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» Any Advice For A New Delegate?

Any advice for a new delegate?

Submitted by Daniel Whelan on h, 08/01/2005 - 6:34pm.

Hello fellow workers,

Well, I received my first rigging today and I'm thrilled to be St. Louis' new delegate. My name is Dan Whelan and I'm a telecommunication technician in St. Louis, MO. I wanted to welcome any advice you may have for a new delegate that may help with the learning curve.

Here are a few things I'm particularly curious about.

How do you manage your contacts? Is everything on your computer? Do you use index cards? How do you maintain whose in what union? Is there a particular piece of software you utilize?

How do you get the word out? Do you advertise anywhere? Are you doing outreach of any kind? What have you found to be successful in attracting interest?

How do you manage dues? Do you call you membership to remind them there dues are up?

What materials do you give someone you're trying to recruit? Do you have a basic information kit made up to pass out to people?

 

BTW, I do have the delegate manual; I'm just looking for some tried and true techniques fellow delegates are putting to use in the field.

Thanks in advance for any advice your willing to share.

Daniel Whelan 

 

 

‹ My boss is also a fellow worker, please advise. Money Splitter ›

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x351912 Says:
k, 08/02/2005 - 5:43pm

Hey FW,

I was a delegate for nearly 2.5 years.  I always used excel on my encrypted/passworded computer to store contacts.  I maintained current members, ex-members and interested parties list all in different spreadsheets. We used that info whenever we had an event. 

Since our branch has grown quickly we have lost track of this a bit, but I believe that our BS is working on rebuilding it.  

 Talk to Steve O (the webmaster) about making a list serve.  That will keep track of members (that use email). 

About a year ago we were hosting video screenings.  I don't think they were very successful.  We had talked at a few events, which seemed to help more.  What we are doing now, is that we are mapping and charting out downtown area.  Then we will begin to work on a district organizing model. 

Its very important as your group grows, to allow the new members to do the work!  That way they take stake in the GMB/IUB. 

 One more thing, you might want to contact Mitch at HQ, and ask him for a list of ex-wobs and current wobs and lit buyers in your local area.

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Daniel Whelan Says:
k, 08/02/2005 - 6:08pm

Those are excellent suggestions.

Thanks for the advice. 

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ryan Says:
szo, 08/06/2005 - 5:57pm
Daniel:

My advice is to get a little booklet and write EVERYTHING down - especially when dealing with money. Its very easy to forget a little detail when it comes time to fill out your delegate report. Also, if your not doing it yet, make a copy of your delegate report to keep for your records.

Yes - call people about dues if you can - its very easy for folks to avoid emails.

To attract interest, be visible at picket lines, demos, protests, etc.... Print or make up some picket signs, and people will defintely be interested. We have met and signed up many militant workers who had no idea that the IWW still exists, but met up with us on the picket line.

Good luck!
In solidarity,
Ryan van den Berg
Edmonton GMB

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x351912 Says:
h, 08/08/2005 - 12:22pm
I do the delegate report filling out in front of the member.  I believe most of my branch does that as well.  I know it slows down the process, but it ensures greater accuracy--and you never want to mess with money.

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PB 530 Says:
szo, 08/13/2005 - 3:51pm

Daniel,

I also use excel to keep track of members.  my advice would be:

1. Copy everything, especially delegate reports and new member applications before you send them off to GHQ. you never know when they will get lost in the mail or the bureaucracy.

2. keep in touch with all members you sign up.  don't just sign up a new member and forget about them. find out why they are joining, what their interests are, what they'd like to see the IWW do locally, and make sure they are kept active. meet with them regularly and ask them if they are in good standing. remind them what benefits are offered to members in good standing (voting rights at meetings for example).

3. as far as publicity, i'd say anything will do, but remember people are unlikely to respond to flyers.  be focused with your outreach (i.e. what company or industry do you want to start building the one big union in). 

4. don't recruit the Left, recruit workers (we are a working class organization, not a political one).  talk to all workers about their work and make sure they know the IWW has something to offer them. avoid signing up close friends. it makes it difficult to conduct union business, especially when keeping them accountable to projects that your group is persuing.

5. as far as an introductory kit. it is probably important to put one together for new members. we try to do that here in Chicago.  when you sign up a new member, remember to give them the Constitution, the OBU pamphlet, an Industrial Worker, a button, a set of local bylaws (if you have them), and maybe an introdutory pamphlet on the IWW.  you may want to put all these in an attractive folder.

 

Hope this helps,

Pat

Chicago GMB

 

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