AFT Communicators Network Annual Conference Features Media Center

AFT Communicators Network Annual Conference Features Media Center

How communications go hand in hand with organizing activities, how to use a handheld video camera, how to reframe our perceptions and language about public service, and how to talk to the media were just a few of the sessions offered at the AFT Communicators Network (AFTCN) 2008 conference, July 9 and 10 in Chicago. A feature of the conference, which precedes the AFT 2008 national convention, is a media center where affiliate communicators could post stories, video and photos from the AFTCN conference and from the AFT national convention. (Go to www.blogger.com. username: aftcn08; password: convention.)
AFTCN members at the conference, “Many Voices, One Message,” heard Edward J. McElroy’s last address to them as president of the American Federation of Teachers when he delivered the keynote speech the morning of July 9. In the AFT convention following the communicators’ conference, McElroy is retiring as AFT president.
McElroy emphasized that communications has been and is “most important to the national AFT.” We’ve done a lot to make this happen, said McElroy, noting that Kris Kemmerer was hired as the new communications director last year and Priscilla Nemeth was appointed to coordinate the AFT Communicators Network full time.
The organization that paved the way for AFTCN and that still functions as complement and support, the AFT Communications Association, presented McElroy with its Albert Shanker Lifetime Achievement Award. Not that many people understand the importance of communications like Ed McElroy does, commented AFTCN advisory committee member and AFT Connecticut second vice president Leo Canty, who presented the award to McElroy.
The Shanker award presentation kicked off a day and a half of intense, hands-on workshops and plenary sessions to help AFT affiliate communicators learn more about their craft and about best applications. Participants came from as close as Chicago (Chicago Teachers Union) and as far away as the Guam (Guam Federation of Teachers).

Public perceptions about public services
One of the most thought-provoking sessions was led by Patrick Bresette, associate program director of Public Works: The Dēmos Center for the Public Sector. The Center’s objective is to engage people in the discussion of how to communicate effectively about public issues and government service—that is, how to communicate in a more positive fashion. The AFT, which represents a large public employee constituency, can play a role in changing the nature of the conversation about government by promoting the idea that public institutions are crucial to advancing the common good. The dominant story the public hears about government, he noted, tends to focus on partisan politics, bloated bureaucracy and citizens as consumers of government services. “More people can name the three stooges than the three stages of government,” he said.

Communications and organizing: symbiotic relationship
“Integrating communications into your organizing plans from the very beginning” of a campaign is key, said Professional Staff Congress-City University of New York (PSC-CUNY) communications coordinator Dorothee Benz who addressed the AFTCN members at a July 10 conference session.
The panel discussion titled “Issues-based Organizing Campaigns” featured PSC-CUNY treasurer Michael Fabricant, Texas AFT organizing director Don Welch and communications director Rob D’Amico, as well as Benz and AFT organization and field services director Lou Nayman, who moderated.
PSC-CUNY had mounted a contract bargaining campaign to win salary increases and other benefits, including parental leave, and health care for graduate assistants, as well as
to drive back management demands. The campaign featured a number of communications tools, including a series of issues-based pamphlets, a well-attended cultural event and rally, faxes, an organizing campaign and more. “Planning is everything,” said Benz about how the campaign and its communications worked together.
“It is true you cannot separate organizing and communications,” said Texas AFT organizing director Don Welch, who pointed to the many useful, targeted communications vehicles created by Texas AFT communications director Rob D’Amico. The affiliate’s campaign reflected their members’ need to “reclaim” their classrooms from the unreasonable demands of the No Child Left Behind Act.
Michael Fabricant, PSC-CUNY treasurer who spoke about the plan behind the affiliate’s contract campaign emphasized that “organizing is about building power and communications around organizing should be about the same thing.”

AFTCN contest awards
A highlight of the AFTCN conference in Chicago was the awards banquet, at which the many affiliates who entered the 2008 communications contest were honored for the communications achievements. AFTCN advisory committee member Gail Purkey, who is the Illinois Federation of Teachers communications director and the woman behind the contest in years past, was at the podium to hand out awards to affiliate representatives.

Here is a complete list of the contest winners:
2008 AFTCN Awards

CLASS I (10,000+ members)

AFT Connecticut
General Excellence – Publications (Electronic), second place, Inside AFT Connecticut
Best Feature Story, second place, State of the Union
Best Original Illustration or Photo, first place, State of the Union
Best Web Site (StateWeb), second place, www.aftct.org

AFT Massachusetts
Best News Story, second place, The Advocate
Best Feature Story, third place, The Advocate
Best Editorial or Column, first place, The Advocate

California Federation of Teachers
General Excellence – Publications (Print), third place, California Teacher
Best News Story, first place, California Teachers
Best Design/Layout, third place, California Teacher
Best Issues-Based Organizing Materials, first place, “Yes on 92”

Chicago Teachers Union
Best News Story, second place, Chicago Union Teacher
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), third place, “Professionals, It Takes One to Create One”

Education Minnesota
Best Editorial or Column, third place, Minnesota Educator
Best Design/Layout, first place, Minnesota Educator
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), first place, “Schools First!” campaign, year 2
Best Web Site (Other), second place, www.educationminnesota.org

Illinois Federation of Teachers
Best Web Site (Other), second place, www.ift-aft.org

New York State Public Employees Federation
Best Original Illustration or Photo, third place, The Communicator
Best Public Relations Activity (Single Effort), second place, “NYS Data Center Move”
Best Web Site (Other), third place, www.thecommunicator.org

New York State United Teachers
Best Web Site (Other), first place, www.nysut.org

Oregon School Employees Association
General Excellence – Publications (Print), first place, OSEA Journal
Best Public Relations Activity (Single Effort), third place, Classified Employees Week

