Join the Maine AFL-CIO and the Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education for a Communications Bootcamp this spring!

Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00PM with simultaneous sessions in-person at University of Southern Maine-Portland, Maine AFL-CIO Union Hall in Augusta, UMaine Campus in Orono, and online via Zoom.

Bootcamp Description: A six session bootcamp on communications best practices for union staff, organizers, and leaders in Maine.  The Maine AFL-CIO and Scontras Center bootcamp will bring communications professionals in Maine and across the United States together with union staff, organizers, leaders as well as those involved in workers’ and non-profit organizations to build capacity around communications.  Our goal is to connect with, listen to, empower, and educate our membership, our communities, and all working Mainers as to further the cause of labor.

Bootcamp Details: Each session will be offered in-person in Portland at University of Southern Maine, Orono at the University of Maine, Augusta at the Maine AFL-CIO union hall as well as broadcast on Zoom.  Sessions will take place between 12:00-2:00PM, every other week for six weeks; Free / No-Cost; Open to all Union Organizers, Staff, and Leaders as well and Workers’ Organizations and Neighboring Non-Profits in Maine; We are asking that established unions and non-profits send cohorts to the bootcamp.      

April 10^th Session One: Communications Basics and Best Practices

Our first session will cover the importance of having effective union communication strategies and practices as well as the infrastructure needed for your union and organization to be successful in the long term.  

April 24^th Session Two: Conversation Starters: Flyers, Mailers, Print Media, and Zines

Print media is a key component to our communications strategies.  Our second session will explore best practices for creating flyers, mailers, and print media to serve as communication starters and tools in our worksites and communities.    

May 8^th Session Three: Earned Media, Press Releases, Op-Eds, and Letters to the Editor

A strong media strategy is key to our ability to reach out into the larger community.  Our second session will focus on earned media, which are articles written about issues and concerns we raise in the press, crafting a persuasive press release, training member and leaders in writing op-eds and letters to the editor as to engage in public debate.

May 22^nd Session Four: New Media, Websites, Social Media Posts, and Email Blasts
New media from X (Twitter) to TikTok, from Discord and Signal to YouTube have become part of the infrastructure of communications for an array of organizations.  Our session will focus on how to use various forms of new media, union and organizational websites, social media posts and email blast to educate and engage members.    

June 12^th Session Five: Union and Workplace Newsletters
Union and workplace newsletters have been around as long as unions and workplaces have existed.  Union-wide newsletters allow for broad-based communications, while workplace newsletters allow rank-and-file members and leaders to address specific workplace issues and provide general labor education.  Our fifth session will address the importance of union and workplace newsletters and provide best practices for launching both.    

June 26^th Session Six: Podcasting and Videos

Part of a strong communications strategy is meeting members and workers where they are at, and podcasts and videos are part of that strategy.  Our final session will focus on creating effective podcasts and engaging videos on contemporary labor issues, labor history, and neighboring concerns to educate and active union members and workers.