Transcript Slide 1

Power Through Organizing
Building AFSCME’s Strength
afscme.org/academy
Workshop Objectives
Understand the economic crisis
facing working families
Be aware of how declining
unionization affects our standard of
living
Brendel, Free Software Foundation
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
afscme.org/academy
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.
Public Services Are Being Privatized
1992 1997
36%
32%
28%
2002
35%36%
30%
27%
21%
18%
15%
17%
9%
Building &
Child Welfare
Grounds
Source: ICMA Municipal Year Book, 2002.
Data
Processing
Street Repair
Union Workers Have Better
Health Care and Pensions
80%
60%
78%
68%
49%
47%
60%
35%
40%
20%
0%
Health
Pensions
Disability
Care
Union workers
Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, BLS, March 2007
Nonunion workers
Health Care Costs Outpace
Wage Increases
The Growing Gap Between
Workers’ Wages and Executive Pay
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
By 2006, CEO pay had
grown to 364 times the
average blue collar
worker’s pay -- by far the
widest gap in the world.
Workshop Objectives
Understand the economic crisis
facing working families
Recommend
Clipart here
 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.
afscme.org/academy
Fewer Workers Are In Unions
35% 35%
38%
25% 24%
19
45
19
54
19
60
19
70
19
79
19
87
19
90
20
05
20
07
14% 14% 13% 13%
Source: AFL-CIO.
Union Density by State, 1984
0% to 9%
10% to 20%
21% to 30%
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Union Density by State, 2004
0% to 9%
10% to 20%
21% to 30%
Source: U.S. Department of Labor
Unions Raise Wages
$900
$833
$800
$700
$887
$717
$834
$774
$758
$642
$707
$686
$579
$600
$520
$500
$469
$400
$300
$200
$100
$0
Total
Men
Women
Union
Source: U.S. Dept. of Labor, BLS, Jan. 2007
African
American
Non-Union
Latino
Asian
American
Union vs. Non-union wages
Job
Bailiffs,
Refuse
Library
Corrections
Assistants Collectors
Officers
Avg. Union
Salary
$28,995
$44,720
$46,259
Avg. NON
Union Salary
$20,301
$18,970
$30,514
Union
Difference
42.8%
135.7%
51.6%
Organizing the unorganized is a matter of
self interest.
If we don’t raise non-union
workers up,
we will get caught in the race to
the bottom!
Knowledge Check
1. The percentage of workers represented
by unions in the U.S. peaked in:
a. The 1950s
b. The 1960s
c. The 1970s
2. The percentage of workers represented
by unions in 2007 was:
a. 23%
b. 18%
c. 13%
Answers
1.
The percentage of workers represented by unions
in the U.S. peaked in:
Correct Answer - b. The 1960s
2.
The percentage of workers represented by unions
in 2007 was:
Correct Answer - c. 13%
Workshop Objectives
The economic crisis facing
working families.
Recommend
Clipart here
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
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.
AFSCME Power To Win:
Our Strategy
• Win new organizing rights for public employees.
• Organize strategically in the private sector.
• Organize emerging workforces.
Organizing Goals:
International Union
• 2% growth per year
• Recruit and train organizing staff
• Recruit and train VMOs
Organizing Goals:
Major Affiliates
•
•
•
•
3% growth per year
Dedicated Organizing Department
Strategic organizing plans
Utilize VMOs
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.
We’re Making Progress
Year
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2001-2007
Number Organized
61,942
56,505
47,944
22,398
33,383
55,562
47,914
325,648
Success in the Public Sector
Oklahoma Municipal
Workers
• Won the Municipal
Employees Collective
Bargaining Act in 2004.
• Organized 2,100 workers in
six cities.
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
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.
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
Knowledge Check
1. The Plan adopted by delegates to the 2006
International Convention challenges the
union to grow AFSCME by:
a.
b.
c.
d.
1% per year
5% per year
20% per year
25% per year
2. VMO stands for:
a. Very Motivated Organizer
b. Volunteer Member Organizer
c. Voting More Often
Answers
1. The Plan adopted by delegates to the 2006
International Convention challenges the
union to grow AFSCME by:
Correct answer - b. 5% per year
2. VMO stands for:
Correct answer - b. Volunteer Member Organizer
Workshop Objectives
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
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.
Become a Volunteer Member
Organizer – VMO.
You are the most credible voice in a union
organizing 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.
Bargain to Organize
• Release time to work on organizing campaigns
• Negotiate to bring uncovered job titles within our
bargaining units
Build Political Support for
Organizing
• Recruit politicians
who understand and
support the right to
organize.
• Ask politicians to
publicly support
workers involved in
organizing
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 strikebreakers.
• Victory! Cuts rescinded.
First signed agreement
with a major U.S. city.
Generations of AFSCME
members have taken risks…
Striking
sanitation
workers in
AFSCME Local
1733 fighting for
respect and
recognition in
Memphis in 1968
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.
Now, It’s Our Turn
What will our grandchildren
say about OUR generation of
AFSCME members?
Additional Information
For more information, contact the
Organizing and Field Services Department at:
 [email protected]
afscme.org/academy