Organizing opportunities are all around us: Watch the latest Union 411 video.

Did you know that only about half of U.S. states have full collective bargaining rights for public sector workers? In more than 20 states, workers who are employed by cities, counties, school districts and states have limited or no collective bargaining rights. In addition, there are millions of public service workers – like mental health care and cultural workers – in the private sector who have no union contract. No grievance procedure. No steward system. No real rights on the job.

AFSCME members are changing that by getting organized. A tidal wave of worker power is sweeping the country, inspiring workers everywhere. In the past five years, public service workers across the country have expanded collective bargaining rights, formed unions in their workplaces for the first time and helped new workers organize as volunteer member organizers.

Administrative and clerical workers in Nevada. Local government workers in Texas. Library workers in Colorado. Museum workers in Illinois. Hospital employees in California. These are just some of the groups of workers who have organized together and formed unions with AFSCME in recent years.

Research shows that nearly 50 million nonunion workers would vote to unionize their workplace if given the opportunity. We can close the gap between the workers who want a union on the job and those who have a union on the job. There are organizing opportunities all around us. Many workers at health care facilities, schools, museums and libraries in our communities still lack a voice in their workplace. As an AFSCME member, you can share what it means to belong to a union and invite your neighbors to join us in AFSCME.

The newest Union 411 installment explores the importance of helping new groups of workers organize a union for the first time. You can share this video to help others understand the impact we can have by reaching into our communities to grow our power.

For more information, follow the Union 411 series, which explains union basics and how to build strong local unions. Each video highlights a specific topic like the power of legislative action, the role of stewards and collective bargaining.

Let’s make the most of our opportunities to organize – it all begins with a conversation with our neighbors.