MAPE-tober recruitment template Use this to recruit others!

It is critical that MAPE leaders in every local invite other current and promising leaders to participate in the MAPE-tober initiative. It's as simple as inviting them to sign up for day-long organizing shifts in October. We've made it as easy as possible with the "copy and paste" recruitment template below.

Recruitment template

Hi (name),
Have you heard about the statewide MAPE-tober initiative happening in October? This is a chance for our local to help recruit more people to become members of MAPE, support pro-labor political candidates and jumpstart and strengthen Contract Action Teams as we head into contract negotiations.

Will you join me? To participate, simply decide which week days you will take vacation or unpaid leave from your job (you will be paid by MAPE!) to spend the day organizing to build power for our union. This initiative has a ton of flexibility because you can pick the days that work for you and you will be supported by MAPE staff and statewide leaders so that your time will be well spent and you will have a great experience.

You can expect to spend the day engaging with fellow state workers, learning what is important to them and then asking them to join you in mutually beneficial actions such as joining MAPE as a member, joining a Contract Action Team or committing to voting in the upcoming mid-term elections.

We need you during this critical time for the health and future of our union. I plan to participate on (insert date in October). Will you join me in signing up for a few days in October?

Answers to anticipated questions

Q: I am so busy at work, I just don’t think I can take a whole day away from my job.
A: I think the pandemic has created some real strains on us state workers. If everyone maintains they are too busy, we won’t get anything done as a union. Our past efforts as MAPE have locked in the protections and opportunity presented by being able to get paid lost time for organizing. We need to utilize that tool to ensure we as workers can maintain and even expand our power, which will better ensure we will have a proper place at the bargaining table.

Q: How do I go about getting time away from work and getting paid by MAPE?
A: The easiest route is to take vacation time. You will then have time at the end of your organizing shift to fill out the lost-time paperwork so that MAPE can pay you. By taking vacation leave you will be paid double for the day – once by your employer and then a matching amount from MAPE. If using vacation leave does not work for you and you do not have experience taking unpaid leave, either I or someone else with MAPE can help you with that process. When you sign-up for a shift, you will have a space to indicate if you are taking vacation or unpaid leave and that will help MAPE staff plan the proper administrative work.

Q: How will I be spending the day when I sign-up for a shift?
A: While exact details for every single day are impossible to structure at the moment, member time will be put to excellent use each day. Each day will follow a similar structure linked here.