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Getting Members to Help Out

Different kinds of unions operate in different kinds of ways, but they all have a lot in common, especially this: understanding that more people who pitch in, the more effective their union becomes and the better job it can do for everyone.

The question is, how do unions get more people to volunteer their time and energies? How do you find and recruit the people you need to make the union as strong and effective as you know it can be?

A Program that Works

Here's a way that has proven successful in a lot of unions. It may well work for yours.

To begin with, think of your own work area and the tasks you face as a steward. Think of all the things that could make the union more effective. With that as a starting point, talk with your union leadership, grievance committee, executive board, brother and sister stewards - whatever and whoever is appropriate in you setting - and ask of help in identifying the members in your workplace who may be potential new activists.

This program for identifying and recruiting activists can help you build a stronger, more effective union

At the first meeting of this leadership group, discuss what type of assistance is needed: newsletter writers, social , health and safety, community outreach or other committee members, additional stewards, and so forth. Once these needs have bee established, distribute to everyone in the group a membership list of the local, the various work areas, shifts or whatever membership breakdown is appropriate in your situation. Go through members' names, one-by-one, and talk about each person, looking at each for the qualities you need in an activist. Try to remember if anyone on the list has ever expressed an interest in getting more involved. (Almost every time I have done this exercise, participants have found at least one member who has indicated a desire to play a more active role in the union, but no one had ever followed up and recruited him or her to a specific task.) Put a check by the name of each member who is a prospective new union activist.

Develop a Plan

Next, develop a plan to talk to every possible activist on a one-on-one basis. Divide their names among your group. Don't take more people than you think you can reasonably handle.

Schedule a period of time, usually between one and two weeks, to talk to the prospective activists. These individual discussions can take place during lunch breaks, before a after work, or during visits to their homes.

How do you make the approach? One way to start the discussion with each person is by asking how he or she feels things are going in the workplace or the union. What issues are of concern? Whatever the response, listen! Too often we talk too much to actually hear what members are really thinking.

Make the connection between whatever it is that concerns the members and how the member's increased participation would help resolve the problem. For instance, it the member is concerned with the speed of grievance processing, and you know for a fact that the union is being hampered by having too few stewards, you might say: "I understand what you mean. I think we are doing a pretty good job considering the number of stewards we have. We are all working hard. But we have a number of unfilled steward positions. If someone like you were to agree to become a steward, we could do and even better job handling grievances."

Keep in mind that members may have skills to offer that might not match the positions you need to fill. Be flexible - never reject someone who's willing to help the union cause. If someone is artistic, you might ask him to help keep the union bulletin board up to date and look neat, or to draw a picture or cartoon for the newsletter. If someone only has a little bit of time to commit, ask her to hand out leaflets or help make phone calls for a union project every so often. Remember, the more members who are active, even in a small way, the more effective the union.

Keep in mind that the members may need time to think about your request. Don't pressure them: when people volunteer for a job they really don't want, they frequently don't perform very well. If necessary, give the people you are talking to time to decide, and follow up with them after an agreed upon period.

At the next meeting of your leadership group discuss each person with whom you talked. Who decided to volunteer on the spot? What has to be done to get him or her started in the position? Which approaches worked and which did not? What would the group recommend to convince individuals who seem interested in helping but haven't quite committed? Would it help if someone else in the group, or another union leader, came with you the next time you spoke to the individual? If someone was unable to talk to everyone on their list, can someone else in the group help out?

Set a period of time for follow-up discussions or uncompleted contacts and schedule another meeting of the group in a week or two.

This program takes a little time and effort, but it can pay off in huge dividends. When you realize that the whole exercise can be planned and executed in a matter of weeks, and that you can emerge from it with a bunch of new people willing to help the union do its vital work, you'll see it's well worth your investment.
-Carl Goldman. The writer is executive director of AFSME Council26.

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