Staff from the International’s Organizing Department recently held a training session for Special Project Union Representatives (SPURs) in Atlanta. Organizers from UFCW Local 1996, UFCW Local 27, and the ICWUC attended the training, as well as a steelworker organizer from the USW. These trainings are part of an ongoing effort by the UFCW to strengthen the skills of organizers across the country.
The training focused on enhancing organizers’ engagement with members and potential members and refining their organizing skills and highlighted three key topics: how to better engage workers through reflective engagement; how to make effective home calls; and how to assess workers and handle challenges.
The “Reflective Engagement” segment of the training helped UFCW SPURs to engage with workers thoughtfully, actively listen, and understand their concerns to build trust and strong connections. The “Making Effective Home Calls” segment focused on helping participants make home visits more impactful by growing personal connections with workers, addressing their concerns, and strengthening solidarity. The “Assessing Workers and Handling Resistance” segment helped participants to develop strategies to identify the skills and strengths of workers and gain tools to effectively handle any resistance, ensuring a constructive approach to challenges.
“Training was fun and very interactive and I gained more knowledge on…organizing a union in a company,” said UFCW Local 1996 member Tee Howard. “Would I do it again? Yes!”
If your local is interested in holding a similar training for organizers and SPURs, contact D.J. Totty in the International’s Organizing Department at dtotty@ufcw.org.