Communicating NTEU’s Legislative Agenda How to Reach Your Members

Review NTEU’s Legislative Priorities Learn what other chapters are doing to generate support for NTEU’s legislative agenda Get ideas for communicating the legislative agenda regardless of your chapter size. Explore tools on NTEU.org to make communicating fast, easy and effective. Understand how to use social media

Agency funding, including staffing for: CBP IRS FDA other NTEU-represented agencies Pay and Potential Furlough Retirement Issues Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHBP) and Health Issues Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Impact of Financial Regulatory Reform on NTEU-represented agencies President Kelley and the 2011 Legislative Advisory Committee

Here’s what other chapters are doing: Making sure that members have a variety of activities, which boosts participation and volunteer recruitment. Hosting a series of phone drives around different legislative issues. Sharing news clippings on federal employee issues with members. Holding voter registration drives ahead of any 2011 elections. Already thinking and talking about 2012 elections

Know your message. Review NTEU’s legislative agenda. Know your audience. Focus on the issues that matter to them. Engage them with appropriate activities and calls to action. Utilize different media. Newsletters, web sites, , social media. But don’t forget good old fashioned face-to-face contact. Reuse content. If something happens on your web site, make sure it happens in your newsletter, update, social media, etc. Take advantage of NTEU’s tools and material. Visit NTEU.org for press releases, legislative fact sheets, sample messages for employees, photos, videos and more. Don’t forget your call to action. Give members something to do—whether it’s sending a message from the Legislative Action Center or calling their member of Congress.

Ideas big and small… Initiate a flier-of-the-week campaign spotlighting a legislative issue. Host a letter-writing campaign or phone bank. Entice attendees with food and advertise the event. Afterward, share photos from the event.

Have a legislative table at the cafeteria, picnics, dinners and other chapter events. Share the details of your congressional visits at a lunch-n-learn, on Facebook and in your newsletter. Show your chapter in action!

The Hatch Act Political Activity vs. Legislative Activity Legislative activity is directed toward the activities of the government, rather than an election. Political activity is directed toward the success or failure of a political party or candidate.

Step One: Log In NTEU’s web site offers special features and resources for chapter leaders. To access these tools, you must first log in at the top of the page.

The Legislative Issues Page Your portal to: Legislative Action Center TEPAC Information and Donation Page POWER Program Information Legislative Conference Page NTEU Congressional Testimony Hatch Act Do’s and Don’ts

The Legislative Action Center More than just action alerts! A user-friendly congressional directory A guide to local and national media Congressional schedules Capitol Hill basics for communicating with members of Congress Voter registration forms by state

A Wealth of Resources NTEU’s Legislative Conference Communications Page: Download photos, fliers and fact sheets NTEU’s Fliers and Clip Art Page: Get materials for lunch-n-learns, desk drops and other chapter activities.

Don’t Forget to Show Off! There is no single best way to communicate. Whether your chapter is big or small, or reaches out through a web site or bulletin board, a new single awards category honors the chapters that are the best overall communicators. Enter your chapter in the Excellence in Chapter Communications Award contest

NTEU Communications Web sites NTEU.org DHSunion.org theyWorkforUS.org E-Newsletters NTEU e-Bulletin NTEU DHS Update, TSA Update Special Alerts Bargaining Updates Print Newsletters NTEU Bulletin NTEU Working for You

Always log in. As chapter leaders, you have exclusive access to information and resources. Visit the Legislative Issues Page. It’s your portal to the Legislative Action Center, Hatch Act and TEPAC info and more. Get to know NTEU’s Legislative Action Center. It is more than just action alerts.

Take Advantage of NTEU Fliers. It’s a great way to communicate even if you don’t have a lot of time or resources. Visit the Legislative Conference Communications Page. Get access to photos, priority fact sheets, member communications, press releases, fliers and more.

Social Media Do your members use it? Can content be provided regularly? Understand the share button features Online discourse Are you ready for the world to see it?