1. Build a Team
Identify a few coworkers who are angry about Trump’s ICE offensive and might be ready to help organize a sick-out or strike as part of the national day of “No Work, No School, No Shopping” on May 1. Make a group chat and hold a meeting outside of work. In a larger workplace, you may need to find co-workers willing to talk to workers in different departments, work sites, or who speak different languages and get them on board. Coordinate who will get the word out to which co-workers.
2. Get the Word Out
Talk to your coworkers and explicitly ask them, “Will you join me in the national sick-out on May 1 to fight back against ICE and Trump?” Some coworkers may be ready to commit as soon as they’re asked, while others will need more motivation. Explain that when tens of thousands of Twin Cities workers went on strike in January, ICE was forced to retreat. We can push back Trump everywhere with a nationwide general strike and several union leaders are calling for just that. Keep a tally of how many workers have agreed to call in sick on May 1: tell your more reluctant coworkers how big that number is to help convince them.
3. Plan a Meeting
An in-person meeting can be helpful for coworkers to build trust in one another and brainstorm how to get more coworkers to join. This can be during lunch or right before or after work in a convenient location where people can speak freely. One or two workers who are convinced of the need to sick-out should give a short introduction about why your workplace needs to join the national movement on May 1. Talk about the power of strike actions to affect political change. Then open up the meeting for questions and comments. Make a plan for how everybody will get more coworkers to commit to taking action on May 1.
4. Intermediate Action
It’s only March, which gives you several weeks to get your workplace prepared to take action on May 1. Organizing a lower-stakes action that workers can take together between now and then will give workers more experience and confidence for May 1, and will show which shifts, departments, or worksites are better organized and which need more attention. Organizing workplace, school, union, or rapid response group contingents for your local No Kings Day protest on March 28 can be a great intermediate action on the road to May 1. In the labor movement, this is known as a “structure test.” Many creative options are possible!
5. Avoiding Retaliation
As workers, our greatest strength lies in our numbers and our unity. The more people who strike or sick-out on May 1 and the bigger the protests are nationally, the safer we will all be from employer retaliation. If you think there’s any chance your boss won’t be supportive of the May 1 actions, definitely be careful. Don’t use company email or platforms to talk about the sick-out. In-person conversations are the best way to convince people to join an important but bold and even scary action like this. On May 1, call in sick however you normally would at your workplace, in line with your workplace policies.
Discover more from Class Autonomy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
