Cope 491
In this presentation:
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How unions make life better
Why we are mobilizing
The campaign
The conversation
How unions make life better
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Collective bargaining works
Gains we achieve benefit all workers
Unions work for people everywhere
Working people build Ontario communities
CUPE and other unions:
• Advocate for quality public services that our
communities rely on
• Contribute to the economic well-being of our
families and community
• Defend civil rights and liberties of workers
• Preserve the rights and freedoms of democratic
trade unions
Our right to
bargain collectively
and fight for
quality public services
is under threat!!
What does the threat look like?
Pressures on many fronts...
• Austerity budgets
• Government policy re: compensation increases
• Legislative changes effecting bargaining process:
• Bill 115
• Proposed changes to the interest arbitration process
• Plans to strip our ability to:
• collect dues
• take political action to fight for laws that improve the lives
of working people
Painting unions as the enemy
Hudak speech takes aim at unions – Toronto Star
Tough laws, reduced ranks – what next for unions? - Canadian Press
Unions should butt out – Richmond Hill Liberal
Hudak says unions stalling recovery – Toronto Star
Busting unions goal of government – Newmarket Era
“Right to work” laws aim to eliminate unions – Guelph Mercury
Unions have outlived their usefulness – Waterloo Record
Unions must be reined in – Niagara This Week
Time to end unions’ special treatment – Hamilton Spectator
We are learning from union
experience in other countries
Unions in the United States and Australia have
shared:
• The consequences of waiting to act
• The value of engaging early and directly
with our members.
The last year has been busy!
Our campaign goals
1. Build increased member identification with their
union through a program of one on one memberto-member conversations.
2. Inform member opinion about the benefits of their
union, the political and legislative threats to
effective union representation and the means to
counter those threats.
3. Use pledge card sign-ups to assist in building
capacity to communicate, engage and mobilize.
Message
• The gains made through bargaining benefit all
Canadians. Unions help create fairness and
speak up for the rights of all Canadian
workers. But our ability to do our job is being
threatened by Liberal and Conservative
legislation. You can help protect your rights
by getting involved in your union. The first
step is to sign your CUPE pledge card.
Campaign components
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Opinion Research
Local/Division/National coordination
Clear Goals
Consistent Messaging
Member-to-member conversations with training
and materials
• Two-way Communication
• Ongoing Evaluation
The conversations
Starting in May ...
• 240,000 member-to-member conversations all
across the province
• Planned and implemented by locals with support
of CUPE Ontario and CUPE National Servicing
Reps
Supporting materials:
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Local Organizing kit
Communicators kit
Leaflet/pledge card
Backgrounders
Conversation tracking forms
Buttons
Posters
Website
Videos
How the conversations happen:
• Planned and implemented at a local level
• Coordinated at area office level by teams
of designated members and staff
• Training area office level:
– One day organizing session for local leadership and
assigned National Servicing Reps
– Half day training for “communicators”
• Two way communication will flow between
CUPE Ontario/Regional office, area
coordination teams, locals and members
• Conversations tracked using tracking form
and collected pledge cards
Each local .....
• Attend local organizing session in area
• Develop and implement their local’s plan:
– map workplaces
– identify and train communicators
– create a strategy for launching, holding and
reporting back on local conversations
Communicators role:
Engage in member-to-member conversations that:
• Have a positive tone
• Listen to the issues and questions of the member
• Share information about the benefits of
collective bargaining and quality public services
and what is at risk
• Ask them to support their union by signing a
pledge
• Document responses and report back to local
leadership on conversation
Key messages in conversations:
• Stand up for fairness
• Collective bargaining works
• Gains benefit all workers
• Unions work for people everywhere
• Working people build Ontario communities
• Our right to bargain collectively and fight for
quality public services is under threat
Evaluation
• How many locals have a plan?
• How many communicators are taking part?
• How many discussions are taking place?
• How many pledge cards are signed and
returned?
Our members are our greatest strength.
Let’s plan how to have the
conversation!
:dm/COPE491
April 19, 2013