7-28-09 Communications/Media WG Conf Call

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Comm/Media WG Conf Call

Tuesday, Aug 4 at 3pm EST, 2pm CST, 1pm MST, noon PST

Agenda

• Brief Introductions/adopt agenda
• Job Description and Process Review
• Logo Review
• Writers Network
• Outreach Materials Discussion
• Detroit/Mich/Midwest Local Committee formation
• Calendar
• Work review/wrap-up
• The goal is to have this done by 4:30 pm EST

Present--Peter, Bill, Sylvia, Jackie, Reg

Notes

• Communications Coordinator job description

-- Sylvia has two recommended items on including a low-tech strategy plan and proven ability to communicate with diverse groups; Reg will incorporate them.

-- Comm/Media WG will review candidates then send to Hiring Committee and go from there.

-- Job positions more of an oversight and coordinating role—job description too large for one person; Anyone on this working group will have to take on much work.

-- Adjust hiring date to reflect 9/1/09.

-- Reg will post.

• Logo review

-- Reg rec’d 3-4 weeks ago, really large file. We’ll try and put them on website so folks don’t have to download.

-- Some comments from LOC have been sent to him.

-- Reg will solicit more input for logo branding from WG until Friday at noon. He sent out a week ago.

-- We operate mostly thru consensus but emphasize trying to understand where people are coming from and how we can work thru things. It’s also largely how the USSF operates.

• Writers Network

-- We need to recruit people who will write for newsletters, constituents, different groups.

-- To support the writers we should recruit people to join and ask people to write one piece per month.

-- Jackie will send out every two weeks a reminder to write and get something out in community newsletters to link, get hooks, and do essays; share ideas about SF, along with setting deadlines for proposals.

-- Info is on the wiki http://wiki.ussf2010.org/wiki/USSF_Writers_Network

-- Need to recruit people!

-- Bill recommends Steve Babson’s, “Working Detroit” for a good understanding of the history.

-- Send Jackie other references about Detroit.

-- We should all consider signing up for it. And get others…good job Jackie!

-- Bill suggests we share this with progressive activist instructors and their students.

• Outreach materials

-- What kind of things can we do for outreach materials? Some members of this WG believe that the DLOC PowerPoint slideshow may be effective for some audiences but not all.

--Bill suggests we need to develop materials that are helpful for all audiences, plus specific to some groups, e.g., communicating message to labor specific problem, what’s in it for labor?

-- Jackie: labor movement is in decline. Where there is growth labor is connected.

-- Labor is being weakened but not in decline

-- Increase its connection to the community, people with similar stories, allies,

-- Tell labor’s story to more people.

-- Share message about global day of action and multiple responses to crisis.

-- Attempt to build a constituency to the response and share ideas to put forward.

-- Bill will be at a labor meeting in Detroit on 7/29—having trouble talking to labor about USSF in a way that’s compelling.

-- Broadly trying to reach out to groups open to coming to Detroit and making sure people are on the agenda.

-- People get caught up in the day-to-day activity of their work, SF offers opportunity for many people to be in same place and encourage conversations with others.

-- People have talked about DVD about SF. Steph says Project South DVD still being worked on. Sylvia can call and ask.

-- Reg would like to get others in Detroit to work on a video/DVD—Detroit-based/flavor... let’s form a video/dvd subcommittee—include Rich, Bob.

-- We can also plug in with young folks too—Sylvia will outreach to Jenny Lee and AMC.

-- Reg will contact Daymon for doing a specific project.

-- Peter: does communication for PPEHRC in Austin; after upcoming Minneapolis trip heading tp Midwest (maybe Detroit); meet up with Reg and Bill.; how can he hook up with outreach—who? how?

• Other Communications/Media WG business

-- Sylvia noted the new NPC structure in which we’ll need reps from this WG.

-- Reg is working on an outreach draft by Dianne Feeley to labor for the 9/7 march.

-- The DLOC is asking us about forming a Midwest/LOC communications committee.

-- Sylvia reiterated her appeal to reform the DLOC Technology/Communications Committee so as to have local discussions and work plans about Detroit area communication projects, e.g. communications strategy for Labor Day march and speakers; plus low-tech communication plan with community newspapers, radio, etc. The Tech/Comm Committee fell apart as we moved to the WG format but not all local conversations need to take place at the national level.

-- This group on the WG conf call agreed.

-- Reg agreed to pull together a local conversation about this—perhaps Thurs, 8/6 on labor at the SF at the USSF office.

We should post info from the AMC press conference (and future press conferences) on the USSF website…Sylvia will ask Josue for photos, Reg will write it up.