Resources for Activism

Secrets of a Successful Organizer Training Guide
 
Labor Notes has developed a three workshop training based off our newest book, Secrets of a Successful Organizer (which is now available in Spanish!).
 
The trainer's guide can be downloaded here: pdf Secrets Trainers Guide - Labor Notes (13.71 MB)
 
These workshops teach rank-and-file workers how to build power on the job, step by step (some details provided below). The training guide includes: icebreakers, closing activities, suggested ground rules, and an example day-long training agenda, the training curriculum for each workshop, handouts for each workshop and case studies that training facilitators can draw from.
 
We hope that you will find our materials useful and will share them widely, we only ask that you let us know when our materials are being used (e.g. at a conference or as part of a new steward program, etc.) and make sure to cite us on reproduced materials. And of course, we also deeply appreciate receiving constructive feedback and suggestions, so please don't hesitate to pass any along.
 
The training curriculum is broken down into three workshops that can be offered individually or as one daylong training:
  • Beating Apathy: This workshops orients participants towards the "bullseye model" of organizing and focuses on the mechanics of an organizing conversation.
  • Assembling Your Dream Team: This workshop focuses on leadership identification, workplace mapping and charting.
  • Turning an Issue into a Campaign: This workshop focuses on the components of a successful workplace campaign (either issue or contract).

A training, like an organizing campaign, is a group effort. Though only three names appear on the cover of the guide, in truth the rest of the Labor Notes staff helped to write and assemble this training: Al Bradbury, Mark Brenner, Dan DiMaggio, Adrian Montgomery. We're also grateful to those who shared perceptive feedback on early drafts. Their ideas improved the training greatly. This group includes: Mary Bellman, Joe Fahey, Leah Fried, Ellen David Friedman, Sarah Hughes, Angela MacWhinnie, Guillermo Perez, Jane Slaughter

Solidarity to you all. If you have any questions or thoughts, please feel free to reach out.
Chris Brooks
Organizer/Writer, Labor Notes, New York Office

 

The Rising of the Women: Organizing for Bread and Roses Today
Prepared for the 37th Northeast Regional UALE Summer Institute for Union Women

This is an annotated bibliography/filmography of books, videos, websites and other resources for union activists, expecially women.

Compiled by Donna L. Schulman, Director, Carey Library, Rutgers University, with assistance from Cathryn Miller, SCI Graduate Student School of Management and Labor Relations

2012 Womens School Resource List