Getting involved with organizing a workplace. Any tips?

[RandySF]

Public sector workplace. Many employees already organized. Any quick tips to protect myself?

[tonyt53]

1. Carry a camera and voice recorder at all times. Have no conversations in private with anyone.

Do not discuss your organizing activities while working. You can do it during lunch and on breaks though. Document who you talk to and when - not everyone is on your side, even though you might think they are. Do not give false hope or hype. Speak only facts and state exactly what they can expect. And when you record, make sure the other person(s) know it and why. Let them know it offers protection to them also. Do not get into a pissing contest with those opposed to your actions. Nobody wins. Do not let your opponents ruffle your feathers to the point of you losing your cool. You lose then. I won;t say good luck, because luck will have nothing to do with it whether you fail or succeed. It all comes down to the "want to" of your co-workers.

[The empressof all]

2. I've done it twice

Hope it is not a harsh process for you. The one thing you must do even if you are not in a leadership role and just signed a card is to carry a notebook and document everything. Don't rely on your memory. Dates and who was present for the conversations.

Make sure you adhere to company policy even those that have been overlooked or ignored in the past

Put money aside in the event they go full bore and engage in union busting and terminating folks. It happens all the time.

[lindysalsagal]

3. Work closely with established union leaders. Get state-level help.

You don't have to re-invent the wheel.

The leakage will come from individuals who are programmed to suck up to management.

Keep instructing your workers about boundaries and contract limitations. Many don't understand which issues are contract, and which are not.

Assign each member to their own designated rep, to grease the communication structure.

Use personal email for private communication.

[RandySF]

4. Thanks

We already have people on the ground so it's more of support role than a leadership one. I've been a union member in my past life but I've never organized and I am a little nervous about retaliation.