KEY POINTS:
- Partnerships can revolve around common values as well as issues
- Join existing coalitions or organizations with a track record of mobilizing members
The community-based organization, Take Action Minnesota, got its start over seven years ago. Since that time, it has become an organizing powerhouse of 27 institutional and 14,000 individual members. As a grassroots community mobilizing group, Take Action seeks to break down barriers and create leadership that can move the economy forward, increase access to health care, and reform the criminal justice system. It is active in both electoral and legislative efforts.
IUE-CWA Representative Doug Williams was a founding board member and IUE-CWA Local 1140 participated in regular coalition activity. More recently, CWA strengthened its relationship with Take Action at a 400-person meeting in January 2012. Members from CWA locals throughout Minnesota met with Take Action leaders to discuss the barriers to democracy and create plans to fight against three detrimental state amendments: 1) voter suppression; 2) “Right to Work” (suspiciously renamed “Employee Freedom”) and; 3) a ban on gay marriage. They plan to fight for the millionaire tax. Both organizations agreed that Minnesotans need champions in public office to protect families and education. The joint plan is to develop leaders within a one-year training program and to enhance capacity of both organizations. The goal is to increase power in the state government. As such, CWA members are encouraged to become members of Take Action (a goal of 500 joint members) and LPATs will be invited to join Take Action teams for electoral work.
Minnesota State Council Director Mona Meyer feels that the coalition efforts with Take Action are bolstered by a shared value of protecting what matters most: families. She believes that union activists and community organizers can work together to educate around the impact of bad legislation on workers and their children. The hardest part is convincing some members that issues such as voter suppression directly affect us as much as economic development fights over the future of manufacturing jobs. Sharing ideas and coordinating resources with Take Action allows both member education and strong political advocacy to grow.