YOUR POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE
Before you even begin thinking about getting involved in elections of any type, your first step should be to set up a political action committee (PAC). No kidding … Job #1.
WHAT IS A PAC?
A Political Action Committee or PAC is a type of organization or account that pools campaign contributions from members and donates those funds to campaign for or against candidates, ballot initiatives, or legislation. As a local union, setting up a PAC account is an essential precursor to everything you do.
WHY DO WE NEED A PAC?
Legally and fiscally, a PAC is essential to involvement in elective politics. Legally, every area of political spending is subject to legal or regulatory review. Your PAC is your best protection. From a fiscal standpoint, a PAC provides that direct level of accountability, both to members and to the policy makers.
Think of your PAC as a your political “house fund,” similar to those set up within your departments. Just like you use your house fund to pay for necessary items around the stations, your PAC is an essential fund that will enable you to participate in the political world to protect your pay, benefits, and working conditions.
WHAT IS THE PAC MONEY USED FOR?
Your PAC funds are primarily intended for use in elections:
Direct contributions to local or state candidates
Direct contributions to campaigns for local ballot initiatives aimed at securing local resources
Independent expenditures in support of candidates or ballot initiatives
SETTING UP A PAC FUND
Step One: The paperwork. You will need legal help with this. The PAC guide appended to this document provides a detailed explanation of the process for setting up a PAC.
Step Two: Approve a Dues Assessment: Start with $5 or $10 a month. The cost of coffee and a muffin. The money can add up quickly and it makes your local an immediate player.
Remember: Everything touching wages, hours and working conditions flows through elected officials. Like it or not, they get there because of money. The firefighter image alone isn’t enough. You need to be on their field of play, or you’ll be on the sidelines. As legendary Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh said, “Money is the mother’s milk of politics.”
ENGAGE YOUR MEMBERSHIP
If you find yourself considering a campaign to sway politicians and the public, you first have to sway the most immediate - and most important - audience: Your members. No matter how creative your negotiating or political strategy may be, it is only as solid as the membership. It is essential your membership buys into your strategy - one loose cannon can sink the whole ship.
GETTING YOUR MEMBERS INVOLVED
Getting member buy-in can feel like a chore, but the more you can engage them with the local ahead of time, the easier it is when the time comes for a campaign effort. There is no more effective communication with voters than their local firefighters talking directly to them about the safety of the community.
As campaign season begins, it is essential to get your members involved in direct voter contact through precinct walking and phone banks.
Start out with fun events that normalize participation. These events, such as BBQs and pancake breakfasts, improve your organization’s image and help to build relationships - both within the organization and the community.
Coax participation with incentives. Most of your members would be the first to kick a door in an emergency situation, but often feel uncomfortable to knock on someone’s door and ask for help themselves. This is one of your greatest challenges. Consider participation incentives – a challenge coin, or some kind of non-monetary reward.
Divide the labor. Set up an organizing committee to share the workload of organization. Get several well-respected members to get involved. Identify one person per station to maintain contact with members on political action (remembering restrictions on politics “on the clock”).
Establish internal communication channels. Phone trees are also effective - remember, you will often need to make contact with members several different times from different avenues in order to be effective. Ultimately, you will need to find what works best for your union - whether it is text messages, calls, social media or utilizing the union bulletin board.
Make it easy to get involved. If possible, schedule activities that fit around your members’ schedules. For example, you can host a precinct walk for a candidate on a weekend morning. That way, your member can get a few hours of service out of the way before they even go home.
Get them while they’re young. Habits formed during probation often follow you throughout your entire fire service career. If you get probationary firefighters involved in political action at the beginning of their career, it will become a normal, expected part of the job.
ENGAGE YOUR LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS
If you are waiting until the sky is falling to call your allies on the city council, you’ve waited too long. It is essential that you maintain an ongoing relationship with the elected officials that make decisions about your pay, benefits and working conditions.
If your elected officials don’t know you before they will have a much easier time cutting your budget to help out one of the groups who they have an established relationship with. Remember: If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu!
HOW DO YOU BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS?
Stay connected. Have monthly/quarterly coffee with your friends on the council. Having regular interactions with your elected officials is an effective method to build a relationship with them.
Establish personal relationship. Make sure to be positive & talk about things other than work. If you do this effectively, they will enjoy talking to you and you can build a friendship.
Don’t just talk to them when the sky is falling. Cultivate them in good times as well as in bad. If the only time they see you is when you want something, you’ll always be a problem, not a helper.
Help them with their interests and projects. Most local elected officials are engaged in community projects throughout their districts. Volunteering your local’s time and money will go a long way in establishing a solid relationship with your elected officials. Offer to assist with your councilmembers’ community events.
Host a fundraiser. Elected officials need money for their reelections, if you can become a regular source for some of those funds your local becomes an essential part of their reelection plans. It is hard to bite the hand that feeds.
Invite them for a ride along or host Fire Ops 101. If they can see and understand what your job is really like they will be more likely to support requests for the personnel and equipment you need to protect the community.
HOW TO WORK WITH YOUR ELECTEDS
Learn how to count votes. If you have five city council members you may need to focus on three to get your issue passed. This is especially effective if you have district elections.
Cultivate potential swing votes. If you have council members who are “on the fence” on your issues, work hardest on building relationships with them. Especially true if you didn’t endorse them last time.
Understand those who are not your allies. Research the elected officials if you do not currently have a relationship with them: for instance, who endorsed them early in the campaign when they ran originally? Who gave them financial support during their election? What are their favorite community organizations they support?
Scope out the movers and shakers. Give them your facts and listen to their concerns. In many instances there will be a few elected officials who heavily influence a number of others. If you can win them over they will often bring their friend to your side as well.
Prioritize your issues. When you are communicating about an issue with elected officials, don’t throw the kitchen sink and don’t try for the 20-run homer. Prioritize what you need vs. your full wish list. Even your best friends won’t be able to support you every single time.
Stay well informed and accessible. You should expect that your friends will call you to get your input on issues that affect your members. Being well-informed and truthful will increase your credibility with elected officials, friend or foe.