Hi! I saw your reblog on a post recently about how you've done labor organizing in your community. Do you have any tips or recommendations for how others can go about doing something similar in their own communities? Thank you!
@unluckystreak Thank you for the ask! I'll try to keep this as concise as possible but please reply if you have any questions. (Also this info is specific to the United States because that's where I live; if you're in another country, some of this may not be be pertinent to you.)
Change begins at home! The best thing you can do for yourself, your coworkers, and the labor movement as a whole is to organize your own workplace. The Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC) and Labor Notes have some great resources on how to do this (here's a free download of The Troublemaker's Handbook to get you started.) If you already have a union where you work, join and get involved.
Learn some of the history and the goals behind labor organizing. No Shortcuts and Class Struggle Unionism (sometimes this ebook is available for free!) are excellent places to start for those new to the subject. You will truly learn best by doing, but it always helps to keep bolstering your education, and both of these will be wonderful guides for you when you start your own work. Read and discuss them with your coworkers or those that you're supporting.
Reach out to local organizations that do labor work. This could be your local labor council, leftist organizations, etc. I started labor organizing through my local DSA chapter and we did strike support, solidarity fundraisers, awareness flyering/canvassing, educational programs, you name it. Smaller/newer chapters may not have labor committees that are as robust but they are good places to start.
If you know about labor actions going on in your area, share them on social media to spread awareness and contact the union to ask them how you can help. Even going down to a picket line for an hour or two to listen to the workers can be a big morale boost because it shows that people in the community know and care about what they're going through.
I truly did not know shit about unions or labor organizing when I first started but I learned a lot fast because I had a good support network and multiple opportunities to get involved. Experience is the best teacher so don't be afraid of being a noob, really the desire to actually do something is enough to get started.
Hopefully that was helpful for you, again please let me know if you have any questions!
