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ORGANISING STRATEGY

• What is “organising”? Why organise?

• Strategy0

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What is “organising”?

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What is “organising”?• Increasing the participation of workers in unions.

• The goal is to increase union power in our workplaces and industries.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Learning from each other• Organising situations share many of the same principles despite their particular realities.

• We need to continually adjust our plans to fit each of our unique situations.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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How is organising different from recruiting?• Signing up union members (recruiting) increases our numbers and our income from union membership dues.

• Recruiting is part of organising, but if the new members do not participate in the union, we have not organised them.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What is our union’s interest in organising or increasing worker participation?

We want to organise non-union workers and win union recognition.

We want to organise non-union workers and win union recognition.

We already have union structures, and we want existing members more involved in our union.

We already have union structures, and we want existing members more involved in our union.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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ACTIVITY: Why do we want to organise?Why are we hesitant to organise?

Aim: To share and analyse our reasons for organising.Tasks: • Select a facilitator and timekeeper.• Review your definition of “organising”.• List and discuss the reasons why we want to organise and why we are hesitant to organise.• Think about your individual reasons and the union’s reasons.• Pay special attention to the reasons why we are hesitant to organise. This will help us understand what obstacles and barriers we need to overcome.• Prepare to share with the large group.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Why are we hesitant to organise?Why are we hesitant to organise?

Why do we want to organise?Why do we want to organise?

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Why do we want to organise?

To improve working

conditions

To improve working

conditions

To improve

the industry and the

economy

To improve

the industry and the

economy

To help other

workers

To help other

workers

To build collective power for workers

To protect conditions for

current union members from

unfair wage competition

To protect conditions for

current union members from

unfair wage competition

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Why are we hesitant to organise?• Too difficult and we might not win.• Workers will get pressured.• The workers are apathetic.• Not enough time and resources.• Too many problems to resolve with our current members.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What have we done in the past to help us organise and increase member participation in our union?

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What is a union?

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What is a union?An organisation of workers acting collectively to improve working and social conditions for all workers.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Why do unions need worker participation?• Sometimes unions have enough power to win improvements in conditions without involving the majority of the workers.

• Without worker participation, we may win improved conditions, but will we have organised a stronger union?

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Three common reasons some organising plans fail1. Workers not willing or able to take risks

necessary to win.2. Lacking a good plan with insufficient

support.3. Not having a clear vision that workers can

support.

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What power does the employer have?

What power does a worker have?

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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What power does the employer have?

What power does a worker have?

• Economic resources• Control of capital and global economy• Attempted control over workers• Legal tools and resources• Allies in the government, media, other companies and society• Other

• Economic resources• Control of capital and global economy• Attempted control over workers• Legal tools and resources• Allies in the government, media, other companies and society• Other

• Collective solidarity… if organised• Skill and ability to affect production or services… if organised• Control of key positions in global supply chains… if organised• Allies with other workers and communities, locally and internationally… if organised• Legal tools and resources… if organised• Allies with government and media… if organised• Other

• Collective solidarity… if organised• Skill and ability to affect production or services… if organised• Control of key positions in global supply chains… if organised• Allies with other workers and communities, locally and internationally… if organised• Legal tools and resources… if organised• Allies with government and media… if organised• Other

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Anything else to discuss about what we mean by “organising” and why organising is important?

WHAT IS ORGANISING?

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Strategy

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What is strategy?

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Strategy involves planning ahead about what situations might arise and adjusting our actions accordingly.

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Planning Your Organising Strategy• A good plan does not hide our difficulties or weaknesses.

• A good plan does not underestimate the power of the employer or decision maker.

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Planning your organising strategyWhen planning organising strategy include participants who are:• Union membersactivists• Union staff• Elected union leaders• Non-union workers

When planning organising strategy include participants who are:• Union membersactivists• Union staff• Elected union leaders• Non-union workers

Think about recruiting participants who can relate to other workers based on:• Age• Gender• Geography• Industry• Occupation• Culture• Language• Other

Think about recruiting participants who can relate to other workers based on:• Age• Gender• Geography• Industry• Occupation• Culture• Language• Other

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Will workers feel pressure to not become involved in the union?

