August 2, 2019
MEMBERSHIP EDITION, Vol. 3, #10

I Am a Member Because...
“I am a union member because of the fact that a group of people can work together to stand behind a single person, or group of people that are facing challenges.” 


--Sara Wood
Florence EA




What's YOUR membership story? Why are YOU a member? Send a photo and your story to region3@weac.org
The 10-Minute Meeting
All too often we hear, "there's no reason to hold a meeting if there's nothing to report/decide/vote on." Or, we hear, "I'm not sure we have a union because there are never any meetings." But mostly, we hear, "I don't have TIME to go to ANOTHER meeting."
 
You have an opportunity to keep members in the loop AND respect their time by holding 10-minute meetings! It's also a great time to get feedback from people in the building. 

If you feel like you're in a rut, why not try the 10-minute meeting?
For more details about how the 10-minute meeting works, click   here .
For previous 10-minute meeting topics:
December:  NEA Member Benefits
January: Retirement!

The August 10-Minute Meeting topic:
Let's Organize the 10-Minute Meeting!
Start thinking now about how to implement your own 10-Minute meeting habit!
Let's start the communication loop - leaders to members and members to leaders.

Make sure YOUR Local is visible!

Find out what people care about!

Help members and potential members understand the benefits of union solidarity!

Here's the how-to.

Here's the list of topics.

Who are YOU going to call this week to start to make this happen?

WELCOME
NEW MEMBERS in JUNE / JULY:
UPDATE THIS:
22 Early Enrollees
5 New Members
BUILDING A POWER LOCAL!
NOW is the time to start thinking about how to build up the strength of YOUR Local! Do you think you could sign up 10 new members in your Local next year? Below is a workshop sponsored by Region 3 that will help your Local become bigger and more powerful. Also check the state-wide calendar (below) for other events that may be closer to you than Green Bay.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 8, 2019
SOLIDARITY SEMINAR
8:30 am - noon

Designed for members interested in learning how to be a better building rep or officer, we'll cover best practices in communication, Weingarten Rights, and a whole lot more.

To Register:
WEAC
Get ready for a new membership year at our workshop for Local Associations. 

The WEAC Welcome Program is a partnership that incorporates Interest Cards and encourages one-on-one conversations that begin after a new educator is hired. Through emails, professional development based on the individual's interests, and continued outreach, our union builds a relationship with new educators. Please consider signing up for a Welcome Program Workshop this summer to develop or fine-tune your membership plan for 2019-20. 
 
CHOOSE A WEAC WORKSHOP LOCATION    

 
RHINELANDER - AUGUST 13 - 10 a.m.-Noon 
DRUMMOND - AUGUST 24 - NOON-2 p.m. 
WAUSAU - AUGUST 31 - NOON-2 p.m. 

Regions 5, 6, and 7 are holding Membership Drive and Leadership workshops August 6, 7, and 8.

Location Selection - Tuesday, August 6, 2019

  • Baraboo - Region 5 Office, 135 3rd Avenue

  • Watertown - Watertown Public Library, 100 S. Water Street

Location Selection - Wednesday, August 7, 2019

  • Brookfield - Region 7 Office, 13805 W. Burleigh Road, Suite 200

  • Janesvillle - Sidelines, 731 S. Wuthering Hills Drive

Location Selection - Thursday, August 8, 2019

  • Madison - Region 6/WEAC Office, 33 Nob Hill Road

  • Oshkosh - UW Oshkosh Reeve Union, 748 Algoma Blvd.

Sign up here.
Professional Development
Clicking on the image below will bring you to a state-wide calendar of events open to ALL members. Do you work in a Region 3 school, but live closer to Region 7? No problem? Sign up today for topics that interest you and are convenient to you!
Here’s hoping you survived the storms of July 2019 unscathed. My wife, I, and our dogs glamped at home for the duration of our 3-day power outage. Our yard is very wooded and typically when the wind blows, limbs fall. But we suffered no damage, other than having to toss 98% of the contents in our refrigerator and freezer. Many others, including family and friends in the Mountain-Lakewood area, were not as lucky. Ironically, the day after regaining power I received an email from Costco in which the first sale item on the page was a small portable generator. That led to a discussion with my wife regarding the costs/benefits of investing in a generator, and more broadly about how we can be more prepared for the next significant power outage. 
 
Speaking of preparing for a loss of power…is your local prepared to avoid the annual power-drain, created by the loss of members to retirement and other districts, by asking new hires to join? Time is running out, but it is not too late to make a membership recruitment plan focused around the week(s) of new teacher orientation and start of the year in-service. Contact the Region 3 office if your local needs assistance in putting a plan in place.
 
It is also not too late to sign up for the Solidarity Seminar being held on August 8 th at the Region 3 office from 8:30am to noon. Learn, or get a refresher, on what it means to be an effective Building Rep, how to create an issue campaign, and other best practices that can aid your local. Here is the link:  Solidarity Seminar Sign-Up . Hope to see you there!


Dave Campshure
UniServ Director 
Region 3 WEAC