General Assembly Minutes – 25/11/11

General Assembly Minutes – 25/11/11

Proposal: To Change Structure of General Assemblies

- A trial run of a different system. similar to what is effectively used in larger Occupies
- 3 GAs a week with decision making powers
- Agenda to be published in advance – online and posted in the kitchen so everyone can find out what will be discussed and when
- Separate In-House and sub-group issues which should not be brought up at GAs – need to define what these issues are
- Seek to base the GAs on proposals. The subgroup relating to a particular issue will have an open meeting to discuss options.
- The other two evenings per week will be in-house meetings for everyone involved in #Occupy
- We have a team of mediators who are ready to come to the camp to create a list of issues which we need to address to ensure our survival and create effective communications
- Mediators will act as impartial facilitators, teach us coping strategies for conflict and help us resolve issues between us
- Subgroups have a meeting open to all on a fixed day at a fixed time. Volunteers commit to tasks to organise actions. They take action based on common sense and report back to the GA.
- This format to be adopted next week for a trial period of one week.

Discussion
- Somebody asked what was the purpose of the GA. A brief synopsis was given.
- A question was asked about the fundamentals of the proposal. A reply came that they wanted to get the structure sorted first.
- Some confusion on the GA proposal
- Clarify on the website, issue of the blog, topic for sub-groups. The point was made that we went off-topic and has to be sorted out in sub groups. We need more ideas on the proposals
- It was clarified that the subgroups meet before the GA and then they sort out their ideas then, or things are sent back to the subgroups from GA, then actions or decisions are made and brought back to GA
- A person stated that we need to define what the actual GA is, and the in-house meeting is the last call for making the decisions that are brought up in GA meetings. He said that in-house meetings aren’t interested in the GA meetings
- A person stated that we need to have active participants meetings instead of in-house and clarify what the GA meetings are.

Decision
Proposal to run this structure for a trial week starting on Monday was agreed by consensus

Proposal
It was also proposed that during this trial the GAs be held at 6:30pm

Decision – this was approved by consensus.

Discussion on in-house meetings
- suggestion of co-ordination meeting
- the in-house meetings are for everyone, also points/suggestions are needed and are welcome but need to be put into action. Volunteers for coordination group needed!

Other business

A comment was made that we are talking ourselves into talking and no action
- reply came to improve the running of different groups
- having open GA is too slow
- we’re trying to set up the right structure and turned into a large debate
- response came that we need a framework, discussion is needed. Rather than people just giving their input with no action after – we’re giving people a chance to get more involved
- Direct response was made that we encourage people by showing organisation.

A point was raised about armbands

The Environmental group is having a craftwork soap making/knitting session this Thursday

Saturday’s GA will be held at 3pm after the DCTU march at 12pm. A meeting in the Exchange with other #occupy groups from around Ireland will follow after the GA
- A direct point was made that the Sat GA should be at 3:30
- A question was asked if the meeting had been made public, the suggestion was made to put notice up online and on facebook.