The UFCW International’s Organizing Department recently held a weeklong intensive training for experienced International staff, teaching them to identify, recruit, and train the next generation of Special Project Union Representatives (SPURs).
SPURs are engaged members and strong union advocates who can share firsthand stories about the importance of a union and strengthen membership in their workplaces. They can also educate nonunion co-workers about the “union difference”: higher wages, better benefits, job and retirement security, and a voice on the job.
At the heart of the training is the “reflective conversation.” Instead of delivering a pitch, a SPUR asks questions and listens, learning about a co-worker’s experiences and what matters to them, and then helps move that person to action. Trainers highlighted three types of questions for participants to keep in mind: background, pain, and gain.
Background questions, such as “Where did you work before starting here?”, help organizers build rapport with workers and gauge their awareness of problems and solutions. Pain questions, like “How does having an erratic schedule impact you and your family?”, let workers vent while raising their awareness of the issues they face. Finally, gain questions, like “What would improve if you had regular wage increases?”, turn the pain question around to illustrate how a union can address workers’ concerns while also creating a sense of urgency.
Throughout these conversations, organizers also prepare workers for the anti-union campaign that employers will likely wage. By talking through what to expect and equipping workers with tactics to counter disinformation, organizers make them less likely to be shocked or frightened when they face a backlash against unionization. This advance warning, called “inoculation,” also builds trust and solidarity between organizers and workers.
Once organizers have made that personal connection and workers understand the challenges ahead, organizers encourage them to identify potential leaders in their workplaces and build small committees of members who are eager to take ownership of their union and kick-start campaigns in the union’s core industries.
In follow-up conversations, attendees said they’re inspired and ready to head into the field as “trainers of the trainers.”
The Organizing Department’s Emily Sabo said the reflective conversation part of the session was especially helpful. “The training scratched my brain and will give me a lot to pull from when I facilitate conversations with SPURs,” she said. “I also appreciated learning everyone’s teaching style.”
Region 8’s William Cox said being with other organizers was incredibly valuable. “Getting to be in the room with others from across the country was a highlight. I don’t get a chance to see them very often, and hearing their perspectives will make me a stronger trainer. Now it’s time to pour this knowledge into others!”
The Organizing Department also led a workshop in which SPURs practiced what they learned during a series of interactive scenarios.
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.