This question resurfaced while I was watching this article on the Rachel Maddow show.  In describing the Republican attack on the rights to abused women who have come to the US via marriage (and whose visas depended on this relationship), she outlines the relationship between the owners of sites that advertise mail order brides (who this law helps) and the groups who are lobbying to repeal the law. Half way through the piece, I began to consider again about the impact that money has on building support for campaigns coupled with a focus on slogans, messages and polling.

A while back I read David Plouffe’s Audacity to Win which described how their planned and ran the Obama election campaign.  With my organiser’s hat on, I found it a really interesting and thought provoking book.  In his description of how they built a grassroots membership and activism and the importance of this to winning the election, I was struck at first by how this was very similar to an organising campaign rather than any elections I had witnessed.

What impact did this emphasis on people have on the campaign?  Profound in terms of leadership, and authenticity.  If there was a negative ad about Obama, the network of activists would refute it to their families, friends and colleagues.  While looking after the front lawn, they would talk to their neighbours about why they supported him and what he stood for that was in their interest.  What had the most impact on that person’s viewpoint and was able to effectively bring someone on board?  Was it the ad or the person they trusted and respected?  Often we overlook the power of human interactions and subtle leadership.  The person in the community, workplace or family who everyone looks to for guidance or trusts in analysis.  Get that person on board and despite the prevailing winds, a campaign will be in a good position.

I advise campaigners and organisers to look at structuring plans in five basic areas:

• Goal: what are you trying to achieve (be specific!)
• Organisational considerations: all of your resources plus what you know you’ll probably need.
• Constituents:  Allies and opponents and who you want to campaign with/for.
• Target: Who is the person that will make the decision you will get you what you want.
• Tactics: Actions that will build up your organisation, and put pressure on your target.

I’m highlighting this because the order of the planning underlines where a campaign should put its emphasis.  Who is on your side and will be your advocates should come a long time before working out your slogan or title.  Groups as mentioned on the Maddow show have endless pots of money to spend on snazzy logos, slogans and ads.  When we try to compete on their terms we lose and overlook the most powerful resource that those of us on the progressive spectrum have - potential of people power.

There is a reason why astroturfing is so big in the US, it’s because those campaign groups have no organisation or people power and have to make it up.  We don’t.  Concentrate on how your campaign will build up your base rather than snazzy logos and slogans because the word of a trusted person is worth more than an ad.

Grassroots is being held at the TUC, Congress House, Great Russell St, London on 26 May.  To register go to http://grassrootsuk.org/register-to-come/ 

Campaigning can be tricky.  You have a position and you want someone else to agree with you.  You try all manner of tactics to press your positions.  Send out press releases and hope that there’s space in your local newspaper.  The trudge can be relentless and sometimes no end in sight.  Sometimes we win, sometimes we don’t.  But what happens when the dust has settled and the campaigning is over?  What does it really mean to win or lose? 

In these times, that is the greatest challenge we face.  Whether it is for elections, for a plastic bag free area or for better, more equitable pay and conditions, we need to reorientate our view of success of campaigns to incorporate organising more fully.  By doing that, we move away from gimmicks, from relaunches and branding for its own sake.  To win on the issue is important, but equally so is building a sustainable grassroots who continue to campaign, demand change and build for it.

What am I talking about when I talk about organising?  In the trade union movement, we debate about what it means for us to organise, and I’m not here to be prescriptive on how others view it, but to explain how I view campaigning is also to talk about my approach to organising.  For me, organising is about empowerment and hunger for change; creating a sustainable organisation that can weather success and failure.  To do that, we need to work on the issues that people care about, stand up for our values and, crucially, deploy our resources in the most effective way possible.  Campaigns can rise and fall, but people and their power remains if we organise rather than just campaign.

How do we move from purely campaigning to organising?

