1. Moving the Message to Win Paycheck Deception and Right to Work

2. Voters have a much more favorable impression of specific types of workers (home healthcare, child care, public service workers) than they do of more broadly defined labor unions. “Public service” matters.

3. Americans strongly agree with the principles behind collective bargaining and organizing. Workers should have the right to collectively bargain for wage increases. AgreeDisagree Net Difference Total86%10%+76 White86%11%+75 Comm of Color90%6%+84 WM86%12%+74 WF85%10%+75 Dem95%3%+92 GOP78%18%+60 Indep85%11%+74 Non-Union HH84%12%+72 Union HH95%4%+91 AgreeDisagree Net Difference Total69%26%+43 White64%30%+34 Comm of Color85%14%+71 WM63%33%+30 WF65%27%+38 Dem86%12%+74 GOP49%46%+3 Indep72%23%+49 Non-Union HH65%30%+35 Union HH83%13%+70 Public employees should be allowed to unionize.

4. Paycheck Deception

5. Our Frame Not what it seems and certainly not a balanced approach Gives too much power to secretive Super PACs, making it even easier for billionaire businessmen and corporate special interests to rig the system and write their own rules While unions representing teachers, nurses and firefighters would be weakened— meaning union members have less of a voice on things that matter to us all The result? An even more unbalanced system where regular people like you have even less power in the political process. That’s a step in the wrong direction.

6. Top Messages ALL Point to the Fact That the Measure Lets the Powerful Off the Hook, While Making it Even Harder for the Middle Class to Be Heard To really fix the broken system in our state, we need real reform that brings transparency, accountability and gets the secret money out of politics…we should limit the power of Super PACs from collecting unlimited donations from wealthy and corporate donors who get to remain anonymous. But this initiative does exactly the opposite… Super PACs can raise unlimited amounts of money to spend on candidates and initiatives…making them powerful players in the political system. As written, this initiative does nothing to lessen the influence of secretive Super PACs. Instead, its carefully crafted exemptions could leave them as the only groups with power. Corporate special interests carved out a loophole so they can spend unlimited funds funds on politicians and issues they support. Corporations already outspend unions by more than 15 to 1 in elections…Real campaign finance reform is about transparency and getting money out of the system, not rigging it even more for the already powerful. This measure is just another attack on teachers and other union members—dressed up as phony campaign finance reform. While it silences their ability to have a strong voice in the political process, it contains huge loopholes that allow big corporations to make unlimited contributions to ballot measures, to lobby to influence the process and to Super PACs that support candidates.

7. Language Differences that Move the Message WORDS THAT WORK BETTER: WORDS THAT DON’T WORK AS WELL RIGHT NOW: A reform that won’t really solve our state’s problems (net well margin +18) Makes a broken system even worse (net well margin -7) Not what it seems (net well margin +15) Misleading (net well margin +9) Has a hidden agenda that hurts people like you (net well margin +14) Hurts us all (net well margin +4) A corporate power grab (net well margin +12) A deceptive corporate power grab (net well margin +6)

8. Message Narrative, Longer Form This measure isn’t what it seems, and it won’t solve our state’s problems. Because of its loopholes and exemptions, corporations, millionaires and billionaires will be able to get around this initiative, funneling unlimited money anonymously into Super PACs with no transparency, no accountability, no checks or balances. Real campaign finance reform is about transparency, accountability, and getting the unlimited secret money out of the system—not rigging it even more for the already powerful. Yet, as written, this initiative does nothing to lessen the influence of secretive Super PACs that can take unlimited contributions from anonymous donors. Instead, its carefully crafted exemptions could leave them as the only groups with power. And while SuperPACs gain power, this initiative restricts contributions from union members, limiting the voices of our everyday heroes – our teachers, our local nurses and the firefighters who keep us safe. It takes away their ability to speak out on issues that matter to us all like cuts to our schools and colleges, police and fire response times, workplace safety, consumer protections, and unfair corporate tax giveaways. Don’t give the billionaires and corporate special interests even more power to write their own set of rules.

9. Unfair and unbalanced Misleading Billionaire businessmen will be able to write their own rules Limits the voice of our everyday heroes to speak out on issues that affect us all Hidden agenda that hurts people like you/the middle class Not what it seems Exemption Loophole Won’t fix what’s broken in our state Corporate power grab Gives secretive Super PACs even more power Words That Work!

10. Messaging Right to Work

11. A majority (54%) favors RTW after a brief description, including an only slightly better than 1:1 opposition among labor households. Right to Work

12. Nearly half of voters feel RTW will give employees more freedom in the workplace, though pluralities also feel it is the “wrong priority” and “complicated and controversial”.

13. RTW isn’t what it seems. It’s just another attempt by CEOs and corporate interests to end unions as we know them so they can tip the balance even more in their favor at the expense of the middle class. RTW makes us all less safe. RTW would make it harder for police, firefighters, and nurses to do their jobs – taking away their rights to negotiate for life-saving equipment and necessary staffing levels. RTW means less freedom for workers, not more. Real freedom is attending a parent-teacher conference or taking a sick family member to the doctor without being punished by your employer. RTW is a confusing, complicated and controversial proposal that is wrong for workers and wrong for the middle class. Messaging Right to Work

