Our campaigns: what we expect from unions, what we promise
The following short draft is what I propose to put on the page where unions request campaigns. In filling in the form, they agree to be bound by what is written here. It won’t necessarily solve any problems, but it will at least make things clearer.
LabourStart’s ActNOW campaigns are a partnership between LabourStart and the union requesting the campaign. That means that each of us agrees to do certain things.
What LabourStart will do:
Upon receipt of a request for a campaign, LabourStart’s senior correspondents will discuss it among themselves and consult with the international trade union movement (including the global union federations – GUFs) if necessary. Campaigns proposed by national or local unions will almost always require — and benefit from — the approval of global union institutions. If a union is a member of a GUF, it is always best to approach them first and have the GUF propose the campaign.
LabourStart will setup the campaign in English (and retains the right to make changes to the proposed texts), arrange for its translation into a number of languages, and promote it to our mailing lists, via our website (including syndication through our newswires) and through social media such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and UnionBook. While the campaign is running, we will offer the union real-time reporting on support being shown, showing the names, unions and countries of those who signed up. We will run the campaign for three months, unless we are asked to close it down sooner.
Unions requesting a campaign from LabourStart are expected to do the following:
When proposing the campaign we will need a header, background text and default message; the union’s full name, logo and a description; a working link to a web page for more information; accurate and tested addresses for the target of the campaign; and photos to illustrate the campaign.
Once the campaign has launched, the union will do its utmost to promote the campaign to its own members, to other unions in its country, and to the global labour movement through any federations (such as GUFs or the ITUC) to which it might belong. Global unions will be expected to promote the campaign to their national affiliates. Promotion will not consist solely of a link on the union’s website, though this is obviously required. In addition, the union must use other tools such as email, social media and even offline methods to get the word out. The union must keep LabourStart updated, ideally by having a volunteer correspondent regularly posting news which we will link to the campaign.
After three months, the campaign will close unless a decision has been made to close it sooner. At that time the union will provide a report which we may circulate to supporters telling them what the effect of the campaign has been — not only whether the employer or government has conceded, but also whether the union members themselves were made aware of the international support shown to them and whether this boosted their morale.
LabourStart campaigns are offered free of charge.
If any of this is not clear, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.
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I can’t think of anything to change or add. Good job.
sound “decent” to me.
i think it’s importent to have a “code” so we all know execktly how it works.
In second to last paragraph, I would change union “must” to union “will.” And I would put in the period, e.g. weekly.
“LabourStart will setup the campaign in English (and retains the right to make changes to the proposed texts), arrange for its translation into a number of languages[…]””When proposing the campaign we will need a header, background text and default message[…]”
I think we should mention that the text and header have a primary function in getting people to sign up. The provided texts must be clear, concise and precise. The more compelling is the header (title) and the more we’ll get messages sent. This is true in all languages which means that texts need to be adapted by our “specialist translators”. The better the English, the better the translation, the better the results of the campaign.
2 minor suggestions:
– make clear that the report is to be provided at t=3mths or as the campaign progresses
– Eric, might it be useful to invite the requesting union to provide translations if they have the resources to do that?
It seems to me fair and pretty balanced. Well done.
This is now live. I’ve incorporated most of your suggestions. Regarding Andy’s important comment about how campaigns are written, I actually had this in mind when I added the phrase about how LabourStart “retains the right to make changes to the proposed texts” – because we always re-write the texts and improve them, and I wanted that understood and clear.
“Retains the right” seemed too exceptional but I won’t argue.
Live where?
Does the text now need translating?
I think it’s good, I think we should translate this text in as many languages as possible, so most of the requesting union can understand it.
Andy: as I wrote above, it appears “the page where unions request campaigns”. That is here: http://www.labourstart.org/newcampaign.php
At the moment, all campaigns are submitted in English, and as this is a very long page, I don’t think we need to trouble our translators with the burden of translating it. If in future it becomes a problem and we feel we need the page in other languages, we will look into translating it.
sorry missed this – just back from leave. Re ‘accurate and tested addresses’ – I think some fallback is needed as a recent campaign ended up with all addresses being blocked (a sort of success?). Not sure what that fallback should be though but it hinders the campaign if recipient addresses are blocked early on.