As we all know by now, a couple of past presidents started a company a few years ago that is now gaining some traction. In a news release, they describe their new business as “the beginning of a brave new world” for the court reporting profession.
Hmm, a brave new world? Why does that have resonance? Where have we heard that before?
Well, it turns out that Shakespeare was the first to use it in “The Tempest,” and perhaps the most famous use was by Aldous Huxley for the title of his book, “Brave New World.”
But for Shakespeare and for Huxley, their brave new worlds were dystopian. They weren’t places you wanted to live.
We believe that this “brave new world” of court reporting is a world of loss of jobs, loss of benefits, loss of transcripts, loss of security, loss of children’s college tuitions, loss of retirements, loss of mortgage payments. It’s a place where reporters will have to work for the “World Controller” who will have access to the book of business that they will get from making promises of lower overhead to court systems around the country. The World Controller gets to decide how much a reporter will earn off of the transcripts – IF the reporter will earn anything off of the transcripts. Again, it’s our opinion that the pricing of transcripts will be a secret, just like it’s already a secret for the big-box shops around the country.
Speaking of the big-box shops, before we know it, this “brave new world” will shift to the freelance world. Can you envision a deposition with a reporter in Atlanta while a witness is in Portland, Oregon? The only thing preventing that from happening today is a National Oath.
We here at WakeUpNCRA have seen across social media that past NCRA leaders are once again pushing for the National Oath. It didn’t work in 2014, but it’s never too late to try again, is it?
We can see member value for reporters across the country if NCRA will take a stand against a National Oath Act. These big-box shops and “World Controllers” can hire lobbyists and lawyers to enhance their “brave new world.” Wouldn’t it be nice for NCRA to use its clout to fight for the working reporter by opposing a National Oath at every turn?
But it’s not too late for you to ask your future leaders how they feel about the brave new world of a National Oath. Are they for it, or will they fight against it?
Thursday is voting day at NCRA! Please make your voice heard!
Wake Up NCRA!
Frank N. Sense
P.S. Please send this to ten NCRA members so that they know to vote on August 4th, too!