Trainers refreshed Guild activists on organizing basics at a day-long training Thursday in Sacramento, in preparation for a summer-long push to grow membership at open newspaper shops across California.

Mobilizers and staff from the International shared ideas and plans for approaching more than 300 non-union newsroom employees working for Hearst, MediaNews and McClatchy papers represented by the Pacific Media Workers Guild, to build bargaining strength and unit solidarity.

Key: Approach everyone. Let their lips move more than ours. Listen to their concerns. Enfold them in working toward solutions. Seeing the value of our union at work should topple barriers to membership.

The training came courtesy of Tim Schick, administrative director of the CWA, and Sara Steffens, staff representative for The Newspaper Guild and CWA District 9.

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