MAPE-tober success boosts membership, bolsters CATs
Publish Date
Committees
One month. 21 weekdays. 483 conversations. 110 new members. 65 new Contract Action Team (CAT) leaders. That is the result of the hard work of nearly 80 MAPE members and more than 100 shifts during MAPE’s first-ever monthlong organizing campaign, dubbed MAPE-tober.
Though a monthlong effort was new, organizing around membership, engagement and contract negotiations is nothing new for leaders at MAPE.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve experienced something that’s shifted our experience and approach to organizing,” said Lauren Siegel, chair of MAPE’s Organizing Council. “But these new tools and ideas gave members a launch for thinking creatively and outside the box of just walking over to someone’s cube or setting up a Teams call.”
MAPE-tober asked members to sign up for one or more shifts to drive to other MAPE-represented employees’ homes and initiate a conversation about our contract, the upcoming election, contract negotiations and the importance of joining our union.
After nearly three years of remote work, MAPE members are rethinking the way they connect with colleagues and friends; leaders are reimagining how they engage members of their locals.
“MAPE-tober really allowed us to get people to think more creatively about how they engage members during this post-COVID world, working from home,” said Michael Samuelson, MAPE Organizing Council member and MAPE-tober participant. “Even if people weren’t interested in joining MAPE on the spot, it seemed they still appreciated the contact.”
Though MAPE-tober may be over, reimagining the way MAPE members coalesce, communicate and collaborate is only just beginning. Stay tuned for more information and opportunities to engage with MAPE, and each other, as we prepare to negotiate our 2023-2025 contract.
Top locals that participated in MAPE-tober are Local 601 for highest participation and Local 1601 for greatest turnout in a single shift. Individual member participants of note include Local 1601's Susan Sunde, Local 701's Ajeet Yadav and Local 301's Claudia Hochstein. Thanks to all members and locals who participated in MAPE-tober!