Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.Victorian Trades Hall Council. The voice of Victorian workers since 1856.

Northern American Union Organisers’ Forum

Friday 26th September 2008
 By Brian Boyd, VTHC Secretary
The US and Canadian Organisers Forum is a group of trade union activists on a working visit to Australia.  Through the ACTU, the VTHC was happy to host part of their visit to Melbourne on Friday 26th September 2008 (see photo).

The US and Canadian Organisers Forum is committed to the practice and work of organising.  It is underpinned by the notion that there is a need for a forum and a place for organisers to come together to share and reflect on their work.  The mission of the Organisers Forum is to strengthen grassroots organisations by increasing capacity and stability of union democratic structures, to link organising networks and to improve on the skills and strategies employed by both community and union organisers.

To this end, the Organisers’ Forum hosts twice yearly Organiser Dialogues, bringing together experiences constituency-based organizers to look honestly and critically at our work, learn new skills and approaches and to be challenged by organisers who are doing exceptional or innovative organising.

In 2002 they chose to look at organising efforts happening internationally, seeking to learn how globalisation is impacting countries beyond North American borders, and to learn and share the kinds of tactics and strategies being employed by community and labour organisers in other countries and cultures.

This year they came to Australia.

Participating in the 2008 dialogue were 16 organisers.  They were a diverse group of professional organisers employed by constituency based, membership organisations that are helping to lead the progressive struggles in the United States.  We are from community organisations such as ACORN, the Gamaliel Foundation, Albany Park Neighbourhood Council and Interfaith Worker Justice.  We are also from unions: Service Employees International Union (SIEU), Amalgamated Transit workers and British Columbia Government Employees Union.


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