If you are chosen for LAP, your local union must commit to:

• Identifying a core team of up to six local activists, including the president or one other local officer, to work closely with their NYSUT labor relations specialist (LRS) to move your local’s LAP agenda;
• Designating one member of the LAP team to be the LAP coordinator (not the local president);
• Sending your team to the weeklong LAP summer conference for each of three years;
• Developing a strategic plan with activities funded by the local as well as with additional funding provided by NYSUT;
• Implementing comprehensive action planning, including education-based initiatives as part of your LAP plan;
• Involving members in community engagement;
• Submitting timely budget and program plans to NYSUT and reporting results; and
• Formally agreeing to remain in the NYSUT family.

• Training in internal organizing and union building, developing grassroots community coalition-building, comprehensive public relations plans and political action campaigns;
• Technical assistance in designing and developing external and internal communications: social media, email, websites, newsletters, and other publications;
• At least one member or community survey to assess issues and community attitudes toward the local union;
• Assistance in developing activities that enhance union visibility and participation in the local and in the community; and
• Leadership development for members of the local’s LAP team in group process, decision-making,

LAP’s demonstrated record of success is based on five key components:

1. Organizing the local
2. Increasing member engagement and solidarity
3. Strengthening political action
4. Expanding community outreach/ coalition-building/community engagement
5. Improving communications
6. Advocating for social justice

While focusing on these six principles, it remains the goal of all of our LAP locals to ensure a high-quality public education for all students. As such, educational initiatives that focus on student achievement and professional issues should be part of your LAP plan.

NYSUT has always encouraged affiliates to organize themselves for action by implementing local political action programs and engaging the community to build coalitions. But, some locals-only focused on these important activities during contract negotiations. Members, parents and community groups might not hear from or about the local union until the next contract or unless there was an emergency.

This situation first became an issue in the 1990s when organized groups of taxpayers harmed by the nationwide economic downturn organized communities to vote down school budgets in record numbers. Organized “TAXPACs” formed to elect school board candidates who sought to cut school budgets by eliminating staff and programs and by targeting unions and collective bargaining agreements with a barrage of anti-union publicity.

More locals were finding that the traditional role of the union – bargaining and enforcing a contract – and traditional methods of forming one-time, short-term alliances to pressure the school board were not enough. To improve the image of unions and gain member and community support, locals needed to develop a more comprehensive approach to unionism and solidify their role as the educational experts in the community. The NYSUT

The NYSUT Board of Directors approved the Local Action Project as a way to help locals become more effective. Building on early successes in turning around anti-union climates at the local level, LAP has continued to evolve with new programming in areas like social media, website development, community engagement, organizing and social justice to meet the needs of all NYSUT locals.

Since the Janus decision, LAP has expanded its offerings again to ensure that all NYSUT locals are positioned for the future and developing programming and activities to engage more members in the work of the union, including training on leadership development, engaging new employees, and moving rank and file members to become unionists. The program has also expanded offerings to address issues unique to higher education locals, BOCES and school-related professionals. LAP continues to evolve each year based on the recommendations from the LAP teams and NYSUT’s Labor Relations Specialists.

The LAP program exists to help locals deal with the ever-changing landscape of attacks by anti-union, anti-public education forces to diminish contracts, benefits and support for public services, public employees and the institution of public education.

1. NYSUT partners with locals to provide significant financial support for LAP initiatives. This seed money is provided on a decreasing cost-sharing basis. It is important that locals incorporate LAP activities into their budgets and dues structures to establish self-sufficiency by the fourth year.

2. After a local is accepted into LAP, NYSUT’s LAP Committee reviews each local’s budget request and will provide up to 50 percent of a local’s approved budget request in the first year, 40 percent in the second, and 30 percent in the third year (not to exceed $30,000 a year). We recognize that locals may have special budget considerations that limit them from meeting these percentages for all programmatic needs.  These special needs will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will be evaluated in the context of the strategic plan that accompanies the funding request.

3. In the fourth year and thereafter, locals are expected to provide 100 percent of the funds to continue programs they determine work best in building a stronger organization.

4. During a local’s three years in LAP, NYSUT will fully fund the local’s participation in an annual summer conference, held over several days in July.

5. The local is expected to guarantee that a team of five to six members, including the president and/or other officers, will fully participate in each of these summer conferences.

Locals are selected to participate in NYSUT’s Local Action Project through a competitive application process. A local must:

• Be willing to bring a full team (up to six members, including a local officer) to each of three summer conferences, usually held over several days in July.
• Make a sustained commitment to activism. To be approved for NYSUT funding, the local’s action plan should include activities in five key areas: organizing the local, member engagement and solidarity, political action, community engagement/coalition-building, and communications.
• Have a commitment to political action, including a substantial VOTE-COPE drive.
• Commit to using its Local Assistance and Local Educational Issues Rebates toward the LAP program and to demonstrate other evidence of a financial commitment to LAP, including a dues structure capable of sustaining LAP programming over the long term.
• Be willing to share experiences and work with other locals to help them develop similar programs.
• Formally agree to remain in the NYSUT family.
• Be in compliance with the AFT Audit Guidelines Requirement.
• The Local President MUST be on the LAP team and attend the summer trainings.

(Further information on these requirements can be obtained from the NYSUT Accounting Department.)

1. Complete the application forms below.
2. Your NYSUT labor relations specialist can answer any questions and help you with the application.
3. Your LRS’s sign-off is required on the application.
4. Applications will be reviewed by the NYSUT LAP Committee, and locals will be contacted when a decision has been made. Note: Each LAP local will be required to complete a LAP program accounting form by July of each program year.
5. Locals accepted into the program will receive additional information on the entire budget process at the LAP summer conference.