Listening Session Agenda

• Background Overview• Assign Groups and Note-Taker• Key Themes• Review Questions• Discuss Ideas• Build Consensus on Top Three to Five Ideas• Report Back

1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 20150

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Vote Performance %

Linear (Vote Per-formance %)

Favorability %

Linear (Favorability %)

Share of electorate %

Linear (Share of elec-torate %)

Membership (in Mil-lions)

Linear (Membership (in Millions))

Density %

Linear (Density %)

Year

Perc

enta

ge

Key Questions About the Political Crisis• If we can rebuild a political labor movement, what

would it look like and, how would it function?

• How can we better utilize the resources of the labor movement to build power for workers and communities in electoral campaigns?

• How do we respond to rapidly changing demographics and reach young workers as well as communities of color?

Key Questions About the Organizing Crisis• How do we open up unions to more workers—or

even change how we think about what a union is?

• How do we organize more strategically in areas of job growth and where it is possible to raise standards?

• How can unions, community groups, faith congregations, students and others work together to advocate for good, quality jobs and workplace rights? What changes are needed to make that happen?

Key Questions About the Global Economy

• How can we develop global strategies to deal with global corporations?

• How does the structure of the labor movement need to change, nationally and locally, to be more effective at influencing the global economy?

• What kinds of educational tools are needed to help our members and the community understand how corporate power in the global economy affects us all?

Key Questions About Community Partnerships

• How do unions and community partners develop a common agenda so workers’ issues are the community’s issues and the community’s issues are on labor’s agenda?

• What are the challenges union members and community partners face in developing that agenda? What can be done to overcome these obstacles?

• What can union members do to build strong relationships with community partners? How can union structures and resources be used most effectively? What’s the best way for community partners to reach out and work with union members?