- [ ] #text-update Make this a flow chart. Excalidraw or Mermaid? # Opening:  Hey! I'm from COGS, your union protecting your rights as a grad worker. We are negotiating for a raise this year. What’s your name? Are you a TA or RA this semester? Questions to get the conversation started:  1. What have you heard about COGS?  2. Do you think demanding a higher wage would be popular in this department?  3. Were you surprised by how high the cost of living is in Iowa City, compared to our low pay?  # Anger:  The state of Iowa passed a law that says that unions like us can’t get a raise above 3% OR the rate of inflation. Basically, it’s the tiniest raise possible. Have you heard that?  Before we negotiate for that raise, we have to vote to RECERTIFY our union.  That means that all grad workers have to vote on whether or not we want to stay a union, and if less than 50% of people vote yes, the union is dissolved. If that happens, we won’t be able to negotiate a raise.  Did you know that? (If you want to say more: The administration doesn't want you to know about it. They stopped us from going to department orientations to talk about it. We want all grad workers to be able to vote!)  Questions to continue conversation:  1. Do you think the grad workers in your department will support recertification?  2. Do you think grad workers will be upset if we lose the union?  # Hope:  But we have power as grad workers to pressure the university and the state decisions. In our last contract negotiations, we were able to push for a higher raise than what the Board of Regents initially offered.  In the past, almost 100% of workers who voted, have voted YES on Recertification. It’s very popular! # Urgency:  We have just one month until recertification, and then a few months until bargaining.  In order to get the raise we want, we have to get organized on campus. The Board of Regents doesn’t have to give us much of a raise at all, but they will if we make them.  Asks based on assessment:  This person is disengaged and not interested:  Will you vote yes for recertification?  Have them scan jotform QR code on back of clipboard. This person is a bit engaged:  Will you vote yes on recertification and ask 3 colleagues to do the same?  This person is interested:  Will you serve as count captain for your department?  This person is really interested:  Will you serve as count captain, steward, or both for your department?  This person is really interested and fired up:  Will you serve as count captain, steward, or both for your department? Also, would you like to become a dues-paying union member today?  Finish by making notes on the person you talked to. The notes should reflect:  Name + dept of who you talked to  Their personal email  Their assessment #, 1-5  Any agreement they made to take on a task  Assessments:  5 - Dues-paying member and committed to volunteer  4 - Dues-paying member  3 - Supportive of union and taking action  2 - Supportive of union but not taking action  1 - Not supportive of union 0- Haven’t been talked to / no information