14. Top Messages % Much Less Likely All Union HH RTW Movers These laws make CEOs richer and workers poorer. The middle class is struggling and too many people are falling behind. The corporate special interests pushing these laws are moving full-time workers to part-time to avoid paying benefits, are shipping jobs overseas, and offshoring their profits to avoid paying taxes. 38 45 46 Everyday across this country, firefighters and first responders put their lives on the line to keep us safe. These laws would make it harder for them to do their jobs and could threaten the lives of those in a fire or emergency. These laws take away the right to negotiate for life-saving equipment and the manpower to do their jobs, and take safety decisions out of the hands of first responders and give them to politicians and corporate CEOs. 36 40 41 Politically-connected billionaires and their secretive super PACs spent over four hundred million dollars in the last election. These corporate special interests want right-to-work laws to pass because it makes it easier for them to cut employee benefits, fire workers at will, and roll back health and safety laws that keep workers safe. 35 43 39 These laws will silence the voices of everyday heroes like firefighters, nurses, and other first responders who keep us safe. Lives could be lost in fires and emergencies, because these laws make it harder to negotiate for emergency equipment, necessary staffing levels, and shorter response times. 33 32 39 Big corporations already spend nineteen times more on politics than labor unions – and these laws would only give corporations a bigger advantage. The politicians pushing these laws are joining forces with multinational corporations that are down-sizing, shipping jobs overseas, and offshoring their profits to avoid paying taxes. 333841 Anti Right To Work Messaging

15. Freeloader/fair share: “This lawsuit could give handouts to freeloaders, who get the benefits of a union without having to pay membership dues. It is not fair to the millions of union members who pay their share in dues to secure good wages and benefits.” “Across America, millions of union members pay their fair share so they can negotiate for good wages and benefits to support their families. But this lawsuit could give handouts to freeloaders, who get the benefits of a union without paying membership dues. This lawsuit is not fair to working Americans” Pointed attacks on corporate spending: “Outsiders are using lawsuits like these to try and limit the voice of American workers. Special interest groups and corporate CEOs spend hundreds of millions to file lawsuits and run political ads to destroy unions in America.” These arguments were less effective than top-performing messages and need to be taken out of our arsenal. Two Messages That Fell flat

16. After voters hear several reasons to oppose RTW, support falls under 50%. Replicating Anti Right To Work Communication

17. Top Messages % Much More Likely All Union HH RTW Movers White Movers Right to work laws are about a worker’s right and freedom to choose whether or not they want to join a union. Workers should not be forced to join and financially support a union in their workplace, in order to keep their job. These laws will put an end to forced union membership. 35 26 3433 Middle class workers are struggling to make ends meet and should not be forced to pay union dues. Passing right to work laws means that a worker can do their job and have more money to take home each paycheck. 32 28 35 With right to work laws, workers will still be able to bargain for higher wages, better workplace safety, and fair retirement. These laws protect workers and make sure that they are not fired if they fail to pay union dues. 32 30 3431 Unions are nothing more than political groups with their own agenda. Labor union bosses force workers to join, automatically deduct dues from their paycheck without consent, and use this money to support their political agenda. Right to work laws will stop forced handouts and will give money back to workers who decide not to join a union. 30 20 3031 RTW supporters’ basic “freedom” message does have potency, highlighting the need for our side to take back the value of freedom to where it rightfully belongs. Pro-RTW Messaging

18. RTW isn’t what it seems. It’s wrong for all workers and for the Middle Class RTW isn’t what it seems. It’s just another attempt by CEOs and corporate interests to end unions as we know them so they can tip the balance even more in their favor at the expense of the middle class. The corporate interests want to fool you, but RTW means less freedom for workers, not more. RTW makes us all less safe. Right To Work is a confusing, complicated and controversial proposal that is wrong for workers and wrong for the middle class

19. 1.Hit the Pause Button 2.Name the villain -Out of touch corporate CEOs who are more focused on profits than the workers who create them are pushing RTW -They are pushing RTW because it benefits them (corporate special interest, multi- national corporations, out-of-touch CEO) not working families -They want to use RTW to turn full-time jobs with competitive benefits into part-time positions with no benefits 3.Identify consequences -Makes it easier for CEOs to ship American jobs overseas -Puts more of the tax burden on the middle class through special interest-corporate tax breaks -Lets CEOs cut health and safety protections and eliminates protections for whistleblowers -Limits the rights and silences the voices of heroes like firefighters, nurses and teachers 4.Offer alternative` Four Point Narrative

20. Define freedom on our terms and in voters’ own words Workers deserve real rights and real freedom – the freedom to attend a parent-teacher conference or take our parents to the doctor without being punished by your employer We need the freedom to have a voice at work without fear of retaliation

21. Language primer: how to reference key players in the narrative Middle class Struggling Frustrated Worried Just getting by Insecure Underemployed America is powered by the middle class MY job, MY retirement, MY struggles Who We Are Everyday heroes we trust to keep us safe Struggling middle class who work hard and play by the rules Millions of Americans who have joined together to have their voices heard Organizations who help people come together; offer strength in numbers Corporations that hire part-time workers to avoid paying benefits Corporations that engage in constant downsizing putting more responsibilities on those who stay while constantly reminding them that “they are lucky to have a job.” Overpaid and out of touch CEOs who care more about their bonuses than the workers who made the profits possible CEOs who treat their workers like a number who can be easily replaced, instead of a person who contributes to the success and who has a family to support CEOs too intent on making money and taking credit Billionaire Koch brothers who have spent over $100 million to gut our environmental health and safety laws Our Villains

22. Key Lessons We’ve Learned Members First! Whenever possible utilize a member as a spokesperson for media, digital correspondence, mail, etc. Don’t use their words or attempt to “soundbyte” or “catch phrase” the other sides message like describing “Right to Work” as “Right to Work for Less” Don’t use Labor lingo or insider language Focus on the real life effects of unions

23. Words that Move the Message Wrong for workers, wrong for the middle class Controversial Complicated Confusing Backed by CEOs who care more about profits than workers who create them Hurts the middle class Politically motivated The Wrong Priority

24. Jeff Mazur, Lessons from Missouri Molly Maloney, Lessons from New Hampshore