Stern's Union Looks to a Church for Inspiration

[papau]

Call centers for members to ask questions or air grievances so that union representatives to do more organizing in the field, and approaching workers when they first get to the workplace, rather than waiting to recruit them for battle when problems arise, with solfter lanuage while maintaining the core language of exploitation and empowerment. The Radiant church model is Rick Warren's "Purpose Driven" series of books and seminars that call for reaching out to the ``unchurched'' and giving them a friendly, low-pressure environment to learn about Christ.


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=washingtonstory&sid=aQH6UvOQEwoI

Stern's Union Looks to a Church for Inspiration

By Kim Chipman
June 16 (Bloomberg) -- In its quest for ideas to revive the power of organized labor, the Service Employees International Union is going to church.

Earlier this year, about 20 union leaders descended upon Radiant Church in Surprise, Arizona, near Phoenix. Their goal: learn how a small fellowship founded by a Microsoft Corp. engineer eight years ago grew to attract 6,000 visitors a week. <snip>

At this church, crosses are nowhere to be found. The music has a rock 'n' roll beat, visitors dress casually and worshipers are welcome to listen to the service while hanging out at the Starbucks in the lobby. If they prefer coffee without the sermon, there's also a Seattle's Best drive-through window --anything to make the non-believer comfortable with organized religion.

``It's something we really have to remember,'' Burger said in an interview. ``Sometimes we are out there trying to get someone to go on strike before they've ever connected to the union. Radiant's approach is much more about building a relationship and understanding that people have different abilities to commit.'' <snip>

``Both are essentially voluntary membership organizations, so they have to figure out how to reach people and persuade them that it's worth joining,'' said Richard Hurd, a labor studies professor at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. ``With the current low levels of union membership and steady decline that's been going on for the last 25 years, labor leaders have to start thinking about what they can do to reach and attract people.'' <snip>