1. Region 5 Spring Conference 2012
Presented By:
Field Mobilization Specialist
Michael Ottaviano

2.  Whether an experienced Local /Unit Officer or
newer to CSEA, everyone understands how
hard it can be to get members motivated and
involved.
 Structure of the Local/Unit is the first part to
achieving involvement. Before you can bring
members into being involved, setting up
organized operations is job one.

3.  Developing an effective steward network and
working committees
 Training members, developing future activists &
general membership education
 Designing newsletter, website, general internal
communications plan
 Helping develop Labor/Management Agenda
 Educating agency fee payers to become
members

4.  General membership meetings
 Communications plan
 Message development
 Getting other members involved and keeping
them informed and involved
 Planning and carrying out a variety of tactics
that give everyone an opportunity to participate
 Community outreach

5.  To hear members issues and concerns
 To keep members informed of union victories
 To distribute meeting
notices, leaflets, proposal surveys, etc.
 To increase membership by signing up agency
fee payers
 To strengthen our position in labor
management meetings
 To strengthen our position at the bargaining
table
 To negotiate better contracts
 To maintain a visible presence in the workplace

6.  Keep records with the following information
Name
Current Home Address
Home Telephone Number
Work Telephone Number with ext.
Cell Phone Number
E-mail Address
 Keep a list of assignments with each person’s skills
and “strong suits”
 Call meetings regularly
 Distribute copies of meeting minutes and decisions
 Review accomplishments
 Plan future events

7.  Job Title
 Work hours/Shift
 Department/Floor
 Years of
Service/Experience
 Gender
 Language

8.  Should get along well with most people
 Is a good listener
 Builds trust easily
 Speaks well
 Helps people believe in themselves
 Doesn’t get discouraged too often
 Is open to new ideas
 Is flexible
 Is honest
 Has the respect of his/her co-workers
 Has the ability to mobilize members

9. A union activist is an extraordinary person.
They give up their free time and at the end of
the day they get little more than cold pizza and
a slap on the back.
It is important to keep in mind the reasons
people get involved in order to successfully
recruit and retain them.

10. Idealism – Many members participate out of their
loyalty to the union and their co-workers.
Socializing – Some members work on campaigns
to meet other people who share the same
interests.
Opportunity – Many members participate to win
better working conditions, more benefits, more
money, or a better job.
Recognition – Still other members become
involved to win praise from the union
leadership and the admiration of co-workers.

11.  Family obligations
 Another job
 A previous volunteer commitment

12.  They weren’t actually invited to participate
 They weren’t invited to participate by the
right person(s)
 They might be embarrassed by their
perceived lack of experience or knowledge
 Participation in the union is a foreign
concept
 Being active in anything is a foreign concept

13.  They don’t feel like their opinion counts
 They don’t agree with the plan or activity/not
part of the planning
 They don’t understand the plan or the activity
 They are not comfortable with the tactics or
cannot participate in the way that was asked of
them

14.  GAIN CREDIBILITY
Be honest with members, co-workers and managers.
If you bluff, mislead or skirt the truth, you won’t
remain credible for long.
 BE RELIABLE
If you are asked a question and you don’t know the
answer, say “I don’t know”, then get the
information and get back to the person as soon as
possible, follow through.
 KNOW THE CONTRACT
Know what issues are impacting the workers. Ask if
there are solutions.

15.  BE SUPPORTIVE
If activists approach you with concerns and
complaints, offer understanding, encouragement
and guidance in addressing the issues.
 LISTEN
Pay attention to what is being said, show interest in
the problem, and maintain eye contact. Don’t fake
attention or allow yourself to be distracted. Don’t
interrupt. It’s impossible to listen when you are also
talking. Ask questions if you are unclear or
confused or don’t understand what is being said.

16.  Ask them in person
 Ask them to do a job that has a definite
beginning and ending
 Give them a range of tasks from which to
choose
 Ask them to do something they feel they do
well
 Tell each person how his or her task fits in with
the rest of the project
 Keep them accountable

17.  Mentoring is usually conducted between two
individuals in a 1 on 1 situation. Ex. Union
leader to member activist
 Group Mentoring works the same, with one
mentor and several mentees Ex. Union leader
to several member activists
 Mentoring is a two-way street : experienced
leaders can teach newer activists and vice
versa; Both can benefit

18.  Formal – the relationship is set by the
union, people are paired together and all
parameters are handled by union leadership
and educators
 Informal – people begin the relationship on
their own and set parameters such as when to
meet, tasks and goals
 Most common in union situations is informal
mentoring

19.  Peer Mentoring – either formal or informal and
relationship is conducted between people at
same or near-same levels
 Provides comfort level for member activists –
experienced with experienced, new with newer
 Allows members to easily discuss their needs and
areas to improve

20.  Leadership should:
 Be open to learning and make time for commitment
 Make themself available – open door policy
 Share information, knowledge and insight
 Identify internal political issues
 Create trust with proper feedback
 Keep activist focused and on task
 Receive feedback respectfully
 Support and encourage activist to new tasks and
goals

21.  Member Activists should:
 Be open to learning and make time for commitment
 Communicate their goals
 Provide and receive feedback respectfully
 Take on new and different tasks
 Think outside your “zone”
 Evaluate personal success and expect set-backs

22.  Leadership Advantages
 Learn to receive and give feedback
 Develop new and enhance communication skills
 Reflect and address their “keys to success”
 Delegate union task workload
 Learn different ideas from newer activists
 Aide in the development of tomorrows’ leaders

23.  Member Activists Advantages
 Develop new skills
 Gain Knowledge of union history
 Increase personal value and commitment to union
 Learn and overcome barriers
 Avoid internal political issues
 Advance in Union leadership
 Personal professional growth

24.  Union Advantages
 Improved communication
 Build team within union
 Increase union commitment and stability
 Create knowledge network
 Reduce activist “drop–outs”
 Develop new activists who can become tomorrows’
leaders

25.  Once you start a program of success, you need
to keep it working
 Constantly keep your eye out for younger
workers who “know other people, have a
positive reputation and show leadership
qualities
 Teach your activists to do the same
 Make mentoring activists a structural part of
your local/unit

26.  Inclusion – A sense of being part of what is
going on, of being included in the group, of not
being an outsider
 Control – Ability to control the pace of work, to
have some influence in decision making, at
least over their own task
 Appreciation – Some recognition for their
efforts and activities

27.  Personal thank you notes
 Public recognition at meetings
 Mention and photo in newsletter
 Framed certificates of appreciation
 Engraved plaques
 Opportunity to attend training programs or
conferences

28.  Gets easier over time, especially if you find ways to
keep people involved between contract battles or major
crises
 Gets easier with each successful action or campaign
because members start to feel powerful and want to
continue
 Consistently done over time, will change the mind-set
of the membership and culture of the local or unit