How to Organize Your Workplace

BWU's organizing model moves through four stages. Each of these stages may last a different period of time depending on the campaign, but every campaign goes through each stage. The four stages are:

1. Contact
2. Committee
3. Campaign
4. Contract

The first stage of organizing is Contact, where you will be gauging support by talking to your co-workers. Once you and your BWU organizer have determined that there is sufficient support to continue, you will begin to build an Inside Organizing Committee from workers who are representative of the unit.

Building a strong, effective Inside Organizing Committee is the most critical step in winning an election, and improving your workplace. Committee members help collect data, educate and evaluate co-workers, clarify the issues, and confront and challenge misinformation claims made by management. Committee members must be committed to the union, and willing to show their support publicly.

Once the committee has been trained and is solid, the campaign will "go public". This will involve asking others to sign a petition, having meetings, and initiating one on one discussions with your co-workers about the issues. At this stage your employer will most likely begin their anti-union campaign. When there is strong majority support, a petition for union recognition will be circulated amoung eligible workers until a majority is reached.

After majority is reached and recognition is received, the contract campaign will begin. A team of workers will work together with professional negotiators to bargain a contract that reflects the needs of the unit.