It’s Not “Somebody Else’s Job”

(This article appeared in the September/October 2025 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine)

One of the biggest misconceptions about organizing is that it is somebody else’s job. Many think this work belongs to local stewards, officers, or organizing directors. The truth is, organizing is everyone’s job, it’s a shared responsibility. Thinking that it is somebody else’s job sends the message that it’s optional and only meant for some people. As a member, we are each responsible to organize.

If every member thinks someone else will do the work, unfortunately, not many will, and we will be the reason for own demise. Many members have stepped up to take a more active role in our union by volunteering to be a steward or officer. Of course this is in addition to working their regular postal assignments, just like everyone else. Members who might not feel like filling one of these roles can still help. We all must do our part, and no effort is too small. Even the smallest of actions can result in momentum.

Unlike many stewards and officers who don’t have the ability to reach nonmembers, many of you work right next to them daily. You know the ins and outs of your area, sections, and tours. You already know many of the frustrations and issues within your own facility and with that you have the ability to build relationships with nonmembers that stewards and officers simply cannot replicate.

Those members who may have taken a back seat in the past when it comes to being actively involved now have the opportunity to change this by participating in the 2025 National Unite and Fight Organizing Drive. The drive will be running from Sept. 1 – Oct. 31. In the past organizing drives, we typically focused on the number of nonmembers who joined, but this time around, our goal is to focus on how many union organizers we can mobilize across the country. It’s member engagement time!

I challenge each one of you to ask a nonmember coworker to stand with you by becoming a member. You will soon be receiving mailings and texts to assist with your efforts. Take advantage of every opportunity. When you help that nonmember join, be sure to log your success online or by scanning the new member log QR code that we will be distributing. When you log your successes, you will be entered into drawings held throughout the drive, including our grand finale drawing where you can win one of the cash prizes up to $1,000!

Organizing Spotlight

As we continue to highlight various local and state organizing efforts for each issue, I hope to spark inspiration in your local and get members thinking about all the positive possibilities of organizing. Reaching out to your state AFL-CIO for assistance is always a great resource for organizing training and campaigns, and one great example is the Oregon Postal Workers Union, which has a long history of partnering with its state AFL-CIO. What began over 10 years as the Oregon AFL-CIO’s first joint organizing institute for postal workers, followed by the APWUs first door-to-door blitz of all nonmembers, has grown into a powerful partnership that continues to grow stronger. There has been significant collaboration and expansion on what organizing can and should look like. According to OPWU Vice President Daniel Cortez, the Oregon State Fed staff and collaborators from affiliate unions have been instrumental in helping the OPWU implement their training programs. Currently, Cortez has plans for multiple training and organizing events aimed at energizing the membership and increasing member involvement. “We want to increase the level of involvement for each member, even if it’s just a little,” said Cortez. “Organizing can be about so much more than the [Form 1187 – Authorization for Deduction of Dues]. It can and should be about reminding our members and postal bosses that real power comes from the workroom floor and helping our members take that power back.” ■