Meeting minutes 09/10/13, next meeting, other thoughts
Margot Nikitas
Hey Team,
Below please find the minutes from last night's meeting. I think we had a great meeting and worked out a lot of important details.
Here are a couple of additional thoughts that came to my mind since last night:
We should have short bios for each of the speakers on the opening and closing panels. If you are the primary contact for someone on a panel, please reach out to them for a short bio. We should also have a short description of each workshop, with the goal of creating an agenda/program for the day similar to the examples that Mel had from past schools in other cities. I am happy to take the lead on compiling the program with the bios and workshop descriptions (if you are leading a workshop or are the contact for someone who is, please send me some text), although I might need some assistance with design. Mel, can you reach out to Samantha to see if she has a template?
-Margot
MINUTES 09/10/13
Finalize Agenda and Fill in Gaps
Opening Plenary—“The New Labor Movement: Evolving Forms of Worker Organizing” (11am-12:15pm)
Moderator: Deb Gornall, UE Eastern Region President (will give context of what Labor Notes is, mention UE Local 170 West Virginia public sector workers without collective bargaining rights and UE Local 601, the non-majority GE local in Grove City, PA, and introduce panel)
Panel:
- Sue Garza, Chicago Teachers Union
- Mike Harms, ATU Local 85
- Margot Nikitas, Fight Back Pittsburgh
- TBD worker-leader from SEIU UPMC campaign—Patrick will reach out to Silas Russell
Each speaker will be allotted 10 minutes with time for Q&A at the end.
Closing Plenary—“Lessons from Labor’s Past: Stories of Our Victories” (4:15-5pm)
Moderator: Mark Brenner of Labor Notes
Panel:
- Jim Savage, USW Local 10-1
- Nick Mollinar, UMWA
Each speaker will be allotted 20 minutes—no Q&A
Workshops (1:15-2:30pm and 2:45-4pm)
3 tracks of workshops:
Skills Building
Secrets of a Successful Orgranizer—Samantha from Labor Notes [note: we decided to do this workshop in lieu of USW Building Power Workshop]
Stewards’ Training—John Lepley or Steffi Domike
Building the Union Movement
Fighting Discrimination/Anti-Oppression—since La’Tasha Mayes of New Voices Pittsburgh can’t do it, we are seeking Jamaal Craig and Chris Chapman to co-facilitate—John I think you are going to reach out to them?
Taking Back Your Local and Building a Movement/Running for Office as a Rank and Filer—Mel
New Organizing/Popular Economics
The Economic Crisis: Is this Recovery?—Mark Brenner
Organizing Without a Contract—UE Local 170 West Virginia Public Sector Workers
Turnout/Outreach
ATU—10 solid yes, Mike is working on 10-15 more
UE—15, Margot will continue to reach out
USW Local 3657/FBP—20, will phone bank and coordinate with FBP Communications Committee for outreach
PFT—Mike, Mel, and Margot will reach out again through various connections. Mel will reach out to Sue Garza of CTU to see if she would be willing to write an email targeted to PFT members
PPT—Mel will reach out to Helen Gerhardt
IASTE—the target was 2, Patrick will reach out again
Ironworkers Local 3—Jeff Cech is trying to get 5 people
USW—Patrick, Josh, and John will reach out to area locals
UFCW—a handful of folks will likely come, Mark will reach out
Operating Engineers—at least 2
UNITE-HERE—Mel will reach out to Coop
NALC—Mel will reach out to Mike Plakson again
USW Adjunct Faculty—Patrick will reach out to Robin, Mel will reach out to Josh [and actually after last night’s meeting the Adjunct Faculty came out of a meeting and we were standing outside USW and handed out fliers to them and promoted the event]
We made a goal of reporting back on outreach as we touch base with these groups. Samantha will email weekly with registration updates. Samantha will resend Mel the list of Labor Notes subscribers in Pittsburgh so FBP can send a promotional email from its Mail Chimp account. The Teamsters/TDU also gave Mel some good contacts.
1 person is currently signed up on the online registration. There are 23 people signed up on the Facebook event.
Logistics
Set-up and Materials:
Everyone plan to arrive at 10am to set up. FBP will have extra volunteers on hand.
- Need to check AV needs of each workshop
- Need 3 flip charts and easels
- Pens/markers
- Projectors
- Clipboards
- 100 folders with agendas, pads, pens, sticky name tags
- Paper registration forms—Samantha will send the Labor Notes template to John
- Masking tape
Samantha will send 100 copies of most recent edition of Labor Notes, Labor Notes merchandise to USW. Samantha will have a credit card machine.
Mel will follow up with what AV is available in the Health and Human Services Building.
Childcare: TBD based on who registers for it. Samantha will see about changing the online registration form to see if childcare can be a checked option.
Registration: Will begin at 10:30am in the hopes that we can actually start at 11am. Online materials will be changed to reflect this.
Lunch:
Budget for lunch is $500. Pizza and salads. Pop and water. Ice, cups. Patrick is on the case.
Finances:
UE National = $250
UE Eastern Region = $250
UFCW = $500
ATU = $500
USW Local 3657 = $500
Total = $2000
Housing:
Mark and Samantha from Labor Notes, and Sue Garza from CTU, will stay with Mel. Jim Savage will stay with Patrick.
After Party:
7-10pm, ATU Local 85 Hall, 2022 Chateau St., Northside.
Set-up team: Patrick and Mike.
Need beer, snacks, coolers, ice. Folks who have coolers please bring them to the school in the morning.
Next meeting
Conference call on Tuesday, September 17 at 8pm.
Dial-in: 1-877-402-9753
Access Code: 7692886
--
Margot A. Nikitas
Associate General Counsel
United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (UE)
One Gateway Center, Suite 1400
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412.471.8919 (phone)
412.471.8999 (fax)
773.317.1645 (cell)
margot....@ueunion.org