• Pick the right issue.  Talk about it in the way that is understandable to a lot of people and relates to our core values.
• Engage and involve people at every step of the campaign.  Think about how you build teams; step back as much as possible and let others take ownership of the campaign.  I can get some press if people are mobilise for the day, but we’re going to change the world if we organise for the long term.
• Be ready to learn.  A key element of our ability to be successful when organising is our readiness to learn from others, to look outside our world and be humbled and to recognise we don’t always have the answers.  The flip side to this is our willingness to share successes and failures with others.

Despite, being an organiser and campaigner for many years, I’m still in a process of learning which is why I’m excited about our conference on 26 May called Grassroots.  It brings together a wide range of organisations and activists who are looking to learn from each other, challenge perceptions and be as effective as we can.  We’re going to hear new approaches to strategy and tactics, good ways to communicate and lastly how we are going to organise meaningfully.

In focussing on organising in our campaigns, I’m going to amend a well known phrase: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world, but lets make that small group as big as we can.

Grassroots is being held at the TUC, Congress House, Great Russell St, London on 26 May.  To register go to www.grassrootsuk.org/register-to-come

So, what were the figures and what do they mean for trade unions?

Headline figures

• Across the whole workforce, union membership fell by 143,000 despite an increase in private sector membership (up by 43,000), and now stands at 6.4 million.  Union density (the percentage of workers who are union members) fell by 0.6% to 26%.
• 31.2 % of all employees were covered by a collective bargaining arrangement, up from 30.8% and unions are now present in 44.9% of workplaces , down from 46%.

Getting a bigger break down in terms of private/public sector, the figures look more like this:

• In the public sector, despite a membership fall of 186,000, union denisty rose by 0.2% to 56.5%; bargaining coverage rose by 3.3% to 67.8% and the amount of public sector workplaces where there is a trade union presence rose to 87.1% from 85.8%.
• In the private sector, membership rose by 43,000 but density fell by 0.1%; bargaining coverage has been maintained, staying steady at 16.9% and union presence in workplaces fell to 28.5% from 29.6%.
• In the male/female split, density remains higher amongst women employees (28.7%) than amongst male employees (23.4%).

Analysis

These figures represent a mixed picture of decline and increase from the figures for 2010.  And the points I’d raise on the initial analysis of the figures are:

1. We are seeing a continued fall in total union membership.  While the rise in private sector membership is welcome, total union membership continues to fall.  However, unlike the 1980s and 1990s, this fall is much shallower and the differentials in decline are much less pronounced.  The large decrease in membership should also be taken into the wider context of an overall loss of public sector jobs (369,000) in the same period.
2. Decline in presence should be of concern for unions. 
3. The picture on union density is mixed.  In 2011, overall density fell by 0.6% which is the norm since 1995 (it fell in all but three years).  However, public sector density rose slightly which is the first increase since 2000 and even in the private sector, which saw a fall of 0.1%, saw its smallest decline since 2000.
4. Collective bargaining has risen.  The area where we had a real concern, saw a slight reversal of trend with the first increase in workers covered by collective agreements since 1998.  This is great news but we need to keep this trend going up to have an impact on worker wages. 

A mixed picture for us then with some positives which we didn’t have in 2010, but still one that shows that we need to work hard to continue to organise and unionise.  Look out for postings over the next week from our union contributors to see what it means for their sectors and unions.

This is why I’m really pleased to be a part of a new venture called Grassroots.

On 26 May in London, trade unions and progressive organisations, who are committed to tackling the big challenges we face right now, will meet to share and hear the most exciting and practical ideas on campaigning, organising and mobilisation. 

Designed to enable activists and campaigners from across the movement, Grassroots will focus on three areas:

Rise up! Building support – How we campaign effectively around issues that demonstrate a need for change.

2, 4, 6, 8: How will people congregate – How can we build membership organisations that engage?

Reaching Out – How do we communicate our messages effectively?

For each theme, there will be three speakers who will be given 20 minutes to put forward their idea and demonstrate its practical use.  After we’ve heard all the ideas, there is a networking session to allow all participants to discuss what they’ve heard and share experiences.

Interested in bring involved?

