Workplace Actions

Workplace Actions

Demonstrating Solidarity

Workplace Actions -- Demonstrating Solidarity
Not all activities apply to every circumstance.

Understand what your members are willing to do. You want broad participation. Don't push people too far too fast.
Be well organized. Build and utilize your steward and/or mobilization network.
Pay attention to details.
Build up the pressure, and your members's support and level of commitment with each action until the problem is resolved. Don't play your best card first.

Here are some ideas. Remember to be creative and have fun!

WEAR SINGLE COLORS - On certain days, everybody wears the same color to work. Job making your "feel" blue? in mourning? It demonstrates to Management that workers are together. It is good for morale when each worker sees the depth of the union's support.
BALLOON DAYS - Hand a helium balloon to every worker on the way in to work. They then tie them to their desks. To go a step further, at a given time, release the balloons or, better yet, pop them. Have the balloons printed with a slogan. At the end of the day, fill the Manager's office with your kind gift.
TAPPING, COUGHING, SNEEZING - At a given time, all the members in your workplace tap their pens on their desks at the same time (or cough or sneeze or whatever else your imagination comes up with).
HEALTH CARE ACTION DAYS - Everyone wears band aids, crutches, canes, bandages, eye patches, and the like to work. Slogans could include "We're Sick Over _____ Attempt to Cut Our Benefits (or whatever)" or "Cutting Our Health Benefits is a Sick Idea"
POSTCARD/PETITION/PLEDGE CARD CAMPAIGN - Every worker signs on at the workplace. Use your mobilization and/or steward structure. Maybe there is a moment of consciousness when everybody stops work and signs a card. Raise the stakes and produce a petition/postcard/pledge card that can be used in the community or with allied groups. Then every worker agrees to sign up 5, 10, or 20 supporters per week.
HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES - Bring a Cornish Hen to your employer for Thanksgiving ("We Couldn't Afford a Turkey"). Dress someone as Santa and symbolically give your employer coal for Christmas. Organize an Easter a parade with everyone in rags ("There'll Be No Bonnets This Year. We Can't Afford Them.") Think about activities for Labor Day or May Day. Using the holiday theme may be a good way to get your message out
CANDLELIGHT MARCHES AND VIGILS - Workers gathered at dusk with candles outside the office, State House, or other significant target makes a pretty picture for the evening TV news. (Note: you can prevent the candles from blowing out and dripping wax on demonstrators' hands by placing the candles inside a paper cup. They also give a nice glow that way.) Bring a coffin to your employer ("R.I.P. [whatever the issue may be]", or "Here lie the [whatever the issue may be]").
COLOR COORDINATED INK - Everyone responsible for filling out forms or reports uses green ink one week, red the next, etc. This demonstrates solidarity. Yes, Management will notice!
MASS STARTS - Everyone walks in together at the beginning of the shift or work day.
"LUNCH WITH A BUNCH" - Noontime workplace picketing. The machinists union coined the phrase during their mobilization at eastern Airlines. Aside from just having your members hold a lunchtime picket line, invite other organizations and make it a rally. If it is in a convenient location, a lot of people can come during their lunch breaks. Consider holding a news briefing and have workers tell their stories to the media. The union office can assist you in working with the media.
MULTI-AGENCY/CHAPTER MARCH - Join with other 509ers in your city; get other unions to join you, too. Organize a march from one Department or Agency to the next.
INVITE YOUR STATE REPS - Periodically invite your legislators to your Union building meetings. Arrange a breakfast at a local eatery. Explain your issues and make them accountable for their votes. March to their local offices. Our lobbyist can help you to arrange the meeting.
COMMUNITY TRIAL OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS/MANAGERS - Hold your own "impartial" hearings or use some prominent groups or individuals to be judge and jury.
GOVERNMENTAL HEARINGS - Have "friendly" elected officials hold public hearings with worker testimony about your issues.
PICKET KEY EVENTS - Be imaginative. Don't limit your picketing to just your place of employment. If here is an agency sponsored event, be there too! It's a good way to inform the community about our issues.
TAKE THE ISSUES TO THE BOSSES - Wherever they may be: Picket their homes, offices, personal businesses, civic groups, parties, and so on. Make them understand the depth of our commitment to win justice on the job.
CAR CARAVANS/DRIVE THROUGH - We love a parade. Dress up your cars with picket signs and banners and organize a caravan through an appropriate section of town, or "drive through" some employer or issue related target.
STAND UPS (OR SIT DOWNS) - Everyone at a workplace stands at the same time (Use the slogan,"Stand Up To [name of agency]") If your members usually stand on the job, have everyone sit at the same time instead. Or be a little more daring: Have your stewards bring in alarm clocks and at a set time when the clocks ring, everyone stands.
WORK IN/SLEEP IN/SIT-DOWN - How many workers does it take to get the public's and Management's attention to our issues.

This document is based on and reprints, with permission, a portion of "Organizing for the 90's" by the Communication Workers of America.