Strong and influential, not so. Here are a few bills to take a look at. Govtrack.us will bring them up for anyone to take a look at. In search; HR3837 Escrow, Appraisal, & Mortgage Servicing Improvement, S2452 Home Ownership Preservation and Protection Act of 2007, HR3535 Home Buyers Protect Act of 2007, HR5857 Home Ownership Protection & Housing Market Stabilzation Act of 2008. And so many more. And of coarse http://www.fanniemac.com/media/pdf/030308_agreement.pdf the HVCC

It's not all about legislation although this is a very important issue.

 

[TJSum]

From what I understand the MAA works closely with the Maryland State Board and also does educate and discuss issues with Maryland Law Makers. Why reinvent the wheel, MAA already has a large membership group, it would be easy to add Lobbying to their aggenda. Most appraisers are business people, a Political Action Committee would receive more acceptance than a union.

 

[TJSum]

For those that are interested, they have a website now.

www.unionofrealestateappraisers.com

As stated above, they would receive 1000 times the interest if they formed a PAC seeing how they are trying to sell a union to a bunch of business people, go figure...