Organizing: It's the heart of the union

Organizing has been called the lifeblood of the union—and for good reason. A union’s ability to recruit members and organize new units has a direct—and often profound—impact on its efforts to represent members at the bargaining table, in the political arena, and in efforts to improve the quality of education and other public services.

“We in the AFT know that with increased numbers comes increased strength, so we take very seriously the notion that bringing new locals and members into the AFT benefits every school employee, every healthcare professional, every higher education faculty member and every public employee we represent,” says union executive vice president Nat LaCour.

The AFT has earned its reputation as a union that puts a premium on recruiting members and organizing new units. Between May 2002 and May 2003, the number of employees represented by the AFT grew by nearly 33,000. This momentum has helped the AFT maintain the distinction of being the fastest-growing union within the AFL-CIO.

“Almost everything we do as a union is connected to organizing,” says AFT president Sandra Feldman. “When we respond to the professional needs of our members, that’s organizing. When we’re involved in political action to elect pro-labor candidates, that’s organizing that speaks to the needs of our members. It’s about building a culture of organizing.”

Much of this emphasis on organizing stems from the AFT’s long-standing tradition as an “organizing union,” and some of it is the direct result of the initiatives launched by the national union’s organizing committee, which is chaired by LaCour.

The committee’s mandate comes directly from the union’s Futures II report, which was adopted by delegates to the AFT convention in New Orleans in July 1998. The report calls for expanding “the size and strength of the AFT through a coordinated campaign to increase membership” in order “to provide our members with an even stronger voice concerning the conditions under which they work and the improvement of the quality of the services they provide.”

“One of the things the committee is trying to do is help state federations develop an organizing capacity, with dedicated organizing and union-building staff,” says AFT director of organizing Phil Kugler. AFT affiliates in several states, including Connecticut, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio, “are stepping up to the plate and making real progress in this area,” he adds.

Also on the organizing committee’s agenda is the challenge of organizing young workers—and getting them involved as activists and leaders. Union studies show that the greatest potential for membership growth is among teachers, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel with no more than five years of service.

Another organizing priority has been to make union membership appealing to employees who are represented by the union but for one reason or another have yet to become members. The AFT’s membership consolidation/internal organizing project is helping locals in several states develop a recruitment program designed to make union membership meaningful and worthwhile to these prospective members. Together, the targeted locals have a potential membership gain of more than 66,000.

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