Tale fron the Field: Zach Werkowitch

I think I saw my first, albeit small, success today. Really, I'm not sure how much it had to do with me. I phone banked for the last two days to get people there and helped cook some hot dogs. I think members really did most of the work. We had an open house today at the state hospital in Pueblo for WINS members to get the word out about their upcoming elections to elect a DHS negotiating team. Right now, with WINS being so new, membership is relatively low at the hospital. Many folks are hesitant to sign up. As best I can tell, being so new, workers are hesitant for a few main reasons. First, it seems they don't want dues taken from already stretched paychecks. They are also resistant to throwing themselves behind yet another attempt at organizing, following several failed attempts in the past. It seems that management is throwing up roadblocks as well.

Mostly today, I spent time sitting and listening next to my lead organizer as he talked to workers, both members and not, about their jobs. All were attracted by the free hot dogs and chips. But many were also full of questions about how to handle grievances with supervisors, how much dues would be, why they should join. State employees in Colorado have it pretty rough. Many have not seen raises in five years or more. They are constantly short-staffed. In a few cases, management is downright hostile. Health insurance costs too much and covers too little. And in our current economy, the state is cutting corners more and more often.

But, by and large, they love their jobs. In most cases, they could make considerably more money in the private sector. That is not what it's about. They genuinely feel good about providing valuable services to those that need it most.

My lead's answers were of course varied. However, all carried a main thread. Alone, you can't really do anything about your situation. And with membership as low as it is right now, it will be tough for all of you together to do much. But how much longer can you afford to wait? What is 1% for dues when faced with the opportunity for your first raise in years? When you're paying upwards of $700 a month for health insurance? The state is not cutting a billion dollars from its budget over the next two years so that it can give its employees raises or better health insurance. Obviously, conditions will not get better on their own.

His answer was to join with your coworkers and build this union. This organization does not belong to the organizers. It belongs to the workers. The task now is to steadily grow this organization, so that the state will see that its employees are serious about change.

It came down to a venerable activist's maxim: If not me, then who? If not now, then when?

ZW 3/24/09

Generation Next ------>

Zach Werkowitch

Hometown: Cass County, MO

Age: 20

Communities that you have organized in: Cass, Johnson & Lafayette Counties, Missouri; Gwinnett County, GA Pueblo, CO

The biggest challenge that you faced as an organizer: Trying to seem credible. And learning new places and time schedules.

Biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer: I work much smarter now.

Post-Organizing plans (current plans): Post? I'm organizing in Pueblo, Colorado right now. I haven't given much thought as to what comes post-organizing.

How have you used the skills that you have learned while organizing in your post campaign life: Sleep isn't that great anyway.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital? You don't know the problem. Even if you think you do. You can't fix anything until you know what the problem is. Find out from somebody who has it.

One-liner or quote from a volunteer or neighborhood leader or fellow organizer that has stuck with you: (Mid-October, 8:30 PM, at a phone bank in Harrisonville, MO. Rose is an 83 year old Belgian woman)

Me: Rose, you've been here for hours, you look tired. I can take you home if you want.Rose: Are you kidding? There are only two weeks left! We must keep going strong! This is how we defeated the Germans!
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Jonae Wartel

Age:22

Hometown: Marietta, Ga

Communities that You have organized in: Cass County, MO, Gwinnett county, Ga; Cobb County, Ga

Biggest challenge that you have faced as an organizer: Maximizing the numbers of hours in the day and getting my volunteers to realize their full potential

Biggest change that you've seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer: My sense for what is possible is much broader. I'm also much more fearless when it comes to trying new things or going new places

Post Organizing plans: Once an organizer, always an organizer! I'm working at a pre-school, empowering 3 year olds to change the world; doing some local organizing in my community through Organizing for America; starting up this blog project! :-)

How have you used the skills that you learned in your post campaign life: I don't sweat the small stuff as much anymore, I try to look at the big picture and every moment as a teachable one.

What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital? Do not despise the day of small beginnings. Every inch is a mile for you. Pick up the phone. Make some calls. Build a network. If all else fails, work a street corner.

One-line or quote from a volunteer: "When I came into the office, I didn't know how to make phone calls or knock on doors. But I just kept coming back everyday"- Pam Menefee (Belton, MO)
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Justin J. Major

-Age: 40

-Hometown: Wessington, SD pop. 248

-Communities that you have organized in: DuPage County, IL, Johnson County, MO, Earth

-The biggest challenge that you faced as an organizer: Bone-grinding poverty

-Biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer: I now love the president.

