WHO
UCPEA leadership will call on the membership (that’s you!) to rally from time to time.
WHAT
A rally is when people come together to show support for a cause. Union leaders or special guests may speak followed by cheers and applause, and slogans may be chanted. Members will often wear union-branded apparel or pins or may have the opportunity to grab some at the rally. Members are always free to make their own signs, or, again, there may be the opportunity to grab pre-printed signs at the rally. Most importantly, members are simply asked to show up when called!
WHEN
Rallies can be called at any time of day, even on a weekend depending on the goals. Rallies can range in time from less than an hour to a few hours. If attending a rally requires time off, talk to your steward or other UCPEA leaders for your options.
WHERE
UCPEA can call for a rally at a symbolic location for decision-making or some other meaningful place. For example, rallies have been held in front of the HR building, at Board of Trustee meetings, or at the State Capitol. Members are always welcome to find their own way to get to a rally, but many times when they are to be held away from our work site, transportation is provided in the form of bussing or coordinated in the form of carpools. If the rally is outside, be sure to prepare for site topography and weather accordingly.
WHY
A union’s power is often described as being in its “numbers”, which means the number of our members (again, that’s YOU!). When a rally is called, the goal is always to bring attention to an issue and the more of our members that show up, the more attention our cause will receive.
Questions?
Please reach out to your area steward or the UCPEA ucpeaoffice@ucpea.org if you have any questions.