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#216295 11/21/15 02:34 PM
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Dear Sirs,

I shall not be renewing my membership. Common courtesy demands that I advise of my reasons.

Simply put, you displease me.

You once again have increased your rates. The last increase got you a new palace for a headquarters .... what's the new one for? You guys want new cars?

That such would come, like a bolt from the blue, is no surprise. When did you ever consult your membership about anything? I've been acquainted with the IAEI since 1967, and not once in all that time have you asked your membership their opinion on anything. Not once has there been a poll, an election, or even a request for input. You claim to speak in my name- then tell me to shut up!

Who, then, do you represent? Surely not the trade professionals you claim to represent.

Rather, you have become little more than cheerleaders for the most arrogant actions possible. The IAEI has supported such outrages as the 1996 code specifying what the 1999 code panels would decide! So much for 'independent' code panels.

Discourse? Your internet forum was a complete failure, your magazine lacks a 'letters' section, and you've instituted a "process" for making comments. Can't you handle a simple 'letter to the editor?'

Your magazine articles border on the illiterate. Where anything of 'substance' is discussed, it is a topic so basic that ... well, anyone who needs the basics explained has no business inspecting anything.

Possibly the biggest failure is your failure to discuss Paschen's Law, a claimed 'law of Physics' that conclusively shows that an AFCI can never work at household voltages. Considering the stampede to adopt AFCI's this is a claim worthy of major attention. Is it real, or is it fantasy? It seems to me that sending a reporter to a college physics' department for enlightenment is a reasonable expectation for a trade association.

Instead, you rail against the very AHJ's who give the NEC legitimacy, asserting that they must rubber-stamp each new edition without delay or modification. You've got that relationship exactly backwards. You also rail against those who question the 3-year code cycle. This might be a good opinion, but you fail to explain just how a 3-year cycle is necessary, and that any other interval is inadequate.

As for the 'free' codebook each cycle ... Someday I'll learn why IAEI members are the LAST to receive the new edition. Why does the local supply house get copies months before IAEI members? As for the value of the 'free' copy ... how is it that the local supply houses always offer better pricing than I can get with my "members' discount?"

I'm sure you'll muddle along just fine without me. You certainly don't seem upset with the losses in memberships you took the last time you raised rates. If anything, the declining membership seems to spur you to ever-more radical activities. You're showing every sign of having been hijacked by activists. You don't mind, as I no longer matter.

Well, if you feel that way .... you can do so without my dues.

Sincerely yours

John Steinke

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
I dumped IAEI a few years ago. I wasn't happy with the pop up ads for Russian porn sites in their forums and although it was just a fairly innocuous private comment about it, the web guy went ballistic about it and pretty much called me a liar.

I found the Florida electrical contractors group (ECF) was a lot better organization to belong to anyway. They were more interested in the trade and not the politics. They also have other non business related function I enjoy.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,335
S
Member
So tell us how you really feel....

Good for you


"Live Awesome!" - Kevin Carosa
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
Boy, I guess you really gave them What-it-is. mad laugh

Somewhere in Richardson, TX is a trash can just aching to receive your correspondence.

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
I thought I was rather polite and restrained. Just a statement of facts, no ego, no 'now take this!' in the reply.

I fulfilled my duty. Whatever else, they can't claim 'nobody ever told us.'

More importantly, no one knew of Greg's unhappiness with them. Everyone was left feeling as though they were the only one. Well, making my letter public ought to make other dissatisfied folks feel more comfortable.

I have no illusions.

Yet, everyone in the trade will be told sometime that this group 'represents them,' etc. I disagree. Now others can see that, and decide accordingly.

BTW, electure ... I feel so reassured to know they'll print out my e-mail, just to toss it away laugh

Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,381
Likes: 7
Member
IAEI somehow fell off my radar when no renewal notice showed up in the mail.

I was not an 'active' member in the local group, the politics were not what I was interested in. And I just went away.

The same political issues were with the last local organization I was a member of; and again..I just went away.

Does IAEI miss me? I really doubt it.


John
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 264
Member
Interesting letter, reno.

Over time I have belonged to various groups and have been asked to join others. At this point in time I feel as though if there's going to be more than 1 member then it's likely not the group for me.

More-often-than-not I find that most groups/orgs. start out with the best intentions until they grow in numbers where ultimately internal politics and power struggles overshadow those initial best intentions.


A malfunction at the junction
--------------------------------------
Dwayne
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
When you said "letter" I was of the impression that you had sent them a letter.
An email would just be deleted, never to be seen again.

When I dropped the IAEI, I didn't send them anything.
I decided it just wasn't for me
smile

Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,158
Member
Originally Posted by Potseal
Interesting letter, reno.

Over time I have belonged to various groups and have been asked to join others. At this point in time I feel as though if there's going to be more than 1 member then it's likely not the group for me.

More-often-than-not I find that most groups/orgs. start out with the best intentions until they grow in numbers where ultimately internal politics and power struggles overshadow those initial best intentions.



Reminds me of a saying i heard once " i wouldn't be a member of a group that would have me "

Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 943
Likes: 2
N
Member
Originally Posted by dougwells
Originally Posted by Potseal
Interesting letter, reno.

Over time I have belonged to various groups and have been asked to join others. At this point in time I feel as though if there's going to be more than 1 member then it's likely not the group for me.

More-often-than-not I find that most groups/orgs. start out with the best intentions until they grow in numbers where ultimately internal politics and power struggles overshadow those initial best intentions.



Reminds me of a saying i heard once " i wouldn't be a member of a group that would have me "


I think it can be attributed to Groucho Marx.

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