CATS
&
Organizing
&
Organizing
What does CAT stand for
Contract Action Team
When did the union go on strike the first time?
2022
Name ONE of the five major 2026 contract wins.
2% raises
immigration protections
trauma response protections
job reclassification
or remote work protections
What is a CAT turf?
The group of coworkers you are already connected to and can easily reach
what does winning our priorities depend on?
POWER
Name ONE of the main things CATs are responsible for doing with coworkers
Keeping other informed
Publicly participating
Building power
Mobilizing coworkers
Expanding the CATs by identifying leaders
Name TWO reasons sutudent workers began organizing in 2022?
Low compensation, healthcare support, job insecuriy, uncertainty about workplace rights and protections
OSE vs. ESE
OSEs are operations student workers
- RAs, program support staff, and laborers
ESEs are educations sudent employees
- rsearch and teaching assistants, tutors, lab assistants, and peer advisors
Ideally, how many people should be in your turf?
5-10 people
where does power come from?
organizing people
Why is having members important to building union power?
More organized members mean more people who can act together behind shared demands
True or False: “The union won because student workers went on strike.”
False.
The union won because student workers organized, built power, gained recognition, and then bargained.
When are we bargaining with admin next
2028
what does SMART ask stand for?
specific
measurable
achievable
relevant
time-bound
Name TWO things union dues make possible.
Maintaining a union office
holding meetings
printing organizing materials
educating members
conducting research
paying student workers when we go on strike
Why is identifying potential leaders within your workplace important to expanding a CAT?
Because CATs grow by identifying coworkers who can become leaders and help organize and mobilize people in their own workplace.
In 2022, what were two important organizing tools student workers used to build enough support to formally petition for union recognition?
Authorization cards and workplace conversations
Two workers have their positions reclassified. Worker A is moved downward, while Worker B is moved upward. What happens to each worker's pay?
Worker A keeps their existing pay, while Worker B receives the higher-level pay once HR receives the request
What should you do when choosing people for your turf?
Choose people you see regularly or communicate with naturally who are likely to respond to a text or check-in.
Why does having “mass numbers of people ready to move together behind shared demands” create power?
Collective action demonstrates that workers are organized and willing to act together to increasing their ability to pressure admin and win demands
A coworker says, “Why should I join? The union makes decisions for me.” what should you say
We are the UNION. you + me= WE make the decisions.
Imagine you are organizing in 2022. A coworker says, “Why should I talk to people about the union? We won't win unless everyone immediately agrees with us.”
Not everyone is going to say yes, and that's okay. Organizers should focus on building relationships and organizing the people who are ready to participate. Still, continue to build relationships with people who initially said no.
A student worker has an immigration appointment during a scheduled work shift. Their supervisor tells them, “You need to choose between your job and your appointment.”
What contract protections could the worker use, and what options do they have?
The student worker can use three weeks of unpaid leave, and they may also use accrued paid leave or an alternative schedule.
A coworker tells you that healthcare is their biggest workplace concern. Instead of immediately telling them to sign a membership card, what should you do first?
Ask open-ended questions to understand how healthcare affects them and what matters to them most. Then make a smart ask and explain how their actions can help build the power necessary to address the issue.
Put these ways of reaching coworkers in order from generally strongest to weakest according to the training: mass email, in-person, phone calls, direct text.
mass email->
direct text ->
phone call ->
in person