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Local 328 Vice President Chinetta Montgomery explains the importance of membership recommitment to a co-worker while other OHSU members sign new cards during a recent Local 328 ice cream social event at the Dental School. |
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All throughout Oregon AFSCME, members are recommitting to our union by signing new union membership cards. In some locals, stewards and others are going to co-workers one-by-one. Other locals are combining the one-by-one approach with larger union events such as ice cream socials.
“We know that the only way to improve our wages and benefits is for more people to be involved in our union," said Richard Swyers of Local 2067 (City of Salem). "That’s why we’re talking to our co-workers about the importance of recommitting to maintain a strong union.”
“At Local 88 (Multnomah County), we’ve made a real effort to talk to our co-workers about the need to recommit and send a message that by doing so, we are building a stronger union in our workplace,” says Percy Winters Jr., a longtime steward. “United we are stronger together. That’s our simple message, and people are responding.”
Local 328 at OHSU has nearly 6,000 members spread about various facilities, necessitating a multi-pronged approach. Staff, officers, stewards and others talk one-on-one with members whenever possible, but the local stages events aimed at capturing a wider audience when possible as well.
For example, as part of AFSCME Strong week recently, Local 328 members set up shop in several campus venues with mobile ice cream stands, enticing members into discussion with the free treats. The “ice cream here!” events reeled in longtime members who recommitted by re-signing new cards and many new OHSU workers who had never signed a union membership card before.
Local 328 President Matt Hilton says the goal is to reach as many people as possible with the message that a strong union means a better workplace for all of us.
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