View source for Talk:Labor Outreach Committee Meeting Friday 9 December 2011

; [http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=listByAuthor&authorFirst=Shamus&authorName=Cooke Shamus Cooke] Suggests

I thought it worthwhile to write to the group,  possibly to provoke a further discussion (or just some ideas) about labor-occupy outreach and, consequently how we might respond to Occupy actions that involve not just labor, but the wider community (while keeping in mind that I agree with Becca that the port action is going to happen and we should intervene to make it more labor friendly).

Our committee might benefit from a more in depth discussions about what types of Occupy actions we should support; or to what level of degree we support certain them within Occupy? (level of outreach within our unions, level of time we spend organizing them, etc).

'''Some general ideas/approaches on how we might relate as a committee to our own actions and other groups within occupy:'''

-  We should be MOST concerned about how rank and file members will perceive/connect with our actions or Occupy actions; this may include being extra sensitive to union culture/operating and the ways in which events reach out to the labor community (or don't).

- for example, we should focus on actions that do not unnecessarily provoke the police, since (we can assume) that most union members/ the wider population are not interested in directly challenging the police or being victims of police violence (at this time, though possibly very soon based on the action/campaign). If we believe an event may result in police violence (like possibly the port action) we need to communicate this to union members clearly beforehand.

- We should build our events not only as Occupy initiated actions, but use them to bring in other workers and their organizations into the event/action development stage, allowing them to have a voice and all the more investment in making the events a success, clarifying what issues the greatest numbers of people are willing to take action on, and creating wider unity among the 99%.

- we could come to Occupy events with labor friendly demands: jobs, stop the cuts, tax the rich, etc, on picket signs or banners, etc. We could make a banner that says: Labor Supports Occupy; Occupy Supports Labor, Stop the Cuts; Tax the Rich ! which we could carry at the head of our actions.

Another general idea is that we might benefit from organizing more cohesively as a group, for example committee members could volunteer to take turns studying the notes or attending the GA's, so we know what actions are in the works so that we can intervene earlier to make them strategically more worker friendly and to build rapport with other groups.

Or we could agree to focus more energy on ourselves organizing mass mobilizations; meaning that good outreach, messaging, and demands connected best with the community to make the most successful events (this is in part what the People's Assembly campaign plan intends).

we could also propose that our committee promote the idea of encouraging organized labor, when it joins events, to join as a organized contingent so that we all arrive in a big group.
  
Ultimately, I think our labor committee has a responsibility to communicate/ give advice to Occupy in general not just about unions, but about what actions and tactics might connect best with passive but sympathetic working people; and make those who are not sympathetic think twice.