One of the biggest challenges we face as we continue through the current recession is how to retool our economy to not just preserve jobs, but create new jobs that stand the test of time. One answer is to invest in and expand the number and quality "green-collar" jobs. The Blue Green Alliance, a national, strategic partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations, is dedicated to doing exactly that.
This unique labor and environmental coalition works on a range of national issues that include passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, designed to lower carbon emissions and invest in clean and alternative energy, and the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that will make it easier for workers to organize and unionize.
Last week here in Minnesota, the Blue Green Alliance teamed up with Wellstone Action to put on a train-the-trainer session as the Alliance begins organizing for the coming battle over climate change legislation.
At their HQ in Minneapolis, trainers lead a variety of exercises, one of which showcased the importance of building relationships to successful organizing. Here at Wellstone Action, we call this the Issues-Interest-Values triangle or, more affectionately, the "little guy". Here's how it works:
You start by defining what you need to know about a person that you are organizing with to understand what motivates them to act and how to develop a real organizing relationship. In the training, participants imagined someone typical of the audience they are working to organize--Patty, a nurse and union member of SEIU.
Participants learned how to assess Patty's interests, issues, and values by finding out not only what issues Patty cares about-health care, job security, education-but why does she care about those things? Because she's worried about all of people she sees in the emergency room, because we're in the middle of a recession, and because she's a single mother with 2 kids with asthma. Those things define her interest, or stake, in the issues that she cares about. Her values on the other hand are the things that influence her interests and her issues. For example, Patty is concerned with the state of health care because she believes in equality and she sees people get turned away because of inadequate insurance. She cares so much about her children's education because she sees parenthood as a sacred duty. Given all this information, why should Patty care about climate change legislation?
Patty has a stake in this debate because her children have asthma-they're directly affected by the state of the natural environment. And as a caregiver, she wants her kids to inherit an earth better than what we have today. Those are just a couple reasons why Patty should be concerned with climate change.
Now, as an organizer for climate change legislation, imagine trying to talk to or persuade Patty to become active in her community without knowing any of the above information. It would be nearly impossible. That's why the first step to being a good organizer is building relationships. And with climate legislation toward the top of this year's legislative agenda, organizing is even more important.
To learn more about the Blue Green Alliance, go here.
Post new comment