Ponying Up: 10 Percent or Better

SACRAMENTO

California's annual PEOPLE Conference is aimed, as one leader puts it, at "building political power so we can take care of our members." This year's conference, held in early May, had a special focus: recognition of California locals that have reached or surpassed the goal of 10 percent of their membership donating to the union's individual political-contributions program.

If that seems a modest aim, it's a realistic one. The state's affiliates have lagged far behind AFSCME's national norms in supporting PEOPLE. Judging by the results announced at this conference, however, the Golden Staters are well on the way toward catching up.

The chief reasons cited for their progress include more cooperation among the affiliates, a more active role by the International and the energy generated in defeating a state paycheck-deception proposition.

Among the locals recognized for increasing their percentage of PEOPLE contributors:

• The Metropolitan Water District Employees, Local 1902, in Los Angles, which e-mailed its members frequently ("Come on, we can do it!") and signed up 226 of them in a single month.
• Local 3634 (Council 36), which used payroll deductions as its primary tool, and AFSCME's political clout and a Senate bill threatening privatization as its primary motivations.
• Local 585 (Council 36), which included a PEOPLE check-off option in both its basic membership and agency-shop materials. Enhancing that get-'em-early strategy, says local Pres. Leon Thomas, was the attractiveness of the PEOPLE merchandise used to reward givers. "When folks saw others walking around in those handsome jackets, they said, 'Hey, how do I get one?'"

Although it hasn't yet reached the 10 percent goal, Retiree Chapter 36 was recognized for its innovative marketing. Reports chapter Pres. Michael Schaffer, "For a minimum payment of five dollars for one sentence, our newsletter accepts personal notices from members — like 'In Loving Memory of ...' or 'Congratulations on Your Graduation ...' We pass all the receipts on to PEOPLE. I call it 'mail money': There's no overhead, and you don't have to work to get it.'"