3. Base Building in the Labor Movement with Greg Nammacher of SEIU Local 26
Feb 27, 2024
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Discover the importance of base-building in the labor movement with SEIU Local 26 president Greg Nammacher. Learn about the massive upcoming general strike in Minnesota and the key role of union democracy and militancy. Hear about the victories won through unity, aligning diverse voices, and embracing bargaining for the common good framework.
Base-building is essential for union success, fostering unity and winning victories through collective action.
Ella Baker's legacy emphasizes patient relationship-building and grassroots organizing as the heart of transformative movements.
Strategic alliances and collaborative bargaining amplify impact, leading to broader structural changes in labor unions and communities.
Deep dives
Building a Strong Foundation Through Base Building
SEIU Local 26 focused on base building for the past 15 years, working with unions and community organizations to deepen their collective power. The heart of their strategy was solidarity power, emphasizing the strength in unity among workers, tenants, and community members through organization. They aimed to cultivate committed members willing to engage in long-term campaigns, viewing base building as fundamental for transformative change across various groups like labor unions, environmental organizations, and faith-based groups.
Ella Baker's Exemplary Organizing Approach
SEIU Local 26 drew inspiration from legendary organizer Ella Baker, known for her dedication to grassroots organizing and building power from the ground up. Baker's tireless efforts in field secretary roles for the NAACP across the South in the 1940s showcased the importance of consistent, unglamorous organizing work. She believed in the strength of everyday people coming together, emphasizing the need for patient relationship-building and community connection as the core of transformative movements.
Strategic Power Building Through Alliances
SEIU Local 26's strategic approach included forming alliances with various unions, community organizations, and partners to expand their power and influence beyond their immediate sector. By aligning contract expiration dates, engaging in joint actions, and sharing resources with other groups, they aimed to amplify their impact and push for broader structural changes. This collaborative bargaining for the common good model helped them address critical issues like fair wages, benefits, and working conditions both within and beyond their union.
Preparing for Collective Action in a Crucial Moment
SEIU Local 26, along with nine labor and community partners, is gearing up for a significant week of action to mobilize up to 30,000 workers in a potential strike. This massive mobilization reflects a shift towards bolder, more ambitious strategies within the labor movement to leverage the current favorable conditions in the labor market. Their long-term base building efforts and strategic alliances have set the stage for this unprecedented collective action aimed at achieving fair contracts and advancing shared demands for good jobs, housing, sustainable futures, and quality education.
Empowering Grassroots Organizing with Tactical Tools
The podcast episode highlights practical tools like tabletop exercises and bargaining for the common good to enhance strategic planning and community organizing efforts. By simulating scenarios and aligning demands across various stakeholders, groups can better understand their options, anticipate responses, and prepare for effective collective action. These tools empower grassroots organizers to navigate complex challenges, build coalitions, and drive transformative change by fostering collaboration, strategic thinking, and coordinated efforts.
To succeed, any social movement needs people power. And, as the great Ella Baker preached, that takes a lot of slow, respectful work to forge relationships — what she called “spadework.” Base-building is the first of the “seven strategies to change the world” that we elaborate on in our book Practical Radicals. And base-building is so important that all of the other six strategies depend on it. So we’ve decided to devote two episodes to the topic: one on unions and one on community organizing.
Today’s episode focuses on base-building in the labor movement, especially the thrilling upsurge in Minnesota, where workers next week (March 2-9, 2024) are preparing to launch a massive, unprecedented general strike. Our guest is Greg Nammacher, president of SEIU Local 26, which represents janitorial, security, airport, and retail workers, and is a key player in this upcoming week of action. When he came to the local sixteen years ago, it was led by Javier Morillo, who wanted to usher in a new era of union democracy and militancy. And it worked! Local 26’s membership has doubled, and by embracing base-building and a “bargaining for the common good” framework, and not being afraid to strike, they’ve won astonishing victories that point the way for union success around the country. Nammacher’s interview is full of gems organizers need to hear: how to foster unity when members speak many languages; how to build “alignments,” not just coalitions or alliances; how to make organizing fun; and how to use social media smartly to build worker networks. Greg says American labor is in “an incredible moment, and we won't get a lot of these. And so how do we make the most of it so that our members can have better lives and we can have a long-term voice of power in this country?”
