How to Win Members and Influence a District

A Georgia local reaches out, builds relationships, and boosts membership.

Photo by Caroline Joe

NEA local affiliate:
The Organization of DeKalb (Georgia) Educators (ODE).

The numbers:
In just six years, ODE has surged from 500 to 3,100 members--and "our roster grows every day," reports UniServ Director Jody Grogan.

The history:
Several years ago, NEA helped the fledgling ODE develop a comprehensive action plan. "We've stuck to that plan ever since," says ODE President David Schutten. "We've made membership growth a high priority and gradually added components such as employee advocacy, a high profile in the school system and community, and strong relationships with everyone from administrators to legislators."

Making an impact:
Part of ODE's outreach includes working for educational quality by "adopting" struggling schools and using NEA grants to donate books to low-income kids, sponsor MegaSkills® workshops for parents, and train new teachers in classroom management.

And ODE tackles larger community issues--everything from parks to landfills--as the only "non-faith" affiliate of Atlantans Building Leadership Empowerment (ABLE), a high-powered alliance of 23 area congregations.

"Everybody wants to reckon with ODE," observes ABLE lead organizer Moriba Karamoka. "Politicians scope out a union, and if it's just a shell, they won't pay attention. But they know that ODE has a large base and it can punish; it can make life hard for politicians."

The inside story:
"ODE is methodical, professional, and doggedly persistent in its approach," observes DeKalb County school board member Simone Manning-Moon, a parent activist. She calls ODE a "class outfit" that remains a "constant system-wide," building bridges among school stakeholders who are segmented by race, class, ethnicity, and geography. One of ODE's best building tools: educational discussion forums that prompt folks to talk to one another, often for the first time.

Building relationships:
ODE puts a premium on "relationship building" at every level, starting with trained Association Representatives (ARs) who connect with fellow teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) at each of the district's 130 work sites. "People join the Association when they have a positive relationship with their ARs," says Schutten, an elementary teacher who serves as full-time local president.

Building trust:
ODE's web of relationships extends into the central office. "We have ongoing, open communications with administrators and school board members," Schutten stresses. "We may not always agree on things," adds school board member Manning-Moon, "but ODE never puts itself in an adversarial position unless necessary. I'm impressed by their willingness to do the legwork, to work with us, and not pit themselves against the system."

Producing results:
Georgia doesn't have a bargaining law, but that hasn't prevented ODE from "negotiating" employee gains--including decent cost-of-living increases, credit for past teaching experience, a sick leave bank, adoption leave, and even a 19 percent boost in substitute teacher pay--through an "interest-based" bargaining process and old-fashioned lobbying. Moreover, the local has ended custodial subcontracting and won an automatic bus washer, sparing drivers of a needless expense.

ODE prides itself on solving employee problems before they become grievances and helping save jobs of both veteran teachers who were inadvertently penalized by a 2001 state fingerprinting law and new teachers who received insufficient mentoring and classroom support.

Putting NEA membership to work:
Politicians and school administrators know something Association non-members don't. "The more members you have, the stronger your voice--it's the key to being a strong presence in your school system and community," emphasizes David Schutten. "Membership is also key to 'building capacity' so that your local Association can grow, advocate, deliver services to members, reach out to the community, and increase effectiveness to do even more."

--Dave Winans

Fore more, contact ODE President David Schutten at presode@aol.com.