The week of September 12-17, members of the NFFE National Organizing Steering Committee will come together in person for just the second time to reevaluate the union’s now year-old Organizing Strategic Plan.
Set at the William W. Winpisinger Education & Technology Center in Placid Harbor, MD, the review session will take a three-tiered approach: evaluating effectiveness and progress, revising the plan to incorporate best practices, and developing means for implementation of the revised strategy. With over a year of operational knowledge to work from, the committee will have plenty of data to analyze and utilize.
“The past year has been a very educational one for NFFE,” said National Organizing Director Cassie Kerner. “The original plan was a great start, and we have seen very encouraging progress result from its implementation. With the experience and knowledge we have acquired during the past year, we’re now in a position to tailor our plan so that it will be even more effective in the future.”
The plan, first drafted and approved by the committee during the summer of 2009, sought to lend a more centralized structure to the union’s once Local-based organizing strategy. With the union gaining more members year-over-year for the past several years, NFFE elected to seize this growth trend and redouble its organizing efforts. Since the plan’s implementation the union’s organizing numbers have increased dramatically, growing by approximately 35% thus far this year over 2009’s total.
Building on these successes, the Committee is looking to grow even faster in the years to come.
“We’re extremely happy with the progress that we’ve made, particularly during the past year,” said Kerner. “Many Locals and individuals across the country have stepped up and renewed their focus on organizing, and the hard work is paying off. But there is still significant room for growth within our organization; with your help, we can continue to make the most of this opportunity.”
Throughout the review process, the Committee wants to hear your ideas on how NFFE can improve its organizing efforts. Please submit your comments to National Organizing Director Cassie Kerner at ckerner@nffe.org.