Power Through Organizing: Building AFSCME's Strength

1. Power Through Organizing Title Slide Building AFSCME’s Strength afscme.org/academy

2. Workshop Objectives Agenda Slide • Understand the economic crisis facing working families • Be aware of how declining unionization affects our standard of living • Know about the AFSCME Organizing Program – our plan for fighting back • Learn what role YOU can play in organizing the unorganized and changing our country Brendel, Free Software Foundation afscme.org/academy

3. Working Families are in a Crisis • Our jobs are being privatized. • Our retirement security is being threatened. • Healthcare costs are skyrocketing. • Wealth is funneling to the top like never before.

4. Public Services Are Being Privatized Source: ICMA Municipal Year Book, 2002.

5. Union Workers Have Better Health Care and Pensions 68% Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, BLS, March 2007

6. Health Care Costs Outpace Wage Increases

7. The Growing Gap Between Workers’ Wages and Executive Pay By 2006, CEO pay had grown to 364 times the average blue collar worker’s pay -- by far the widest gap in the world. In 1980, CEO pay equaled 42 times the average blue collar worker’s pay. For large U.S. corporations surveyed by Business Week magazine Source: Institute for Policy Studies and United for a Fair Economy

8. Workshop Objectives Agenda Slide • Understand the economic crisis facing working families • Be aware of how declining unionization affects our standard of living • Know about the AFSCME Organizing Program – our plan for fighting back • Learn what role YOU can play in organizing the unorganized and changing our country. Recommend Clipart here afscme.org/academy

9. Fewer Workers Are In Unions Source: AFL-CIO.

10. Union Density by State, 1984 0% to 9% 10% to 20% 21% to 30% Source: U.S. Department of Labor

11. Union Density by State, 2004 0% to 9% 10% to 20% 21% to 30% Source: U.S. Department of Labor

12. Unions Raise Wages Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, BLS, Jan. 2007

13. Union vs. Non-union wages

14. If we don’t raise non-union workers up, we will get caught in the race to the bottom! Organizing the unorganized is a matter of self interest.

15. The percentage of workers represented by unions in the U.S. peaked in: The 1950s The 1960s The 1970s The percentage of workers represented by unions in 2007 was: 23% 18% 13% Knowledge Check

16. The percentage of workers represented by unions in the U.S. peaked in: Correct Answer - b. The 1960s The percentage of workers represented by unions in 2007 was: Correct Answer - c. 13% Answers

17. Workshop Objectives Agenda Slide • The economic crisis facing working families. • The effect of declining unionization on our standard of living • The AFSCME Organizing Program – our plan for fighting back. • What role YOU can play in organizing the unorganized and changing our country. Recommend Clipart here afscme.org/academy

18. AFSCME Power To Win Organizing Plan • Grow the Union by 5% each year. • Establish and strengthen Organizing Departments in every AFSCME Council. • Recruit and train Volunteer Member Organizers (VMOs). • Develop strategic organizing plans that leverage the resources and power we have at every level of the union. • Negotiate contract language that helps us organize.

19. AFSCME Power To Win: Our Strategy • Win new organizing rights for public employees. • Organize strategically in the private sector. • Organize emerging workforces.

20. Organizing Goals: International Union • 2% growth per year • Recruit and train organizing staff • Recruit and train VMOs

21. Organizing Goals:Major Affiliates • 3% growth per year • Dedicated Organizing Department • Strategic organizing plans • Utilize VMOs

22. Organizing Goals:Local Unions • 90% membership in units with collective bargaining. • Majority membership where we don’t have collective bargaining. • Negotiate release time for organizing campaigns. • Negotiate to include uncovered jobs . • Recruit VMOs.

23. We’re Making Progress YearNumber Organized 2001 61,942 2002 56,505 2003 47,944 2004 22,398 2005 33,383 2006 55,562 2007 47,914 2001-2007 325,648

24. Success in the Public Sector Oklahoma Municipal Workers • Won the Municipal Employees Collective Bargaining Act in 2004. • Organized 2,100 workers in six cities.

25. Success in the Private Sector First Student Inc. bus drivers • First Student is the largest private provider of student transportation in the U.S. • First Student workers are organizing with AFSCME across the country. • Victories in Indiana, Maine, and Pennsylvania

26. Success in Emerging Workforces In-Home Child Care Providers • Receive payment from state government treasuries. • Not classified as “employees”, so no workers comp, safety and health laws, etc. • Have organized with AFSCME in eleven states.

27. We Face Real Obstacles • Organizing isn’t a top priority for some councils • No right to organize in many states and local governments • Weak labor laws • Retaliation from employers against workers who try to organize • Employers hire professional union busters

28. The Plan adopted by delegates to the 2006 International Convention challenges the union to grow AFSCME by: 1% per year 5% per year 20% per year 25% per year VMO stands for: Very Motivated Organizer Volunteer Member Organizer Voting More Often Knowledge Check

29. The Plan adopted by delegates to the 2006 International Convention challenges the union to grow AFSCME by: Correct answer - b. 5% per year VMO stands for: Correct answer - b. Volunteer Member Organizer Answers

30. Workshop Objectives Agenda Slide • The economic crisis facing working families. • The effect of declining unionization on our standard of living • The AFSCME Organizing Program – our plan for fighting back. • What role YOU can play in organizing the unorganized and changing our country. afscme.org/academy

31. How can you combat the obstacles to organizing? • Encourage your union to have an active organizing program. • Commit resources. • Identify unorganized workers who do the same work as we do. • Become a VMO. • Negotiate organizing friendly language. • Find out where political candidates stand on organizing and ask them for their support.

32. Become a Volunteer Member Organizer – VMO. You are the most credible voice in a unionorganizing campaign. • Inspire unorganized workers • by educating them about the • benefits of union membership. • Help unorganized workers overcome fear. • Build local union awareness about the necessity of organizing. • Gain skills to help build your own union.

33. Bargain to Organize • Release time to work on organizing campaigns • Negotiate to bring uncovered job titles within our bargaining units

34. Build Political Support for Organizing • Recruit politicians who understand and support the right to organize. • Ask politicians to publicly support workers involved in organizing

35. Generations of AFSCME members have taken risks… Philadelphia – 1938 • City public works employees face layoffs and 30% wage cut. • Four-day strike. City tries to bring in strike-breakers. • Victory! Cuts rescinded. First signed agreement with a major U.S. city.

36. Generations of AFSCME members have taken risks… Striking sanitation workers in AFSCME Local 1733 fighting for respect and recognition in Memphis in 1968

37. Generations of AFSCME members have taken risks… AFSCME Local 101 members march in San Jose, CA during the nation’s first strike for pay equity.

38. What will our grandchildren say about OUR generation of AFSCME members? Now, It’s Our Turn

39. Closing Slide Option 1 Additional Information For more information, contact the Organizing and Field Services Department at:  OFSmail@afscme.org afscme.org/academy