2025-08-07 General Meeting Minutes

General Meeting

Calendar Related Topics

Non-Calendar Related Topics

Voting Record

2025-08-08 General Meeting Minutes

Attendance

Old Business

New Business

Calendar

Quorum for Meeting

Tenant Union Focus Campaign

WCU Community Assembly

Unionization Efforts: ICE Raid Workplace Training

ICE Rapid Response Focus Campaign Proposal

August 2025

September 2025

WCU Article: Why Liberals Lose

Reading Group

Organizing Conversation Training

Unionizing Workplace Materials

Union of Unions Outreach

Vote: Code of Conduct (A)

Vote: From Words to Action Amendment (B)

Vote: ICE Workplace Training Side Quest (C)

chima · August 12, 2025, 12:43am

Date: 2025-08-08T07:00:00Z

Meeting Minutes

Campaign Coordinator: @chima
Membership Coordinator: @HipGnosis
Education Coordinator: @Englishpete08
Treasurer: @Turcotte
Secretary:
Members: @Adri_Martinez, @Veewok, @SeanHun, @NoraG, @Robert_H, @Sauc3_L1oron_217, @Techify

Campaign Updates:

Database development continues with new tracking capabilities for complaints across changes in landlords, property management, and tenants
Currently helping one tenant draft letter to property management; gathering information from second tenant
Distributed flyers at multiple buildings; identified targets for door-to-door canvassing using 1-3 ranking system
Need system for cataloging legal codes used in letters to build institutional knowledge

Discussion

@chima: Me, Sean and Christian went out. We’re helping one person draft a letter to property management. They messaged back saying they’d prefer their name not be on it. But no one else has agreed to put their name on it, so maybe if we can get her neighbors to sign on, change her mind.
@chima: Gathering information from second tenant - they had a roommate we didn’t know about who had more issues, so we need to add them in.
@chima: We did flyer drop and ranked buildings 1-3: 3 is likely to be organized, 2 is we don’t know, 1 is everything looks fine, no issues, shouldn’t come back.
@chima: Database update - we have one person working on it now. Made database that tracks stuff over time - complaint will follow landlord, property management company, and tenant regardless of when they move or ownership changes. Hard part of tracking over time when things change is done. After this, he’ll start helping with financial stuff. I’m going to start connecting it to solidarity.tech.
@chima: Need better system for tracking legal codes we use. If someone cites Stockton municipal code somewhere, can we figure out way to see where else we used this code? Did it work in some letter? Right now you start from scratch on Google each time unless you remember familiar case.
@Turcotte: We could keep spreadsheet with code numbers. Sucks but we could do that.
@HipGnosis: Bus stops apparently super effective for posting flyers. When we posted Medicare for All posters, ton of people saw them at Lodi bus stops but couldn’t make it to actual event.
@chima: Need better building ranking criteria. Right now we were giving numbers but it was mostly just vibes - looking at AC units not repaired, windows broken and boarded up, or if everything looks clean and amazing.

First assembly scheduled for August 9th 10am-12pm at Odd Fellows Hall
Code of Conduct approved with “From Words to Action” section allowing community proposals to WCU

@chima motioned to approve the basic Code of Conduct; @Adri_Martinez seconded.
– 10 yes; 0 no; 1 abstention: motion passed.

@chima motioned to approve the amendment; @Veewok seconded
– 7 yes; 1 no; 2 abstentions

