Developing Strategic Campaigns: An ITF Manual for Trade Union Activists, Educators and Organisers

Introduction

The International Transport Workers’ Union’s manual Developing Strategic Campaigns is designed to help us take real and specific problems with employers or governments and turn them into detailed and workable plans for launching strategic campaigns.

Our world is facing a number of global crises – massive and growing inequality, climate change, and attacks on workers. Understanding how to confront employers and important decision-makers is as important as ever. This manual will help workers to identify clear campaign goals and objectives, develop strategies and tactics, and create unifying public messages and timelines for our campaigns.

Developing strategic campaigns will help us to think through and plan real campaigns.There are always new and different things that we can do, but trying out new activities or methods in a campaign does not necessarily mean that you are using a strategy. Strategy involves carefully analysing your situation and deciding on actions that will have the most impact.These strategic actions may be ‘old’ or‘new’ but they will be designed to best impact the employer or decision-maker. There is no one ‘right’ answer for how to organise a campaign. Use your own knowledge and experience to decide how this manual can be used to fit your situation. – pp. 5-6

Contents

Introduction

  • What is a strategic campaign?
  • Overview of materials
  • Terminology
  • Facilitating a strategic campaigns workshop
  • Developing a written campaign plan
  • Six campaign principles
  • Four reasons campaigns fail

Ten campaign steps

  • One: Employer relationships
  • Two: Arbolitos (worker networks)
  • Three: Union strengths and weaknesses
  • Four: Goals
  • Five: Campaign message
  • Six: Targets and allies
  • Seven: Strategies
  • Eight: Tactics
  • Nine: Calendar
  • Ten: Evaluation

Campaign case studies

  • DHL Turkey union recognition campaign
  • LAN Peru aviation mechanics contract campaign

Campaign tools

  • Research
  • Factsheets
  • Appeals for justice
  • Campaign leaflets
  • Media

Download Resource

Download Developing Strategic Campaigns: An ITF Manual for Trade Union Activists, Educators and Organisers


© All Rights Reserved

Contact a Commons librarian if you would like to connect with the author