The core of a democratic local union is the local membership
meeting. At these meetings, the union membership makes decisions
concerning the goals, activities, and direction of the local. The
goal of most local union leaders is to make membership meetings
interesting and exciting events, where all the members feel welcome
to attend and participate. However, the lack of participation in
membership meetings is a common complaint and many locals have
tried various incentives to increase attendance: food, drinks,
raffles, etc. We have found, though, that increased attendance at
OCAW membership meetings results when the organizing or mobilizing
model is in place in the local. Once a member is concerned and
interested in the union, that member shows support by attending and
participating in meetings. In addition, your union can establish
a "tradition" that all union officials, including stewards, are
obligated to attend the membership meetings, unless excused
beforehand.
Membership meetings are a forum to:
Carefully plan and organize the meeting agenda ahead of time.
This is the task of the President and Executive Board.
Provide the membership with advance notice. Use your one-on-one
mobilization structure, phone tree, leaflets, bulletin boards, etc.
Be sure the meeting place is comfortable, convenient, and
accessible to all members. The local should consider providing
child care if lack of child care is a reason members cannot attend.
Start and end the meeting on time.
Run the meeting efficiently, smoothly, and democratically. For
example, summarize correspondence instead of reading it word for
word. Same thing for the financial report--pass out details,
merely summarize for the meeting. For more information on running
a meeting, you can purchase Your Union Meeting, a guide to running
a union meeting along with a Parliamentary law chart, from the OCAW
Supply Department (Form 667, $.85 each).
One problem that unions face when conducting education or other
programs is that they must ask the members to use their "free" time
to attend. Probably the single most often cited reason for not
developing an on-going local education program is "It's hard to get
people here at night or on the weekend." And, given the increased
responsibilities of most workers, this problem certainly has
validity. However, some locals have been very successful in
motivating members to attend meetings, workshops, and other union
activities. Like so many things union leaders must do, membership
attendance takes planning, monitoring, and follow-through.
Your members are motivated to attend meetings for various reasons,
so your efforts must be diversified.
For more information on How to Mobilize contact:
OCAW Research & Education Dept.
P.O. Box 281200
Lakewood, CO 80228-8200