In most of the world, workers will face strong anti-union campaigns.

In most of the world, workers will face strong anti-union campaigns.

Where unions are well established, there may not be significant pressure on workers.

However, even in a stable labour relations environment, a challenge to established power relationships may create pressure on workers.

Where unions are well established, there may not be significant pressure on workers.

However, even in a stable labour relations environment, a challenge to established power relationships may create pressure on workers.

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ACTIVITY: What might the employer (or decision maker) do or say?

Aim: To predict what the anti-union campaign might look like.Tasks: Select a facilitator and timekeeper.Discuss what the employer has done in the past to prevent workers from organising.List everything you think the employer might do or say.Prepare to compare your lists with others.

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What might the employer do or say? Support workers’ efforts to organise Befriend workers Promote union supporters to management Give raises and make promises Increase discipline or fire union supporters Discredit union leadership Start anti-union “loyalty” committee (“yellow union”) Terminate unpopular managers Threaten to close the company Meet with the workers one-to-one

Use physical violence Say “Give us a second chance, we promise to improve things” Say “We are all one happy family” Say “The union is the outside party” Say “It is not my decision” Say “You don’t need a union because you have a works council” Yell and intimidate Hire an outside anti-union consultant Other STRATEGY

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How can we build a step-by-step plan to build the collective strength that we need to face the employer?

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Adjust the framework to fit your organising situationFor example:You might want to map the workplace first in order to determine where the workers are and what they are concerned about.ORYou may want to start addressing workplace problems right away as a way to energise workers to become involved.

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What are “benchmarks”?

• “Benchmarks” are specific goals that measures levels of worker involvement.

• In our strategic framework there are four key benchmarks.

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Set your own benchmarks• Set the benchmarks at the percentage that fits your organising situation.

• Benchmarks should be high enough to build a strong union power for the future, not simply enough to meet a mobilisation event or a legal requirement for union recognition. STRATEGY

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We need to adapt and change as circumstances change.Build in regular reviews and discussions of our strategy and benchmarks.

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When workers will be facing pressure from the employer…• Benchmarks are often set at 75% to ensure majority support from workers.

• Once we publicly confront the employer pressure against the workers increases.

• Some workers will reduce their involvement, which undermines our majority support.

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When workers are protected from employer pressure…• Focus your organising on the areas where the union needs and wants more worker participation.

• Decide the level of worker participation you need.

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Why might union leaders decide to confront the employer or decision maker without majority worker support?

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Pressures on union leaders to confront the employer without majority worker support• Lack of time and resources

• Belief that the workers will never be ready

• Hope that worker support will naturally increase

• Groups of workers in another location or country being ready before others

• Challenges to the culture of the union

• Desire to take immediate action to assist others who are weak

• Not having an organising plan

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How can we avoid confronting anti-union employers or decision makers before we are ready?

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How can we avoid confronting anti-union employers or decision makers before we are ready?• No media releases or public announcements.• No written union materials.• Do not work to resolve workplace problems too early. Explain to workers the overall strategy of waiting until we have built enough support before we begin to act against the employer.• Other

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If there are external deadlines…• With contract negotiations or a privatisation threat, it is essential that the union begins organising early.

• Too often we wait or delay our organising work and then blame the workers if they are not involved when we need them.

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What if the employer finds out?

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If the employer finds out…• We stick to our strategy.

• If union organisers are terminated we may be forced to take public action. However, at the same time we can quietly and systematically continue our mapping and training of workers.

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What if we need to decrease our organising resources?

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What if we need to decrease our organising resources?• We still keep in communication with and support the workers who have become more involved.

• Setting benchmarks helps us set the groundwork for difficult decisions.

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