IMPORTANT!!! NCRA Action -- A NATIONAL Threat to STENO Court Reporting Profession -- Think Deposition Reporters Can't Be Replaced by ER/DAR? Think Again!

[Quyen]

Please read the message below and go to this site for more information/details: http://motiontorescind.wordpress.com/


Dear Reporters:

In November of 2008, the NCRA Board of Directors voted to explore/develop a plan for the testing and certification of non-steno methods. These methods include electronic recording/digital audio recording and voicewriting.

As members of NCRA, we believe it is in contradiction to the Constitution & Bylaws of this Association and outside the scope of purpose of the Association to spend Association money and resources on certifying non-stenographic methods, especially when members of this Association, steno reporters, are losing jobs all over the country to these competing methods.

Although we understand that no actual plan for testing non-steno methods has been developed yet and is only in a discussion stage, we object to any time and/or money spent on an endeavor that we believe will be harmful to the core membership and the profession.

We understand there is a perfectly valid opposing opinion that if these alternate record-makers are working alongside stenographers, they should be held to the same standards. However, our belief is that it would be very hard, if not impossible, for NCRA to remain an advocate for the stenographic method if it were to test/certify other methods’ competency; that it would fundamentally change the Association from a trade association for verbatim stenographers to a testing agency for all makers of the record.

An analogy from the NCRA Forum was that GM wants Hondas tested equally by the NHTSA. We agree, but GM isn’t in charge of testing Hondas, and shouldn’t be (conflict of interest.) So the question is whether members want NCRA to become the independent testing authority (NHTSA).

We believe this is such a significant policy shift that it should be presented to membership to decide on, not just the board of directors.

In response to this action by the board, a group of reporters have created this Members’ Motion to Rescind Board Action, pursuant to NCRA Constitution & Bylaws, in order to have the issue debated and voted upon by the membership at the annual business meeting this year. Below you will find the actual motion, supporting documents, as well as how you and others can become a signatory if you agree.

Please understand, this motion is in no way meant to insult, harass, or annoy. We are not pointing fingers or making character assaults of any kind. What we have here is a difference of opinion. However, we truly believe that allowing the board to continue down this path would be detrimental to the careers of our membership.

Our passion is great; our motives are sincere.

You will need to attend the annual business meeting on August 6 in Washington, D.C. in order to actually vote. Online voting is not available for this purpose. However, your support as a signatory is also needed to demonstrate to those present the will of the members.

Thank you for your consideration.

*** For further reading on this issue, please visit:

NCRA Forum "Reality" Thread
depoman.com
concernedreporters.com
"Concerned Student" Blog

[Debbie Turner]

Quyen,

Your post is a great lead-in for me to state that I am still a proud member of my state association. Also, I am NOT by any means promoting that others leave NCRA (at least yet). This was a very personal decision for me. I have chosen to make my exit from NCRA public in the hopes that it will help in some way. Anyone who truly knows me knows I prefer to "lay low," not making waves. But sometimes it's worthwhile to drive a boat near the complacent and create a wake and get some waves that might wake 'em up.

And your thread is at the top again, where it should be!!!
Debbie (with no initials)
Former NCRA Member

[Judy]

Debbie,

Your post makes me wonder how many other machine writers are going to start signing off with "(with no initials), Former NCRA Member."

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Correct me if I'm wrong (KRONG/KRONG), but I believe NCRA lays claim to "RPR" and "RMR" and "CRR," etc., those acronyms for their certifications, and has mentioned in the past ... although I could never begin to find it ... that they could possibly bring suit against someone who falsely used those initials after their name. But I wonder if that could be said for signing off as, for example:

Cynthia Parks, FRPR, FRMR

or

Richard Townsend, FRDR-FCRR, CLR
CA CSR 55555

where F = former. Again, just wondering. It may be relevant for some in the future.

M.A.

[Judy]

True.

Judy Runes
FRPR (possibly)

p.s.: Although, if you really want the realtime designation, here's another alternative: http://www.ccrrexam.org/ Tell me, do you really think an attorney would know the diference between a CCRR and a CRR?

p.s.s.: I wonder if they've paid for the trademark of those initials? Just curious :)

[Quyen]

CR firms don't really care, so I don't think the attorneys even care or notice initials/no initials at all as long as you can do the job. :)

[Mary Ann Payonk]

I don't know, Judy ... but if you google RPR and RMR, etc., there are other organizations that use those initials for their various ... various "things." My answer to your question is in my opinion, no, most attys (and I mean the vast majority) don't have a clue what any of the NCRA certifications are, or mean. And I'll ask this question for Lisa. I wonder if NCRA would pursue and punish a reporter who unauthorizedly used an NCRA certification designation after their name with the same zeal they pursue and punish those who go against their ethics recommendations.

M.A.

M.A.

