Things to remember when you are talking to your co-workers about joining the union:

One-on-One Effectiveness

Listen. This is the most important thing to learn. Everybody has a tendency to lecture people or to try and deliver a canned pitch. Instead of lecturing, you have to learn to draw people out by asking questions. Show them you care what they think. When you interrupt, you don’t get to hear a person’s real concerns.

Don’t make assumptions. Often the issues you think are important are not the issues your co-worker cares about. Keep an open mind so you can be responsive to the person’s concerns.

Don’t argue. If somebody makes negative comments, try to find common ground. As much as possible, agree that the person has a valid point. Don’t make the other person feel defensive—if you do, they’ll never change their mind.

Don’t evade the tough questions. If you don’t know an answer, don’t try to fake it. People respect honesty. If you don’t know the answer, admit it and tell them you’ll get back to them.