Halloween and the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) events were the colorful backdrop for a week of membership recruitment activities at NFFE’s three Forest Service Locals which are based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hosted by FL 2196 (Chief Information Office), FL 2197 (Budget & Finance) and FL 2200 (Human Resources Management), the membership activities coincided with a Forest Service new employee orientation.
NFFE National President Randy Erwin, along with NFFE General Counsel Jefferson Friday, Organizing Director Bridget Fitzgerald and Business Representative Gary Johanson teamed up with officers and members of the three Locals to make the week a success.
Highlights of the membership activities were a luncheon, a barbecue on a picture-perfect Albuquerque Fall day, and a mixer after work in the lobby of a nearby hotel where members and prospective members were served drink and hors d’oeuvres and several lucky new members received prizes.
Planning for the membership events started several weeks earlier through conference calls and expense projections. As the events approached, emails publicizing the events were sent out to bargaining unit employees. When the membership week arrived, Union members stood outside buildings and greeted employees arriving for work, passing out Union flyers and cups of coffee and pastries.
“The Halloween organizing event was a success because everyone came together to make it happen,” stated President Erwin. “The members of our three Albuquerque Locals implemented a dynamic plan to reach bargaining unit employees, and our Union is stronger because of it. Everyone involved should be proud of what we achieved.”
“2017 is an exciting year for NFFE organizing, and we are going to break new records in 2018 through outreach and events like we had in Albuquerque,” continued President Erwin. “I want to thank everyone for their hard work, and I look forward to returning to the Land of Enchantment to show we are NFFE stronger together!”