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Labor History: A Key To Union Organizing

Labor History: A Key To Union Organizing. Tom Suhrbur Illinois Education Association (retired) Illinois Labor History Society Vice-President. IEATOMS@AOL.COM. Topics. What are union values? Why are union values important? How do you get people involve in your union?

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Labor History: A Key To Union Organizing

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  1. Labor History: A Key To Union Organizing Tom Suhrbur Illinois Education Association (retired) Illinois Labor History Society Vice-President IEATOMS@AOL.COM

  2. Topics • What are union values? Why are union values important? • How do you get people involve in your union? A. Recruiting activists B. Organizing a rank and file driven union

  3. What about your family? As you were growing up, did you have any close family relatives who belonged to unions? What, if anything, did you parents tell you about unions?

  4. Do you know these people? • Marshal Field • Andrew Carnegie • George Pullman • J.P. Morgan • John D. Rockefeller

  5. What about these people? • Eugene Debs • John L. Lewis • Samuel Gompers • A. Phillip Randolph • George Meany • Jimmy Hoffa

  6. One-on-one Exercise: Pair up with someone that you did not know prior to this week and have a one-on-one relational conversation. Ask the questions below; don’t take notes but be prepared to report out. • What issue caused you to get involved in a union for the first time? • What did you do? • What value(s) or passion led you to get involved as a union activist?

  7. VALUES “…we organize around their values---not just issues. The issues fade and they lose interest. But what they really care about remains—family, dignity, justice, and hope. And we need power to protect what we value.” Ernesto Cortez, Cold Anger, page 31

  8. Seven Historic Union Values • Solidarity: Unionism • Democracy: Citizenship rights in the workplace • Focus on the Common Good, Sharing and Community: Social justice • Advocacy: “An injury to one is a concern of all” • Compromise: Incremental and ongoing progress • Balance of Power (equity): Rights/protections to offset power of employer • Dignity of Work: Quality of the work, not just pay • Equality:

  9. Discuss “Recruiting Leadership” • What were the key steps in the recruitment process that made it successful? • What qualities do you look for in a potential recruit? • How could you apply the concept in the essay to your work? • What problems might you face if you tried this approach?

  10. Key Points • Targeting: Use networks in buildings to identify potential activists • Relationships: Building relationships based on shared values • Getting involved: Members get involved because they care about an issue; leaders stay involved based on their values • Start small: Don’t push recruits too far • Have Fun: Union involvement must not be all work

  11. Saul Alinsky

  12. “It doesn’t matter what you know about anything if you’re not communicating with your people. In that event, you are not even a failure, you’re just not there!” -- Saul Alinsky

  13. Saul Alinsky suggests that listening is the critical starting point in organizing • Success depends upon being accepted by the membership • Success depends upon respecting the dignity of individuals • “Listen not talk, and learn to eat, sleep, breath only one thing; the problems and aspirations of the community.”

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