Five Ways Rank and Filers Are Fundraising to Come to Labor Notes 2016

The more activists from your area attend the Labor Notes Conference, the more skills and inspiration they’ll bring back to local organizing. Here are some ways rank and filers are raising funds to bring a bigger crew. Photo: Jim West, jimwestphoto.com

The more activists from your area attend the Labor Notes Conference, the more skills and inspiration they’ll bring back to local organizing! Here are some ways rank and filers are raising funds to bring a bigger crew:

Union sponsorship: In Portland, Oregon, Labor Notes supporters are reaching out to local unions, asking them to fund members to attend, or donate to support a local delegation. The committee is also planning a brunch panel on how Oregon unions are organizing to meet the challenge of Friedrichs and state anti-union legislation, with a fundraising pitch for the Conference.

Dinners and dance parties: In the San Francisco Bay Area, local activists organized a very successful January 23 fundraiser with dinner, drinks, and music, charging $20-$40 (sliding scale), followed by a dance party ($5) with a cash bar. The proceeds will help send low-wage and young workers to Labor Notes.

The Portland committee also held a concert, where local acts played for free as a gesture of solidarity. They charged $10 at the door and got a discount on the venue, a union hall. They sold beer and wine, and raffled off gifts donated by local businesses.

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Rent a van or bus: In 2014, Labor Notes supporters in New York City chipped in to rent a van and pay for gas, saving them each hundreds of dollars on the cost of flights.

Book talks: Portland activists hosted a book talk at a local restaurant by author and longtime Labor Notes supporter Steve Early. A few local activists also spoke about how excited they are for the Conference, leading into a fundraising pitch.

Sustainer registrations and scholarships: If you can, consider registering at the Sustainer level, which bolsters our scholarship funds for low-wage, unemployed, and young workers. To apply for a scholarship, click here.