Uniting as one voice is the only way to protect the future of the appraisal profession and, most importantly, the real estate appraiser.

We can no longer sit at our desk behind a computer hoping someone will take care of current events or intend to get around to doing something. This is the downfall of the appraisal profession.

Union of Real Estate Appraisers is “Uniting appraisers to preserve and improve the appraisal profession.” This union will be the means and medium to have the appraisers’ voices heard, develop positions, and establish plans of action to ensure our interests are represented and our livelihood is protected.

It’s Time For Change.

Professionals are confronted with increasing challenges to their careers brought about by rapidly changing technology, the turbulent world economy, new work methods, and in the appraisal profession, real estate reform bills. Professionals are forming unions to enhance their professional autonomy, to be involved in making the decisions that affect their careers, and for greater professional and personal security.

Despite the common misconception that organized labor is primarily a blue collar movement, today more than 51 percent of all union members are white collar. In fact, the professional specialty occupations now have more union members than any other occupational group. For professional and technical workers, the key attraction of a union is that is gives them a voice.

One does not sacrifice professionalism by joining a union. Unions make sure that people get treated fairly. The real revolution is that gigantic corporations treat professionals like chattel and that the nature of professional deportment precludes fighting back in a forceful and organized fashion. The emerging counter revolution is that professional people are forming their own unions. Union of Real Estate Appraisers is part of this counter revolution.

Union of Real Estate Appraisers Local 2351 is a newly charted union joining forces with The International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. IUPAT represents a growing force of more than 140,000 men and women in the United States and Canada. Recognized as one of the most active unions, IUPAT members help shape their communities in many ways: through an abiding commitment to service, by fighting passionately for rights that benefit all professions and their families, and through effective and aggressive political mobilization. IUPAT is working with UREA in the aggressive political action real estate appraisers are in need of today. UREA has not formed to “strike” as this word is thought of when you hear the word “union”. UREA is specifically uniting appraisers to be one voice in aggressive political action.

• Be involved, bring you concerns to the table, have your voice heard.

• We can only have impact by uniting.

• We must grow in numbers and have a collective voice.

We must understand that on the Federal level the masses are what make the difference. If we do not have the numbers to make the difference we will all fail to protect our profession and our selves.

All of us hear, “What can a Union do for me?” What can you do to protect your future? Protect your livelihood, the quality of the appraisal process from which it is derived, and receive fair pay from that quality. This is what a union is about. We can grow in numbers and, with a collective voice, have bargaining power and find solutions for a variety of appraiser concerns. What better group of people could bring these concerns to the table and do something about it than appraisers ourselves?

To find more information about UREA, please visit the Union of Real Estate Appraisers website or contact Lynne Palmer.