There are three ways you and your organisation can be involved:

1. Submit an idea – do you have an idea on one of the themes that you think would be worth sharing?
2. Be a part on the day – take a stall, add info on the pack or advertise on our website
3. Advertise to your members and supporters

To register, head over to www.grassrootsuk.org or you can follow the event on Twitter @grassroots_uk

Look forward to seeing you there!

I’ve been asked to be in one of the sessions entitled ‘Campaigning Strategies‘ which is looking at understanding how change happens and what motivates people to support your campaign,and better ways to plan your campaigns.  I’m still in the process of trying to hone down all the theory and knowledge of the Organising Academy down into ten minutes (!) but I’m thinking of focusing on the mistakes that we commonly make when running campaigns.

I have yet to come across a campaigner or organiser that hasn’t, at some point, made a mistake.  We all do, it’s human nature.  The important part is to recognise that we need to learn from them, and crucially, share that learning.

So, my question to the organisers reading this – what mistakes do you think we make in our campaigns?  What have you learnt that you’d like to pass on to others?

To book your place at Netroots UK North West, click here.

I’ve been wanting to blog about the role that communications play in campaigns and organising for quite a while now so it was with great interest I read Mehdi Hasan’s article for the New Statesman where he explores the role of framing in politics.

By and large, the most difficult thing in the campaigns I have been involved in, is communicating what the campaign is trying to achieve to a wider audience.  Often I hear complaints that the media is against us and no one want to listen.  I can’t give you a silver bullet but I can point to some ways in which you might be more successful in communicating.

Firstly, you need to know what exactly you want to achieve.  The more specific you are, the easier it is to explain to someone else.

Second, be in control of the message and of the frame.  By and large, human beings will gravitate to messages and ideas that fit in their understanding of the world and how it makes them feel.  Define a message based on what you think will resonate on that emotional level.  Don’t define your message based on what your opposing group have said, it’ll only reinforce their view.

Lastly, use techniques like Anger Hope Action in all aspects of communications, not just in face to face conversations.

If you’re interested more in how you can communicate effectively during a campaign you can come on our Communications and Campaigns course or read these thought provoking books:

• Don’t Think of an Elephant! Know your Values and Frame the Debate; George Lakoff
• Rhetoric for Radicals; Jason Del Gandio

The TUC's Frances O'Grady (third from left) with the Academy Diploma Group

It’s been a year since I started here at the TUC.  And what a year for organising it has been.

2011 saw the largest trade union demonstration for a generation, 500,000 working people and their families marching for the alternative to this government’s slash and burn agenda.  It saw the biggest day of industrial action undertaken in decades by public sector unions to defend pensions.

Where has the Academy fitted in with all of this? 

Well, for me, the backdrop for all this action has been teaching the Diploma in Organising.  Over the course of 2011, our group explored what it means to organise, how to construct campaigns and develop teams in the workplace.  But, it’s all very well being in the classroom talking about organising and learning about theory, it’s what you do with it that counts and from the work that we saw, our Diploma group got out there and made a difference.

March 26th saw the group come back to the classroom, eagerly talking about and showing how they had identified new activists during long coach journeys, branch meetings and conversations with members.

After November 30th, we heard about increased membership, even more activity and success in using Anger Hope Action in union communications all thanks to our organisers work.

We heard about campaigning against Government cuts, Academies and keeping jobs for Bombardier workers and Derby families.

We even went to OccupyLSX and explored how the union movement and other progressive causes can link together.  In short, it’s been a full year which has demonstrated the need for unions to campaign on the issues that members and their families care about and to be an integral part of their communities.

Lessons to take away from 2011?  This is what I would say to union organisers:

Plan, plan, plan.  Make sure you know what you want to achieve and how you can realistically go about getting it to happen.  Don’t leave gaps in your research, if necessary go back and do more.  Nothing should be left to chance.

A good organiser thinks strategically.  Take a step back, react when necessary but be proactive in the work that you are undertaking.  Set the agenda.  Also, don’t think of actions as the plan, they’re a means to an end.

