[Osmf-talk] Voting "recommendations" by employers (straw poll)

[Rihards]

On 02.11.18 00:12, Paul Norman wrote:
> I have also heard confidential reports similar to what Frederik has, and
> they worry me greatly.

I voted in the poll, and I marked liking encouragement to join OSMF and
covering the membership fee, and having no opinion on the "suggestions
whom to vote for".

Which might need some explaining.

The first two could be seen as a way to involve people in OSMF. Broadly.

I did not mark anything about the influencing because I didn't see an
option "this seems shockingly unethical".
We come from countries with varying attitude towards the "no morality"
concept of companies, but I'd compare this to a company attempting to
influence employee voting in election procedures of the country.

Taking this beyond a rumour would be needed, though.

> On 2018-11-01 1:03 PM, nebulon42 wrote:
>> I think asking your fellow board members e.g. Mikel, Martijn and Paul
>> who have worked or work for companies involved in OSM might give you
>> first-hand answers, if they would have any and would tell you.
> 
> When I first ran for the board I was at MapQuest, management didn't show
> a great interest in how OSM was run or the OSMF, so my experience isn't
> relevant to how companies which take an interest in how the OSMF is run.
> I know some companies allow people to work on OSMF work on company time
> or claim expenses incurred doing OSMF work, but I've never been at one
> of those.
> 
> At MapQuest, there was no program I was aware of during my time there to
> get people to become OSMF members, to pay their membership fee, or to
> get them to vote a certain way. There may have been a program that
> allowed general membership fees to organizations to be reimbursed, but I
> never looked into it.
> 
> As a self-employed freelancer, I could claim membership fees on my
> taxes, but don't think I have done so.
> 
>> I think "suggestions" from employers have a smell and should be avoided
>> since you are in a dependent relationship to your employer and are more
>> likely to follow the suggestion.
>>
>> I have nothing against encouraging people to become OSMF members, but
>> paying their fee is wrong even more so because of the dependent
>> relationship (see above) and there should be a rule that forbids this.
> 
> In the past, the OSMF has rejected membership in a case where someone
> paid for the membership of a couple people to have them run for board.
> There was also the Skobbler case where a bunch of employees signed up
> right before an election, and their memberships were held back until
> after the election.
> 
> My first response to hearing of companies encouraging people to sign up,
> pay for their memberships, and have them vote a particular way is "this
> can't be legal." Without reviewing the law or asking a lawyer, I don't
> know if it's legal, but I think it's wrong.-- 
 Rihards