AR Handbook – 13
few years ago has become a steady
stream as the upper end of the baby
boom generation retires.
The days of signing up new members
only in the fall are over. As
more and more members retire
mid-school year, organizing new
members has become a continuous
task. In addition, your association
needs to go beyond just recruiting
new members. They must develop
a year-long program to engage new
members. The most important factor
in organizing and engaging new
members is personal contact by the
association as soon as possible after
the new employee is hired.
Some suggestions for
doing that are:
• Get the names, home address,
phone number, and e-mail
addresses, of new employees
as soon as possible after they
are employed. Don’t wait until
September. Your superintendent,
board secretary, or payroll office
should be the best source of
information.
• With the traditional welcome
letter, send new members a
thank-you note for joining the
district.
• Invite new members to a social
event before the start of the
school year. Remember to keep
it a social event and limit the
amount of association business.
• Communicate success to
members regularly through a
newsletter, flier, e-mail, website,
or personal contact.
• Generate segmented and
targeted fliers for each category
of membership.
• Send a special year-end
certificate of thanks to first-year
members.
• Make additional personal
contacts with first-year members
that are above and beyond the
norm through phone calls,
e-mails, special newsletters, etc.
• Establish a buddy system for
new members.
• Send a member profile form to
new members to gain details.
Employees already
on the payroll:
Unfortunately, in some school
systems there are a few people who
do not pay their dues. They have
found a “reason” that makes them
comfortable as nonjoiners. They
don’t pay their share and tend to
resent being asked to do so. You
should first orchestrate with your
association membership chair to
making sure these individuals are
reported to NJEA as representation
fee payers. The best time to recruit
these people is the same time you
are doing the recruitment of new
members. Remind them occasionally
during the year that the
association has negotiated for their
salaries and fringe benefits, that the
law requires you to represent them,
and that their colleagues expect
them to pay their share of the costs
of representation. When all attempts
to recruit these people fail, negotiate
the Representation Fee as permitted
by law. New legislation (Assembly
Bill No. 2372), enacted in August
2002, now requires public employers
to deduct a representation (agency)
fee for nonmembers in certain circumstances.
Contact your UniServ
office for assistance. Good luck as
you proceed.
Recruitment tips for success
Always try to . . .
• Have a membership application,
pen, and ”New Member
Employment Folder and
Brochure” with you.
• Use a personal contact. NJEA’s
new member materials are
only a means to an end and
it is not the way to promote
membership. Call attention to
specific benefits or programs in
the materials which might be
important.
• Know your prospective member.
Try to learn something about
the potential member’s interest
prior to meeting.
• Work in pairs, but don’t ”gang
up” on the nonmember. Enlist
help of those members who have
a good rapport with specific
potential members.
• Make appointments to discuss
membership at a time when full
discussion of issues is possible.
• Be constantly optimistic about
what the association can
accomplish.
• Convey a friendly, helpful
attitude. Regardless of what’s
said, keep your cool. Exude
confidence and enthusiasm.
• Show your personal conviction
for membership.
• Ask questions designed to
involve the listener in thinking
about the situation.
• Listen carefully to learn biggest
problem(s) or interest(s). Ask
for suggestions for improving
the organized profession (take
notes).
• Be prepared to answer
questions.
• Help potential members find
details they seek. Don’t forget
to show them the new member
section on NJEA’s website njea.
org.
• If you can’t get membership
during the first discussion, make
an appointment for another
meeting before leaving. Leave
the materials with the person