Talkin’ Union to New Employees Orientations that Build Power Tom Ellett, Education Dept. Leanne Kunze, Council 65

Formal NEOs on employer time? Sign up new employees through one- on-one conversations at work? Fool-proof way to have contact with every new employee in your local?

Objectives Know that NEO is a process, not a single event or mailing Share and learn best practices for effective new employee orientations

Objectives Develop a message to deliver in both formal NEO meetings and one-on- one conversations with new employees at work

Objectives Commit to developing a system to deliver NEOs in the workplace and in formal NEO meetings back home in your local

Introductions Your name Where you live What job you do A brief story about how you got oriented to the union As a group, discuss what trends or similarities you heard in your stories.

Best Practices for New Employee Orientations

Developing our Message

3 Steps for Successful NEO Programs Plan Prepare Execute

Plan Develop a plan that ensures success Discuss with your Executive Board. Assign one person who is in charge of NEOs. Assign and train presenters for group NEO meetings. Designate someone in each work area to have a one-on-one conversation with each new employee the first day of work and ask the new employee to join our union and PEOPLE. Train your stewards and MATs to do effective one-on-one conversations.

Prepare Create new employee packets that include A simple information sheet about your local union A brief description of the local and highlights of recent victories and accomplishments Local contract (if covered by a contract) Local / Council newsletter Membership authorization card PEOPLE brochure & sign up card

Execute Outline for a successful 1-on-1 conversation 1) Introduce yourself and welcome the new employee(s) to the workplace. 2) Ask questions to get to know the new employee(s) and to develop a relationship.

Execute Outline for a successful 1-on-1 conversation 3) Share your message about your union.  Accomplishments of your local union – things you have won or attacks you have fought.  The importance of every worker participating in their union and being active in order to protect and improve our jobs, working standards, and the services we provide.

Execute Outline for a successful 1-on-1 conversation 4) Ask the new employee(s) to join their union. Sign them up! 5) Tell new employee(s) how politics affect our jobs and why it’s important to have a voice in the political process. Ask them to become a PEOPLE MVP member. (And now, you can give them the information packet!)