Launched at the AFT convention in July, the union’s new cell phone text-messaging program is being expanded to include even more members and activists. It’s a perfect example of AFT’s Count Me In program in action (see box at left).

“Many of our members, particularly the younger ones, already are using text messaging to communicate with family and friends. We see this as an opportunity to use that technology as another way of communicating with those members,” says John Ost, director of the AFT’s political and legislative mobilization department.

Members already enrolled in the program received a series of mobile alerts in October, including messages about voter registration deadlines, opportunities to volunteer for political campaigns and the AFT’s school infrastructure initiative.

In Wisconsin, the AFT state affiliate has worked with the national union to establish a text-messaging program involving members of two of its higher education locals­­—the Teaching Assistants’ Association at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and the Milwaukee Graduate Assistants Association at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. “These are some of our most tech-savvy members, and we’ve been using text messaging to keep them plugged into our political program,” says AFT-Wisconsin government relations specialist Scott Spector.

Members of the state federation’s executive board and the committee on political education (COPE), as well as local presidents, also are participating in AFT-Wisconsin’s text-messaging program, Spector says.

To register for the program, send a text message to “AFT” at 35328 or visit www.aft.org/textme. Standard rates apply.