Communicate.  1-2-1s remain the most powerful way to communicate with activists and members so make sure you do it as much as possible.  Take the time to listen.  If you need to communicate by means other than face to face, ensure you’re employing the same principles.

Evaluate and celebrate.  Don’t be afraid to be honest and take the time to look at what worked and what didn’t.  Equally, celebrate the success that you have in your campaigns, it does wonders for building and maintaining engagement.

#OccupyWallStreet design by Brian Tatosky

If I were to say the words ‘Occupy (insert location here)’ to you, what would first spring to mind?  Is it the rows of tents in public places, the mini villages of protest or a hashtag?

I’ve been mulling over this question, especially in light of finishing teaching our Communications and Campaigns course where we’ve been exploring the use of communication in union campaign work.

To me, ‘Occupy’ is as just as much about the use of social media, using it to get out its messages and news (I knew about NYC through ReTweets on Twitter) as much as it is about the physical presence of the tents, kitchen, and libraries.  But is it the social media that is changing the way we are talking about our economic struggle or is it that physical presence?

In a recent interview with the MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, Richard Reich, said

before the Occupy movement… there were not page one stories about so much of the nation’s income, wealth and political power going to the very top.  There was not very much discussion on the consequences on this for our democracy and economy…

One of the discussions in the course focused on framing messages around issues within a set of values that resonates with the public.  What we can see in Occupy  is a framing its concerns around equality and equity which the public are sympathetic too.  In its continuing highlighting of the largess and reckless behaviour of the financial sector, Occupy has almost captured and created the language of how we are talking about the economic crisis.

Now Richard is of course speaking within a US perspective and we have had voices of dissent on the Government’s economic plans, but I think he makes a good point.  We’re back to talking about bankers and now the 99% which is making it harder for the Government when they try to spin against public sector workers and pensions.

Undoubtedly social media has had a key part in building and engaging the movement, as has the tents but what has really made a difference is how the movement has been able to create a message that resonates.

 On the Leading Change programme, Marshall Ganz said to the participants:

Social media is the tool, we are the carpenters

And what Occupy is showing us is that the carpenter needs to select the right material too.

For more on our Communications and Campaigns course, please email us on organisingacademy@tuc.org.uk

Group work from the Diploma session on research

If I was to ask you to do a Spectrum of Allies analysis would you know where to start?

For the Organising Academy, the last few weeks have been all about ends and beginnings.  As our new programme for 2011-12 begins, students from last year have begun to submit portfolios of learning and graduate to continue their union journey.

Our Diploma in Organising is the most substantial course that we run at the Organising Academy.  It’s  6-12 months of a combination of classroom and workplace learning which gives organisers not only the basic skills needed to organise but far, far more in terms of the fundamentals of campaign research, strategy and communication.

We also look at how to motivate activists and what that means in supporting the great work that reps and stewards do.  We look at past, present and possible campaigns to see how we can do more to strengthen the position of working people.

I’ve been an organiser for over ten years, and taught on this course quite a lot and I’m still learning every time I go into the classroom.

And, because there is so much to learn and so much to find out about, we have a follow on course (Advanced Certificate in Organising) which goes even further.  No matter how long you’ve been involved in the movement as a staff member, there are new things to learn.

Look forward to seeing you on one of our courses soon…

We know that trade union membership is slightly declining (see my previous webinar on the subject) and yet with the day of action around the corner, unions are reporting increased membership and activity.  How is this possible and what does this mean for organisers?

Those of us who have paid into a public sector pension know that far from being gold plated, most public sector pensions are less than £5,600 a year and that previous reforms had ensured that schemes were affordable.  What we are seeing by the Government is a willful breach of the contract and reneging promise made.  Think about how you feel when you’ve made a deal with someone and they go back on that or, when you’re playing a team sport and the other team don’t play by the rules.  Most of us feel angry, upset and downright annoyed.

And this is where we find ourselves and what is motivating people to become involved in their unions.  It’s John Kelly’s mobilisation theory.  Ordinary working people have felt angry, they have felt hope through organising and are now getting ready for action.