Professional Staff Congress/CUNY (N.Y.)
General Excellence – Publications (Electronic), first place, This Week in the PSC – Your Union at Work
Best News Story, third place, Clarion
Best Editorial or Column, second place, Clarion
Best Original Illustration or Photo, second place, Clarion
Best Design/Layout, first place, Clarion
Best Issues-Based Organizing Materials, second place, contract campaign

Texas AFT
General Excellence – Publications (Print), second place, Texas Teacher
Best Feature Story, first place, Texas Teacher
Best Editorial or Column, third place, Texas Teacher
Best Issues-Based Organizing Materials, first place, Texas Teacher
Best Web Site (StateWeb), first place, tx.aft.org

United Teachers of Los Angeles
Best Feature Story, third place, United Teacher
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), second place, “Pay Teachers Right” payroll campaign

United University Professions (N.Y.)
Best News Story, third place, The Voice
Best Design/Layout, second place, The Voice
Best Public Relations Activity (Single Effort), first place, 2008 ad campaign, “SUNY is NY’s Economic Engine”

CLASS II (1,001– 9,999 members)

Alaska Public Employees Association/Supervisory Unit
Best Web Site (Other), second place, su.apea-aft.org

Albuquerque Teachers Federation (N.M.)
General Excellence – Publications (Print), third place, The Teacher’s Voice

Boston Teachers Union
Best News Story, third place, Boston Union Teacher

Cleveland Teachers Union
Best Feature Story, third place, CTU Critique
Best Web Site (StateWeb), second place, www.ctu-279.org

Cook County College Teachers Union (Ill.)
Best News Story, second place, College Union Voice
Best Editorial or Column, third place, College Union Voice
Best Web Site (StateWeb), first place, il.aft.org/local1600

Council of New Jersey State College Locals
Best Web Site (Other), third place, www.cnjscl.org

Faculty Association of Suffolk Community College (N.Y.)
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), first place, Community Outreach (December Web page)

Georgia Federation of Teachers
Best Design/Layout, second place, GFT/AFT Messenger

Guam Federation of Teachers
Best Original Illustration or Photo, first place, GFT News
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), first place, Fair Taxes poster campaign

Newark Teachers Union (N.J.)
Best Web Site (Other), first place, www.ntuaft.com

NYSUT Retiree Council 17 (N.Y.)
Best News Story, first place, Seventeen Soundings
Best Editorial or Column, second place, Seventeen Soundings

Temple Association of University Professionals (Pa.)
Best Design/Layout, third place, TAUP Bulletin

Union of Clerical, Administrative, and Technical Staff (N.Y.)
General Excellence – Publications (Print), second place, Momentum

United Educators of San Francisco
General Excellence – Publications (Print), first place, San Francisco Educator
Best Feature Story, first place, San Francisco Educator
Best Design/Layout, first place, San Francisco Educator
Best Issues-Based Organizing Materials, first place, “Thank a Teacher: Settle a Fair Contract”

University Professionals of Illinois
Best Feature Story, second place, University People and Issues

Volusia Teachers Organization (Fla.)
Best Public Relations Activity (Single Effort), first place, “For Working Families, Where’s Relief?” (www.news-journalonline.com)

Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Local 5001
Best News Story, third place, 5001 News Transfusion
Best Editorial or Column, first place, News Transfusion


Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, Local 8070
Best Feature Story, second place, Network
Best Editorial or Column, first place, Network
Best Web Site (StateWeb), third place, www.wfnhp.org

CLASS III (1,000 or fewer members)

Billings Classified Employees Association (Mont.)
General Excellence – Publications (Print), third place, BCEA Newsletter
Best Web Site (Other), third place, www.bceabillings.org

East Detroit Federation of Teachers (Mich.)
Best Original Illustration or Photo, third place, EDFT Monthly Newsletter

Federation of Rowan College Educators/Retirees (N.J.)
Best Feature Story, second place, AFTerwords
Best Design/Layout, third place, AFTerwords

Harlem Federation of Teachers (Ill.)
General Excellence – Publications (Print), first place, HFT Update
Best News Story, second place, HFT Update
Best Original Illustration or Photo, second place, HFT Update
Best Design/Layout, first place, HFT Update
Best Public Relations Activity (Single Effort), first place, “Thank You Harlem Community!”
Best Web Site (Other), first place, www.harlemft.org

Malverne Teachers Association (N.Y.)
Best Editorial or Column, second place, The MTA Messenger

Meriden Federation of Teachers (Conn.)
General Excellence – Publications (Electronic), first place, MFT Union Bulletin

North Babylon Teachers’ Organization (N.Y.)
Best News Story, third place, Partners in Education
Best Original Illustration or Photo, second place, Partners in Education
Best Design/Layout, second place, Partners in Education

Randolph Central School Teachers Association (N.Y.)
Best Feature Story, first place, The RCSTA Banner
Best Original Illustration or Photo, second place, The RCSTA Banner

Valley Central Teachers Association (N.Y.)
General Excellence – Publications (Print), second place, VC Echoes
Best Feature Story, third place, VC Echoes
Best Editorial or Column, first place, VC Echoes
Best Original Illustration or Photo, first place, VC Echoes
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), second place, VC Echoes

West Genesee Teachers’ Association (N.Y.)
Best Web Site (Other), second place, www.wgta.net

West Islip Retired Teachers Association (N.Y.)
Best News Story, first place, WIRTA News
Best Editorial or Column, third place, WIRTA News

Winona Education Association (Minn.)
Best Public Relations Activity (Program/Campaign), first place, “Educating Every Child Every Day”