WHEREAS:

While many public employers failed to hire sufficient new employees during the pandemic, during the Spring of 2022 many governments are more actively recruiting and hiring workers.  An influx of new workers will heighten the need for AFSCME affiliates to ensure that all workers are welcomed into our union from day one; and

WHEREAS:

The 2018 Supreme Court decision in Janus means that new employees may work in a unionized workplace and enjoy the benefits of a union, without ever contributing to their fair share of the costs of representation; and

WHEREAS:

In order to strengthen AFSCME’s power in the workplace, we must increase the share of employees who belong to and are active in our union; and

WHEREAS:

AFSCME has instituted a New Employee Outreach program that promotes a systematic approach to signing up new members that goes beyond the orientation meeting to building relationships with new employees and creating union activists; and

WHEREAS:

The most effective New Employee Outreach programs rely on members and committees at the local level to coordinate outreach to all new and potential members and to ensure that everyone is welcomed by their AFSCME family multiple times in their first months of employment.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

AFSCME affiliates and locals will continue to implement the New Employee Outreach program by creating a systematic approach to outreach where all new employees are introduced to their locals within the first week of employment, encouraged to sign an AFSCME membership card and then have continued interactions and conversations with their union throughout the first year of employment; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

To support the goal of continued interactions with new employees, AFSCME affiliates are encouraged to appoint membership chairs in each of their locals or to designate a member of the local’s executive board to take responsibility for ongoing New Employee Outreach; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

The International Union will support effective affiliate NEO programs through training and development of council staff and local union leaders and continuously identifying and promoting NEO best practices identified throughout the union.

SUBMITTED BY:
Tracey Abman, Delegate
AFSCME Local 2199, Council 31
Illinois