Resources

Your first interaction with an elected official is usually with an assistant or their aide. You will want to make this interaction brief yet informative. State your name, and how the official represents you. You will then request a meeting with the official to discuss the We Work the Grid Issue in depth.

Once your meeting is scheduled, begin by preparing what you are going to say to the elected official. If you are going to be reading off a piece of paper, a phone or a tablet, make sure you look up every now and then. Eye contact is important. Speak clearly and with confidence. Try not to talk too fast.

Practice what you are going to say before going to the meeting. At formal meetings, there is sometimes a time limit. If that is the case, practice your message to ensure you can stay within the time limit. Believe in our message. Look over the WWTG website (weworkthegrid.com) a few times so you remember these talking points and are prepared for any questions the elected official might ask. Make sure you get the elected official’s contact information in case you need to follow up on any questions that they asked, especially if you did not readily have an answer.

This type of setting allows you to be a little more relaxed and keep the conversation casual. These small groups usually host friends, neighbors and other local community members. Find a location that will comfortably fit the group and allow for discussion, but be quiet enough to hear everyone. A good location would be a meeting room at your local library or town hall.

Once the meeting starts, you want to have a firm grasp of the issues while also sharing the story from your point of view. These small groups will appreciate hearing your personal experiences; this will help them see this large, statewide issue as one that hits close to home.

We also recommend that you bring some of the small handouts that are available at your Local Union Hall to use as a reference during your meeting. These handouts have important information, such as our website address and how to get to the petition. Encourage the members of your small group to sign this petition. Remember, every signature counts!

Questions are a good thing; it means you have engaged with your audience, and you should expect to have a few questions asked at the end of your meeting. Be ready to answer to the best of your ability. If you do not know the answer, have a resource available such as another co-worker or local union leader. You can always get contact information from individuals and follow up once you have the correct information.

Just remember, have fun, relax, and tell your story. Small groups want to hear how this issue impacts the people they know.

Prior to attending a meeting, call ahead to learn about the rules. Since some meetings require all statements and the residency of the speaker to be submitted a certain number of days before the meeting. Certain communities may only allow their residents to speak; in this instance, you will need to find a community member to speak on your behalf if this is a community that you do not live in.

Show up early, you may need to sign up to speak. Many meetings are now televised or recorded, and if you are reading off a piece of paper, phone or tablet, make sure you look up at the governing members every now and then. Eye contact is important.

Speak loudly and clearly, and do not talk too fast. Practice what you are going to say before going to the meeting; if there is a time limit, practice your message to ensure you can stay within the time limit. If you are going to address any member of the government, address them by their position such as Mayor or Commissioner and their last names.

Be proud that you are an IBEW member, the government officials will notice this. Believe in your message; if you do not believe what you are saying, your audience will not believe it either. Make sure that you mention to the members in attendance and those attending to sign the petition on the website, which you will share with them, and share with them that you are a proud IBEW Brother or Sister, not the villain in the story.

Check out the social media channels linked to this website. Pick one of the messages that you like best, and share it on your personal media channels. When sharing, add a message from your point of view as a caption.

On your personal social media, you can relay a more informal message. It is your story on your social channels, so your message should reflect your personality. Make sure that you mention to your followers to sign the petition and include the link in your post, and share with them that you are a proud IBEW Brother or Sister.

Do not do more than one or two posts a day. More is not always better. There are several messages available on the social media resource page on the website. So you can switch up your message and make sure all of our major points are shared on your social media.

Engage your audience, and respond to anyone that politely comments on your post. You do not need to start a fight or respond to profane comments. When you receive support, give people “likes” letting you know you appreciate the support. This shows that you are paying attention to your friends, and notice that they are taking the time to respond to your posts. Always remember to direct them back to the website to sign the petition.