ITCILO COURSE A Capacity Building for Organizing and Managing Trade Unions 13 to 24 May 2013 Training: An Effective Organizing Tool

WHY TRAIN AND EDUCATE WORKERS?

Why Train and Educate Workers?  Exchange information, skills and perspectives.  Develop and discuss our organizing plans together.  Help recruit additional leaders.  Build deeper relationships among workers.

What Happens if we do not Train Workers?  Misinformation about the union in the workplace will increase.  It is harder to recruit additional leaders if we do not support our current leaders.  Too few people are skilled at doing the organizing work.  It becomes more difficult to make decisions and resolve conflicts.

Three Key Topics for Training  The organizing plan  The union, including the union’s history and vision  The company, the industry and the economy

 Training can be done in a variety of ways and it does not need to be in a classroom or at a meeting.  Songs, quizzes, games, poems and even just interesting questions that help start conversations can be good educational tools for purposes of organizing.

Different Methods of Training  One-to-one (i.e. person-to-person)  Small groups  Mentoring  Industry or educational events  Surveys  Social events  Union events  Others

One-to-One Training  Is how most people learn  Builds honesty and trust  Workers do not usually become involved in a union based on written materials.  You may need to talk away from the workplace, in workers’ homes, cafés or other safe locations.

Small Groups  Education in small groups can strengthen our arbolitos (worker networks).  Meetings can take place in workers’ homes, cafés or other safe locations.  They should be fun and build a collective feeling.  The small groups can either be informal and social or be run with an agenda (as in a study circle).

Mentoring  Share experience and knowledge deeply.  Need to meet regularly.  Both participants should be willing to challenge habits and assumptions and be open to new ideas.  Provide support.  Give clear, direct and honest feedback with kindness.

Industry events May be held away from the union office and without a union “label.” Radio station Industry training centre Hotel or conference room Community facility College or university Radio station Industry training centre Hotel or conference room Community facility College or university Possible venues Industry law Comparison of conditions Injuries and how to prevent them Industry law Comparison of conditions Injuries and how to prevent them Possible topics

Surveys Provide the final results to each worker participating in the survey. Who is the survey from? College or university Social group Facebook group NGO Industry academy or training organisation GUF or union Who is the survey from? College or university Social group Facebook group NGO Industry academy or training organisation GUF or union Possible topics Specific problems (e.g. frequency of back injuries) Knowledge of industry regulations Social events Childcare needs Other GUF or union Possible topics Specific problems (e.g. frequency of back injuries) Knowledge of industry regulations Social events Childcare needs Other GUF or union

Social events  The event should be well organised and fun.  Either create your own events or tap into others ’ social events.  Maximise opportunities for one-to-one, person- to-person contact: Go for drinks after you play football together. Organise group transport for shopping.  Make sure to follow up systematically with the new contacts that you make. Sports Nightlife Dinner Parties Fundraisers Shopping Other Sports Nightlife Dinner Parties Fundraisers Shopping Other

Union events You might:  Make an announcement at a union event, asking if anyone knows anyone at the unorganized company  Set up a union workshop to develop organizing skills and plans  Other

Who would participate? (eg unionised workers, non-union or uninvolved workers, union leaders, staff) Who would teach or lead? What facilitation training and support might they need? Who will do what to recruit participants? One-to-one, person-to-person Small groups Mentoring Industry or educational events Surveys Social events Union events Other ACTIVITY - PLANNING A TRAINING PROGRAMME

Anything else to discuss regarding training?

Thank you!