For too many years, public service workers (and actually most Americans) have seen their job security, wages and benefits, and retirement security erode — even though for the top 1 percent things have been great. Now, when it’s our turn to make things better for our families, they’re trying to cripple our union. We’re not going to let that happen.

We have a plan and the power to protect the jobs, financial security and future of AFSCME members. That plan is AFSCME Strong. We know that in order to survive we need to be strong.

AFSCME Strong is a bold vision of building a strong union of committed members, a union that connects to all public workers. A union that has power on the shop floor, at the bargaining table and at the state legislature.

STEP 1: ORGANIZING MEMBER TO MEMBER.

AFSCME Strong makes organizing job one. AFSCME members receive in-depth training on how to reach and connect with coworkers. These AFSCME Strong member activists will be the engine that drives our effort to engage our members, one conversation at a time.

STEP 2: PEOPLE POWER.

Many of the corporate politicians that are hell bent on wiping out the labor movement won during the last election. We need to do more and do better when it comes to advocating in the political process for candidates that care about the middle class. PEOPLE is a major priority. We will make PEOPLE promotion a central issue at every union event and we will increase participation in the program nationwide. Our goal is to have 10 percent of members signed up as PEOPLE MVPs.

STEP 3. SUPPORT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

We are all in this together. AFSCME Strong is structured to help locals, councils and the national union share resources, best practices – and information. We’re setting up a campaign tracker for affiliate and IU staff so we can see each others’ progress recruiting and training volunteers and talking to members. That site will also have resources and campaign updates. We’ll also be sharing campaign news through regular email updates.