WHEREAS:
AFSCME is strongest when membership is substantial, and members are regularly engaged and mobilized in activities that raise standards for our professions and improve quality of life for our families and communities; and
WHEREAS:
Through our Power-to-Win internal organizing program, we set membership standards of 90% in closed shops, 70% in right-to-work units with collective bargaining rights, and majority membership in right-to-work units without collective bargaining; and
WHEREAS:
In anticipation of national right-to-work, we adopted the 50,000 Stronger and AFSCME Strong programs to reach these goals; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME unions have collectively engaged over 1,000,000 AFSCME members through our 50,000 Stronger and AFSCME Strong Programs; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME unions have collectively trained over 25,000 activists to engage one-on-one with their coworkers to strengthen the union through new employee organizing programs, blitzes, contract campaigns and other fights; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME unions have restructured staff roles to emphasize internal organizing the many over servicing the few; and
WHEREAS:
Through mobilization and one-on-one engagement, over 500,000 people have joined AFSCME since AFSCME Strong; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME unions have successfully mobilized members through strike votes, legislative campaigns and issue campaigns at worksites and in the halls of political power that have raised wages, improved healthcare, made workplaces safer, protected pensions and ensured the integrity of public services; and
WHEREAS:
AFSCME unions are now stronger than ever, repelling attacks, raising standards and inspiring members to fight from Washington state to Washington, DC; from Alaska to Puerto Rico; and
WHEREAS:
At a time of historically low union membership, AFSCME has achieved net growth by engaging nonmembers and organizing externally; and
WHEREAS:
There will be continuing attacks on working people, public services and our union through drop campaigns financed with millions of dollars from right-wing groups, and efforts to eliminate employer dues deduction and collective bargaining rights; and
WHEREAS:
To repel such attacks, AFSCME unions must continuously organize and mobilize internally, using what we have learned from 50,000 Stronger and AFSCME Strong to guide us.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates will continue one-on-one conversations with members and potential members to find out what matters most to them, what they want from their union and show them why and how the union matters in their lives; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates understand these important conversations are the best antidote to right-wing drop campaigns; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates adopt best practices identified during AFSCME Strong, such as focusing staff on internal organizing and engaging 5% of the membership as activists to build their local unions; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates set annual goals to engage and mobilize the membership, and measure progress along the way; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates utilize blitzes and contract campaigns to maximize engagement with members and nonmembers; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates have New Employee Outreach (NEO) programs that track and engage new employees within the first month of employment and create a plan to follow-up with them; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME affiliates have a program to accrete non-union titles into existing bargaining units.
SUBMITTED BY: International Executive Board