Rapid Response Basics Training - United...
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Rapid Response Basics Training Ronnie Watson, Jerome Davison & Mark McDonald
Transcript of Rapid Response Basics Training - United...
Rapid Response
Basics Training Ronnie Watson, Jerome Davison &
Mark McDonald
Why Rapid
Response Works
Overview
• Why Does it Work?
• The Basics of the Program
• Get Informed
• Get the Info Out, Get Active & Give Feedback
• Be Ready to Overcome Barriers!
• In-Between Actions
• Issues that Impact Your Local
Why Rapid Response Works Why does it matter to my local?
Job Security Trade Law, Fast Track,
Infrastructure Investment,
Unemployment Benefits
Pensions/Retirement Pension Protection Act, Social
Security Benefits
Hours of Work Comp Time, 40 Hour Work Week
Healthcare ACA. Medicare
Health and Safety Silica Standard, OSHA, NIOSH
Having a Voice at Work RTW, NLRB Staffing, ALEC
Minimum Wage Creates Competition
increasing Leverage
Why Rapid Response Works Why does it matter to my local?
• Education on policy that impacts our working & retirement lives
• Ability to impact those legislative decisions
• Provides experience in working with elected officials – helpful for non-legislative work too
• Build a communication structure that builds strength and solidarity
Rapid Response Works Some wins in 2014: • Helped stop the Camp-Baucus fast track
proposal
• Got another positive outcome from our 2010 energy trade case (this time benefiting Steelworkers who mine rare earth minerals)
• Delivered more than 12,000 postcards urging infrastructure investment and Buy American (with tens of thousands more to go)
• Prevented anti-union bills from becoming law in multiple states
• Successfully pushed back against paycheck deception bills in Pennsylvania and MIssouri
• And more!!
Why Rapid Response Works What is the “Big Picture”?
Why Rapid Response Works
Just because you do not take an
interest in politics doesn’t mean
that politics won’t take an interest
in you.
- Pericles (430 BC)
The Basics of the
Program
The Basics
• The history
• Now: 20 years strong
• Fundamentals: education, one-on-
one communication, non-partisan,
bypass traditional bureaucracy
If the 99% vote,
the 1% won’t matter!
Rapid Response gives members a
way to engage and trusts members
to vote the right way.
Why? Because . . .
Get Informed!
Get Informed
Get Informed
Text: USWRapid
To: 69866
Get Informed
www.facebook.com/USWRapidResponse
Get Informed
Be sure that
you are signed
up to receive
our emails so
you can get
access to our
quarterly online
newsletter!
Get the Info Out,
Get Active & Give
Feedback
Get the Info Out
• One-on-one communication =
the heart of Rapid Response!
• Need to build and maintain a
communication network
– Rapid Response Coordinator
– Rapid Response Team
– Mapping your workplace
• Make sure your program can
adapt to change within your
local!
Get the Info Out:
Rapid Response Coordinator
• Appointed by Local President
• Recruits a Team along with President &
ensures Team Members are engaged
• Keeps the Team informed and ready
• Reports action results
• Reports changes in Team Members
• Personally participates!
Get the Info Out:
Mapping Your Workplace
Consider:
• Goal is 4% minimum (one per 25)
• Amalgamated or Not
• Worksite Layout & Logistical
Considerations
• Departments
• Shifts
Get the Info Out:
Single Location Local
South Foundry 8 Members/Shift
Finishing 2 9 Members/Shift
Shipping 4 Members/Shift Finishing 1
11 Members/Shift
North Foundry 8 Members/Shift
Extrusion 1 4 Members/Shift
Extrusion 2 4 Members/Shift
5 Shifts – 230 Members
8 Departments
Operates 7 Days a Week
Maintenance Barn 5 Members/Shift
Get the Info Out:
Healthcare Local
Get the Info Out:
Healthcare Local
10 Members/Shift
20 Members/Shift 4 Members/Shift
2 Members/Shift
10 Members/Shift
5 Members/Shift
15 Members/Shift
10 Members/Shift
10 Members/Shift
Get the Info Out:
Large Facility Local
Get the Info Out:
Large Facility Local
• 54 Acre Facility
• 2200 Members
• 12 and 8 Hour Shifts
• 7 Interchangeable Coordinators
• Local Uses Their Steward Structure
• 125 Team Members
• Rebuild Team at Contract Time
Get the Info Out:
Amalgamated Local
• What are some of the difficulties in
setting up a Rapid Response program
in a local with multiple worksites?
