Wellstone Action's Labor Program headed to Maine this month to help members of the Maine Education Association hone their political organizing skills. The Labor Program, one of Wellstone Action's 7 established training programs, partners with progressive labor organizations committed to building infrastructure, leadership and capacity within local unions and with community partners. The Maine training was held January 13-15 in Portland, and included over 80 staff members and teachers.
Like other Labor Program trainings, Wellstone Action staff, led by senior trainer Erik Peterson, worked extensively with our partner, the Maine Education Association, in the months and weeks leading up to the training. We learned about the specific challenges facing teachers in Maine, the background events leading up to our participation, and the attitudes of Maine residents about the key educational issues in the state.
The three-day training began with sessions on leadership and messaging, using examples from Maine. For example, we worked with participants to develop a "message box" on the issue of minimum teacher's salaries - a major legislative goal of the association - that will help members frame the issue and develop ways to discuss it clearly and concisely. The first day ended with an interactive exercise - a central part of all of Wellstone Action's training curricula - that helped participants directly apply the sessions to their work. In this case, participants created radio ads aimed at generating support for the salary legislation, which would lift the current minimum salary -- $15,500 a year! - for starting teachers.
Sessions on Saturday and Sunday continued the theme of applying general strategies to Maine-specific issues. Sessions included how to work with the media, mobilize support through direct engagement, lobby at the legislature, build a base of support, and action plan on issues. Interspersed among these sessions were exercises, including simulated media events, meetings with legislators, and planning.
