ACTIVISTS
Who is a good activist? – A good activist is someone who has a passion for improving the lives of working people.
What qualities does it take to be an activist?
Time – Campaign planning and activities happen in non-work hours. Activists are willing to give some of their free time because they have a true desire to move our program forward and build toward a just society.
Commitment – Training and education are always a part of campaign efforts. Whether on a contract campaign at your workplace, organizing new workers, or volunteering for a political campaign, having a commitment to see the campaign through to the end is essential if we are going to win.
Activist expectations
- Talk to members or pass out literature in your workplace
- Participate in phone banking
- Door to door canvass for political or community campaigns
- Attend a rally, town hall or lobby day
- Engage in electronic activism around any of these campaigns (internet/email)
- Sign a postcard or a petition to a legislator/employer/corporate CEO
- Make a phone call to your legislators or Congress
- Talking to unorganized workers during or before an organizing campaign
TEAM LEADERS
Who is a good team leader? – A good team leader is someone who would like to play a leadership role in supporting our Union’s efforts to help workers and their families.
What qualities does it take to be a team leader?
Leadership – “Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.” – President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Organizing – “Successful organizing is based on the recognition that people get organized because they, too, have a vision.” – Paul Wellstone
Team leader expectations
- Recruit, engage, and energize activists around a variety of activities and actions
- Develop relationships with other organizations in our community through our campaign efforts
- Train others to participate in campaign activities
- Lead contract campaign activities in your workplace and recruit more contract action team members
- Some team leaders will become Member Organizers that are trained to help other workers join our union
- Some team leaders will become Member Political Organizers that are trained to help candidates win who share our vision of a just society through phone banking, canvassing neighborhoods, and talking with other members about candidates
If you would like to become more active in your union political and organizing efforts, please contact Trisha Botty for more information.