• What are some ways to communicate
that could be used to increase activism?
• Should the structure of the local’s team
change?
Get the Info Out:
Amalgamated Local
• 600 Members
• 2 Facilities
• 1 Local Union Coordinator
• 1 Coordinator for each worksite
• Very large email database
• Communicate in more non-traditional
ways
Get the Info Out:
Rapid Response Team Members
What do we need our team members to do?
• Circulate information to an assigned
group of people
• Ensure actions are carried out
• Report results back to the RR
Coordinator
• Personally participate!
Get the Info Out:
Who Should be a Team Member?
Necessary: Willing to do the job
Helpful:
• Interest in legislative issues
• Good communicators
• Respected by fellow members
• In the right place at the right time & can
get to others easily
Get the Info Out:
Who Should be a Team Member?
• Women of Steel
• Next Gen Activists
• Stewards
• New Members
• SOAR
• CAT Team Members
• Political Activists
Get the Info Out:
Who Should be a Team Member?
Can I tell you about this
great communication
network that we have? I
think you would really be
an asset . . .
Hey, I need you to
pass some stuff out
for me . . .
Strengthening Your Network:
Supporting Your Team
• Know your team
• Keep your Team together
• Make meetings interesting
• Set high standards
• Don’t overload
• Keep people informed
• Acknowledge good work
Get Active
• Act Only After Thorough
Education
• Types: National, State,
Local & Targeted Actions
• Defensive vs. Offensive
• Act Only When Impact
Can Be Made
Action Tips
• RR Team is complete
& ready
• Education first! (InfoAlerts)
• Make it easy to take action
• Find convenient times to take
action
• Make people feel good about
what they’ve done
• Tell people what happened
(Feedback Report)
Feedback is Critical!
You’ll get “Feedback Reports,” but other
feedback is just as important:
• From Team Members to Local Coordinator
• From your Local Coordinator to your Team
• Between you and your District Coordinator (or
Congressional District or Area Coordinator if
applicable)
• Always remember to report back at local
union meetings as well!
Be Ready to
Overcome
Barriers!
Barriers:
Mad Member
Why Are They Mad?
• His/her grievance has
not been heard, was
withdrawn or lost in
arbitration.
• Working a shift or job
they don’t like.
• Don’t like the current
agreement.
Barriers:
Loudmouth Member
What Would They Say?
• You guys are just for the
Democrats!
• It doesn’t matter what we
do, the government is going
to screw us!
• I don’t trust anyone in the
government. They’re all a
bunch of thieves!
Barriers:
Lazy Member
What Would They Do?
• Don’t want to get involved,
even though the issue
affects them directly.
• Won’t take the initiative to
understand the issue.
• Taking a few minutes to
write a note is out of the
question.
Barriers:
“I Don‟t Care” Member
What is Their Reaction?
• I don’t want to hear
anything.
• I don’t want to see
anything.
• I don’t want to talk about
anything.
Barriers:
Timid Member
What is Their Reaction?
• Don’t want to confront
anyone or be confronted
by anyone.
• Shy away from talking
about the issue.
• Usually don’t participate,
even though they believe
the issue is right.
Barriers:
Uninformed Member
Why Are They Uninformed?
• Don’t take the time to
understand or read
about the issue.
• Only listen to one
side of the issue.
• Don’t take the time to
understand how the
issue affects them as
a worker.
In-Between
Actions
What do We do In-Between
Actions?
• Check your seniority lists for new employees to be
sure your entire membership is in the network
• Use opportunities such as local union meetings to
educate your membership on issues that affect them
at work
• Find ways to work with your
community or your employer
on specific issues
Issues that
Impact Your Local
Issues that Impact Your Local:
NO to Fast Track & NO to TPP
Current Actions: Saving Our Jobs
Bring Jobs Home
Current Actions: Saving Our Jobs
Currency Manipulation
Issues that Impact Your Local:
Buy American
Issues that Impact Your Local:
Green Jobs Investment
Issues that Impact Your Local:
Unemployment
Issues that Impact Your Local:
Invest in America
Issues that Impact Your Local: -
Stop „Right to Work‟ & Other Worker
Attacks
Issues that Impact Your Local: :
Public Sector
Why Rapid Response Matters
• Education on policy that impacts our working & retirement lives
• Ability to impact those legislative decisions
• Provides experience in working with elected officials – helpful for non-legislative work too
• Build a communication structure that builds strength and solidarity
The most common way that
people give up their power is
by thinking they don’t have
any. - Alice Walker
