From July 13-16, four USA members attended this year’s NEA Northeast Organizing Institute in Providence, Rhode Island to grow their organizing skills and work on the campaign for our ongoing fight against Management’s contract violation to implement Kronos onto 20% of our union.
What did the training include
Through interactive workshops, intensive group work, and even canvassing across Rhode Island for pro-public education candidates, they learned about different types of power, issue organizing, building teams, tactics and escalation, one-on-one organizing conversations, mapping and charting worksites ,and the importance of debriefing and feedback in organizing campaigns.
Connections we made
Working alongside NEA and MTA staff, United Educators of Pittsfield, Cape Henlopen Support Staff Association, Connecticut Educators Association, and other state locals from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, they developed a rough draft for the next steps in our Kronos campaign. Keep an eye out for a membership meeting calendar invite where members of the Executive Board and Organizing Committee will present an update on the Kronos campaign and how you can join the fight to build our collective power.
Our takeaways
Chris:
My biggest takeaway from the NEA NEOI is that it is time to stop being afraid of standing up for what is right and just. Management wins when no one is willing to fight to defend our contract and rights, and history shows that they back down when they realize it is more advantageous to do so than put in the time and money it costs to implement their largely unpopular and unfair policies. We may not have the resources or political capital on our side, but we have solidarity power and that cannot be bought.
Deborah:
My main takeaway from the Organizing Institute is that we are more resilient and adaptable than we think we are. Talking to new people, especially about topics and issues that feel vulnerable and raw, can be nerve wracking and a skill I never felt comfortable with. As your Communications Coordinator, I wanted to stay in my comfort zone and stick to email, social media, and the website. Let’s leave the talking to the extroverts! Over the first couple days, I was honestly nervous about the door knocking field experience, an afternoon where attendees practiced the one-on-one conversations we were learning. By knocking on doors of educators across Pawtucket, I discovered that I could be anxious and uncomfortable, and do the hard thing anyway. I stuttered through my script the first couple times, my heart pounding, but what I remember most was talking with folks excited or curious about the issue I was there to talk to them about and having great conversations.
USA is phone banking for the next couple of weeks to talk to members about Kronos and the next steps in our campaign. If you want to challenge yourself and get involved with the Kronos campaign, reach out to me. You may be surprised at what you’re capable of and the power you have!
Ian:
The NEA NEOI really drove home just how powerful we are as a union. USA is nearly 800 members strong, and when we stand up, make our voices heard, and use our collective power, the university can’t defeat us. That’s why management puts so much effort into sowing discord and fear. They know we outnumber them many times over, and they simply can’t stand up to all of us when we are united.
Sam:
After four days spent learning the nitty-gritty of planning union campaigns that win and defend transformative contracts, I feel more empowered than ever. All workers ought to feel that same empowerment. Our collective power is our strength, and it’s how we get our fair share from management. I look forward to using what I learned at the institute to help us realize the full potential of that collective power.
