Green Caucus Strategic Outreach - July 14

Original Author:  Jim Wavada, Local 1221, Ecology Bargaining Unit

INTRO:

I did not attend the Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. last month, so I’m certain that those who did and perhaps many others of you will have your own ideas, which may be superior to these for how best to get our Green Caucus out on the playing field, forging strategic partnerships.  These are just my initial thoughts, meant to stimulate the conversation and perhaps form the basis of an outreach strategy.  – JW

As I see it, the Green Caucus outreach should have two objectives:

• Forge productive, long-term relationships, from the local community to the federal level.
• Shape broad policy statements,
• based on shared values, rather than specific cases or rigid positions, 
• so that we can broaden our base of support when the time comes to act on an issue of concern to us 
• as union members and friends of the environment.

If we accept these objectives as legitimate, I would submit that there are two tracks of work we must pursue that are essentially sorting processes.

1. We need to sort out who will be most useful (a good fit) to embed us as a force for environmental and public worker advocacy in our local communities and at the state and federal levels.
2. We need to develop a list of shared environmental values with these potential partners. 

As an example, suppose a local Riverkeepers Group is concerned about the quality of data being collected or the nature of decision-making on a prominent urban waterway.  Suppose that the state agencies charged with developing that data are abrogating that responsibility by contracting it out to a consultant, or consultants, who may have direct ties (past or present) to one of the major polluters of that waterway.  For the Riverkeepers, it would be easy for them to stand with state employees insisting that this particular project work ought not to be contracted out.  We can stand with the Riverkeepers in insisting that an unbiased approach to data gathering is required in order to ensure valid data for valid actions.  An intersection of interests exists between the state employees (some of whom may be members of the Riverskeepers Group) and the environmentalists in that group. 

In this scenario, the existence of a longer-term, continuing relationship with the Green Caucus might allow for rapid response to threats to the environment and/or state workers.

The key is to have the ongoing relationship, and a basic agreement on shared environmental values. 

So how do we get there?

I propose two work groups or maybe one workgroup with two phases of work.

Step 1:  An inventory of environmental groups and community organizations that would support an agenda to protect the environment, even if they aren’t at their core environmental organizations.  (Church groups, community service organizations, for instance).  Who are these groups?  Who is the leadership of each?  How can they be approached?  What do we propose to them?  These are questions this group would attempt to answer.

Step 2:  Negotiation of a shared interest statement that could, with minor tweaks for different groups, be signed onto by the leadership of targeted partner organizations.  This would involved discerning what environmental issues might be of the greatest import to each intended partner group, surveying our own level of expertise, passion and other resource that could be shared with this group and then executing some kind of formal written recognition of our shared interests.

Step 3:  Arrange events or participate in other organizations’ events that offer the opportunity to introduce Green Caucus principles and members to a wider audience in every community.  This could be as simple as donating a few dollars to buy a booth at an eco-event sponsored by a new partner or as complicated as developing a legislative proposal or organizing a rally.

Step 4:  Check back.  The Green Caucus should receive regular (quarterly?) progress reports on their outreach efforts, including any proposed resolutions to support a particular effort of a new or existing partner.

RECOMMENDATION:

I think we need 3 -5  people for each of the tracks and representation from both sides of the Cascades on each.  I think we should start with a separate planning meeting for each of these groups with the aim of launching into serious outreach concurrent with the annual convention.
 I would propose these groups work together and/or apart to:

• Identify members of Council 28 who have existing ties to community and environmental organizations that look like they would be good partners for the Caucus, and recruit these members to the Caucus (perhaps a large mailing solicitation would be in order).
• identify specific groups in communities throughout the state, ascertain their environmental values (which may not always be at the surface; but may run deep) and start a database with their contact information and environemental priorities;
• develop a list of policy priorities from these groups to bring to the Green Caucus for consideration and melding with our own priorities;
• concurrent with the previous three activities, develop our own internal list of areas of environmental priority for our Caucus.

Here are some likely partners with whom we can begin to build some relationships.  The list is meant to illustrate group types, not to set down specific targets.  Additional suggestions are quite welcome.

• Spokane Alliance, Sound Alliance (Puget Sound areas)
• Riverkeepers (there are groups associated with rivers all over the state)
• Environmental Clubs, (Sierra Club, Land Trusts, etc)
• Sporting Clubs (Fly Fishers, Ducks Unlimited, Frizzbie Golfers )
• Local churches with community outreach projects.
• Community based, land use stewards – (groups often formed around a proposed development, etc.)

These are my initial thoughts on Outreach from the Green Caucus.