The labor movement has a long and proud tradition of community service. Well before we won a seat at the negotiation table, unions made it a priority to care for their sick and wounded, provide for the families of injured workers, and establish vibrant communities. Each day unionists continue to express these sentiments of solidarity, not only in the workplace, but in their communities by donating their time and resources to strengthen their neighborhoods, cities, and states.
Unfortunately, all too often union members’ dedication to the community goes unnoticed. Federal employees and their union representatives are often the target of unfair political attacks in the media and Congress. Through community service, we have the opportunity to show who we really are by illustrating the true essence of the labor movement: solidarity with others.
To help you connect with your community, the NFFE National Office is proud to announce to launch of the new Service Toolkit. Located within the NFFE Toolbox on www.nffe.org, the Service Toolkit lays out an easy four-step guide for successfully hosting your own local service project. The toolkit discusses how to identify service opportunities, start a local service committee, publicize a service project, and of course, share your story with NFFE national for publication.
Using the toolkit, you will find that taking just a few simple steps to get the word out about your local’s service can go a long way. NFFE-IAM members can take a step toward improving the public’s perception of organized labor as well as fostering solidarity with one’s community by visiting the Service Toolkit today.