A union is only as strong as its membership is united, informed, and engaged. To ensure that we go into the upcoming round of negotiations with the strength necessary to win a fair contract, we are building a network of grassroots leadership – a Contract Action Team (CAT) – to involve all of our members in the fight.
Members of the Contract Action Team (CAT) volunteer to ensure direct, one-on-one communication with a specific group of union members whom they already know, socially and/or professionally. Members of the CAT serve as the direct link between rank-and-file members and union leadership at the bargaining table.
The process starts with each prospective CAT member defining the group of colleagues with whom they’ll keep in touch. We suggest that each CAT member select about twenty fellow active members of the Guild (but no more than thirty-five and no fewer than eight). They should select only peers whom they already know. They shouldn’t pick strangers, and they shouldn’t pick people over whom they exercise supervisory authority or people who exercise supervisory authority over them.
Within their chosen group of about twenty fellow Guild members, the Contract Action Team member becomes the point-person for all matters related to the campaign for a fair contract, making sure their colleagues know what’s going on and know what they can do to advance the effort. Through face-to-face conversations, phone calls, texts, and other one-on-one engagement, they can prove much more effective in keeping their fellow members educated and mobilized than can mass emails from the Guild offices.
Does this sound like a good role for you? If so, you can get started by taking these steps: