VMOs: Making a Difference in Florida
by Jon Melegrito | September 12, 2012
VMOs from Ohio, Oregon and Washington include (front row, left to right): Stephanie Wiley, Karen Holdridge, Lois Carson, JoAnn Johntony, Amanda Warfield; (back row): Paul Miller, Ava Viera, Davida Russell, Brenda Watts, Bonnie Grantz, Elizabeth Walls, James Ward, Susan Harris and Mark Harrington. (Photo by Bianca Kendall)
Undeterred by Hurricane Isaac, 16 AFSCME volunteer member organizers (VMOs) from Ohio, Oregon and Washington headed to Miami recently for a training that prepared them for something they’ve never done before: Knocking on doors and having one-on-one conversations with the goal of organizing new union members.
“The training gave me the tools and skills I needed to talk to people who didn’t know how the union could benefit them and change their life,” said Imelda Ang, a human resources administrative assistant and a member of Local 443 (Council 28). “Sharing my own story was an empowering experience.”
Ang is part of a growing number of VMOs from across the country who are training to build the union, so we can better fight attacks on public services and working families.
In Florida, the VMOs’ mission was to help members of Local 3346 reach out to their 1,200 co-workers and other employees of the Florida International University who work on campus as custodians, clerical and administrative support staff and maintenance workers. Local 3346 leaders are currently in contract negotiations and are fighting for “just cause” language in their union contract to prevent management from arbitrarily firing employees.
The five days of training included visits to workers’ homes, providing the VMOs an opportunity to explain to co-workers that there is power in numbers and that coming together as a union gives them a voice.
“We’ve been going out into the field, knocking on doors,” said participant Lois Carson, a secretary for the city of Columbus public schools and a member of the Ohio Association of Public School Employees (OAPSE)/AFSCME Local 4. “At first I was afraid, but my organizer was with me. He encouraged me and supported me and after the first knock, I felt great. I knew this was a calling for me.”
Another VMO team that signed up for training in Baltimore, Md., this summer had a similar experience. David Levine, a public welfare clerical assistant and a member of Local 2577 (Council 84), said the one-on-one meetings were both challenging and exciting.
“Organizing is not just about signing people up and getting them to sign cards. It’s about making them feel empowered and getting them to take ownership of their union. That’s what volunteer member organizing is all about.”
Also participating was Joyce Dukes, an administrative assistant and a member of Local 1535 (AFSCME Maryland).
“After being a member for a while, I realized that that just wasn’t enough,” she said. “I wanted to get more involved. I wanted to make a difference.”
