Politics at Work

Yes, we can do political organizing at work!

Talking politics at work with fellow Union members is a right, even for public employees.

Do:

• Distribute hand-to-hand, during non-work hours, union newsletters containing articles of a political nature or other political materials.
• Ask members to sign up to volunteer time in support of candidate, initiative or levy campaigns, provided you do so during off-duty times.
•  Discuss and distribute political materials, including initiative petitions, at Union meetings if they are held during off-duty times.
•  Wear campaign buttons and display bumper stickers or signs in your cars.
• Use work mailboxes or e-mail to distribute information regarding levy, bond or initiative campaigns only if work mailboxes and/or e-mail may be used for other personal communications.
•  Discuss candidates, levies or initiatives during off-duty times.

Don't:

• Place candidate-specific materials in a workplace mailbox. Do not use work e-mail for candidate-specific communications.
• Use work phones or computers to call voters on behalf of a candidate, initiative or levy campaign.
• Post candidate-specific materials on your Union bulletin board unless it is located where only Union members will see it.
• Use work time or work computers to campaign on behalf of a candidate, initiative or levy. Do not invite a candidate to speak to members during on-duty times. Political materials should be hand-delivered to members outside of work time.
• Use work mailboxes or e-mail to distribute information regarding levy, bond or initiative campaigns unless you can use the mailboxes or e-mail for other personal communications.
• Use work facilities, including stationery, paper, postage, telephones, fax and copy machines or  vehicles, while working on a political campaign. Employers may allow the use of its rooms for political meetings on the same terms and conditions as for non-political meetings.