[Debbie Turner]

If I start suffering withdrawal about not having initials after my name, I could always just make something up, couldn't I?

Debbie Turner, FR (Fabulous Reporter)
Debbie Turner, RFR (Really Fabulous Reporter)
Debbie Turner, RFRE (Really Fabulous Reporter Emeritus) <-- I'll be retired!!! Yay!

Then if perchance for the third time in my 27-year career an attorney asked me what those initials meant, I'd have a lot more fun explaining it than I did RPR, RMR, or RDR!

[Quyen]

Well, I don't know about that, Debbie. Lemme take a stab at it:

Quyen N. Do, RPR (Really Peeved Reporter)
Quyen N. Do, RPR (Ridiculously Paranoid Reporter)
Quyen N. Do, RPR (Radically Psycho Reporter)

Quyen N. Do, RMR (Really Mad Reporter)

Quyen N. Do, RDR (Really Demented Reporter)
Quyen N. Do, RDR (Really Deaf Reporter)

OK, so this is a bit quite sophomoric, but ... I had fun. :)

[Quyen]

I've asked Anita Shemin to also post her reply here, but if you haven't read it or have missed it, please read it in the "Concerned Student" blog.

Anita, unfortunately, is living proof that, YES, deposition reporters CAN and ARE being replaced by ER/DAR. Complacency will put the last nail in the coffin of our profession. Please don't let that happen.

[Karen Mc]

I totally agree that NCRA has no business exploring those methods of reporting in hopes of bringing them into our association. Voice writers and ED have their own national associations. I objected when NSRA changed their name because I was afraid that this was coming down the pike. You don't see Chiropractors and Orthopedists and physical therapists in the same association even though they all deal with bones and muscles. I have respect for any reporter who is professional and puts out a good
transcript, but they do not belong in our association. The only research that should be going on, in my opinion, is what new advancements are occurring in all modes of reporting so that we can stay ahead of the game. We all worked too hard to get to where we are at and WE are the backbone of NCRA and have made them what they are today. I am afraid there will be a mass exodus from the association if this happens.

[Quyen]

You make a good point, Karen. I think the point of contention may have been lost on many reporters throughout this whole debate. It's not that we are against certification of ER/DAR methods. What we DON'T want is for the NCRA to be the certifying body. As you have indicated, they've already got their own associations. We want OUR association to protect OUR profession and OUR best interests.

Mass exodus is exactly what we want if the NCRA wants to continue down this ER/DAR certification path. What I've just heard, which is QUITE DISTURBING, is that some reporters think this is simply a ploy by the NCRA to increase attendance at the annual convention. Even if it is, I'm not willing to take that chance. This isn't something that the NCRA just thought up overnight; the certification/inclusion of other methods has been on the table for years ... just no one really paid much attention to it.

It's not like the NCRA has put this out in the open on the table for discussion among its members. The latest mention of it was a small paragraph on page 26 of the May 2009 issue. One would have to read the JCR almost cover to cover to notice any mention of it. I would say this is a covert attempt by the NCRA to "sneak one by us."

[Mary Ann Payonk]

Hi, Karen. I'm not changing my mind that it's a bad idea -- I do think it's a bad idea, and if given the chance to choose, I would choose against permitting it -- but there's the "it." Some say merely exploring the idea of bringing some extra money into NCRA by testing doesn't mean the sky is falling ... it's just something that's in the idea kinda-sorta let's-kick-it-around stage right now, and we're panicking for no reason.

Besides the current debate about testing ER in an umbrella association, there are a couple other big issues out there. IMO, that's contracting, and incentive gift-giving. If reporters are the backbone of NCRA ... and there's no doubt that we are the talent, we are the worker bees ... if we have made NCRA what they are today ... what exactly are they today? Has NCRA effectively prevented rock-bottom rates caused by contracting? Where anti-contracting legislation is in effect, do those laws have teeth? Or are they merely suggestions? Does NCRA police and make sure that reporting agencies aren't flying under the radar? And does NCRA come in with a heavy hand and strict disciplinary action when ethics violations are asserted and ultimately proven?

Now, if you're a Seinfeld fan ... and I wasn't until late in life, like just a couple years ago ... but if you are, you'll remember the interesting comments by Elaine in one episode, "Fake ... fake ... fake ... fake ... fake!" Well, I'm not posing those questions up there so that I or someone can say, "No ... no ... no ... no ... no!" to each one. Really! Now that you're smiling over that Seinfeld episode, I just threw those questions out as (1) conversation starters to (2) bump the topic to the head of the line again.

Oh, and if there IS a mass exodus from the association if the decision is made to continue to explore and ultimately test and certify electronic recording operators and/or transcribers, then membership in your state associations is going to be critical! I suggest joining your state association, and one other. Just a suggestion.

M.A.
(No cert for you! Watch 'til the end.)