-Post-Organizing plans (current plans): Plans?!? We're supposed to have plans? Dammit.

-How have you used the skills that you have learned while organizing in your post campaign life: I make hard asks.

-What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital? There is always *some* infrastructure or social capital. Identify it and exploit it.

-One-liner or quote from a volunteer or neighborhood leader or fellow organizer that has stuck with you: "When do you sleep?"

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Sarah Langley

-Age :18

-Hometown -- Duluth, GA

-Communities that you have organized in -- Gwinnett County, Georgia

-The biggest challenge that you faced as an organizer -- Time management? And being young/getting taken seriously.

-Biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer --I don't sleep. Also, I think I can handle things a bit better.

-Post-Organizing plans (current plans) -- Finishing high school. College in the fall -- Tulane -- and hopefully organizing around New Orleans. Helping out with OFA in Gwinnett until then.

-How have you used the skills that you have learned while organizing in your post campaign life -- What Justin Major said.

-What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital? -- Use your volunteers. They're great and will go to the moon for you, if you help them believe they can.

-One-liner or quote from a volunteer or neighborhood leader or fellow organizer that has stuck with you -- "So I put two and two together and got four. Did you guys start a fire?" Getting found out by the Regional Field Director following a bonfire of call sheets behind the office and a visit from the fire department.

Also, my German economics teacher to the class -- "Oh, Sarah doesn't sleep."
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Will "Wootang" Wooten

-Age:24

-Hometown: Denton, TX

-Communities that you have organized in:
Las Vegas, Nevada; Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas; Clark County, Indiana; Gwinnett County, Georgia

-The biggest challenge that you faced as an organizer:
Going into a community that I don’t know anyone and starting from there. Getting past the “you ain’t from here” reaction from many people.

-Biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer:
I found out I’m a reasonably good public speaker. Went from speaking to four people at an organizational meeting to over 1,500 people at a Joe Biden rally. And my phobia about speaking on the phone was thoroughly beat out of me.

-Post-Organizing plans (current plans):
I recently got a job organizing for the Alliance for Climate Protection.

-How have you used the skills that you have learned while organizing in your post campaign life:
I can argue circles around anyone.

-What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital?
Find your nearest coffee shop and start there. And it's always good to start with a core group of young people.

-One-liner or quote from a volunteer or neighborhood leader or fellow organizer that has stuck with you:
An intern in my office named Chris:
“Texans eat a great deal of meat, they eat meat with every meal – it’s a law in Texas. Just like everyone owning a gun and everyone owning at least two guns after turning sixteen.”
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Cecil Hynds-Riddle

-Age: 23

-Hometown: Dallas/Austin, TX

-Communities that you have organized in: Austin TX; Joplin, MO

-The biggest challenge that you faced as an organizer: My ego, my shyness and my resistance to go with the flow.

-Biggest change that you’ve seen in yourself as a result of becoming an organizer: I listen more. I remember peoples' names and their stories. I have more confidence in my fellow human being and I love my state: Texas!

-Post-Organizing plans (current plans): Finish my degree at the University of Texas, write a thesis that discovers how to win Texas for the Democrats by using grassroots organizing!

-How have you used the skills that you have learned while organizing in your post campaign life: Writing my thesis. As I am hunched over typing demographic and voting data into a spreadsheet I remember what all this stuff is used for: to figure out which neighborhoods Texas Democrats should organize. I also feel like I've taken the mantra Respect! Empower! Include! into most things I do.

-What advice would you give to someone who is starting out organizing in a community where there is no infrastructure or social capital? Don't underestimate yourself or others. Listen, ask for more information and remember what your volunteers tell you. Take time, even though you are painfully busy to genuinely become friends with your community, it will pay off in the end. Never think that an idea you have is impossible, it is your job as an organizer to make amazing and unusual things happen. Also, take care of yourself. If you fail to eat well and rest your brain you will forget to care for others, you will be on edge and your relationships will suffer. Organizing is all about relationships.

-One-liner or quote from a volunteer or neighborhood leader or fellow organizer that has stuck with you: I can't remember the exact quote, but we got our volunteers so hyped up on election night that, even though the polls closed at 7, one of my volunteers came back at 8:30 to tell me he finished his walk pack! This was probably his 5th walk pack of the day, and he had previously insisted that he could never go canvassing.

Volume 2

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