Discussion

@HipGnosis: Community assemblies are for asking the community what they want us to do. They should be able to create proposals for WCU to vote on. This gives the community a way to make proposals just like members can. They would need clear next steps - who is doing what by when, not nebulous tasks. Long term goal is to have these assemblies in every neighborhood/sub-district.
@chima: Concerned about opening WCU to proposals when we’re already at capacity. We can’t even complete current tasks (handbook not done, everything lagging for months). Opening space for proposals means we’ll have to reject people and explain why. Better to let us reach out to interesting projects rather than forcing us to act on proposals we may not align with.
@Turcotte: Frame it as joining WCU forum to discuss ideas rather than on-the-spot proposals. For first assembly, people won’t know what to expect anyway. Should be invitation to forum for discussion, then come to general meeting for actual proposals.
@Adri_Martinez: Focus on no expectations from either side. This is just a place to share what you’re doing in your community/org. Helps avoid redundancy between orgs. People can connect with others working on similar things rather than everything going through WCU.
@Veewok: Imagined this as mix of organizers and non-organizers. People share concerns about Stockton, organizations can pick up people/projects that align with their work. Still see it as place for soliciting help and getting new members/ideas.
@SeanHun: Would suck to say no to bunch of people asking for help, but also possibility of connecting people working on similar things.
@Turcotte: Leave guidelines as is but offer our personal experience. Don’t frame event as “come to us with problems” but as “what do you think is a problem” and we share what we’ve done or learned.
@Adri_Martinez: Could offer critique of liberal/NGO approaches that focus on large abstract issues. This helps identify who in assemblies really wants to work with us.
@HipGnosis: If NGOs come, either they’ll stop coming or start listening to us. Either way is potentially beneficial. Could make them disillusioned and they’ll leave.

Developing toolkit for workers organizing around ICE raid workplace training
Strategy: Partner with North Valley Labor Federation for free training to employers
Toolkit behind contact form to identify potential worker leaders without triggering unionization suspicions
Creates follow-up opportunities regardless of training outcome

@chima motioned to approve side-quest; @Veewok seconded
– Unanimous yes

Discussion

@chima: Nora, Tristan, Riley, Miles and I discussed using ICE raid workplace training as entry point for worker organizing. Very low-level ask to coworkers - “are you interested in this training?” People want it right now. Gets names and contacts of coworkers willing to organize and stick their neck out a little. North Valley Labor Federation offers free trainings to employers we can partner with.
@chima: We’d develop toolkit showing how to ask coworkers, what training involves, put it online behind contact form to get organizer contact info. For employers, looks like low-level non-unionization activity. But we’d follow up asking about other workplace concerns, see if coworkers who signed up want to work together on issues. Way to generate leads for workplaces with active organizers instead of us having to find people ourselves.
@NoraG: I’ve been talking with workers and they seem pretty interested because now is a good time. Good way to get people organized on small level without taking huge risk.
@Adri_Martinez: Good strategy. Curious about workplaces already unionized - talking to reps about disseminating information. Saw video of union staff going to detention center in solidarity. Some unions might want to support, but we’d still want the information.
@chima: Don’t really want to leave people to current unions because they kind of suck.
@Reilly: Another group in Stockton asking businesses to put up anti-ICE posters. Went to work today and they had put them up. Already interest from workers and management. Would be slam dunk way to worm into unionization efforts.

Proposal Outline:

Educational Materials Development
- ICE recognition guides
- Recording safety guide
- Accompaniment guide for appointments
- Materials in multiple languages (Spanish priority)
Rapid Response Alert System
- Built on solidarity.tech platform
- Dual-track: non-emergency to Valley Watch, active arrests trigger local alerts from us
- Collect name, phone, zip code for geographic targeting
Facility Monitoring Program
- Permanent presence at Stockton ICE facilities
- Help families navigate detainee locator system
- Record check-in information and emergency contacts
- Minimum two-person teams during facility hours
- Volunteers should expect identification by authorities
Legal Documentation Support
- Power of attorney, emergency contacts, childcare plans
- Notary services at in-person sessions
Community Outreach
- Door-to-door canvassing combined with tenant union materials
- Network building through vendors, churches, schools, parent groups
- Open meetings every two weeks at Odd Fellows (hybrid)
Community Safety Patrols
- Presence at grocery stores, schools, community gathering places
- Confirm absence of ICE, provide reassurance
- Regular shifts at high-traffic locations

Timeline:

Month 1: Complete KYR/training materials, online versions, print business flyers
Formal vote on focus campaign at September meeting
Proposed 5-month campaign ending December 2025

Article draft not ready for posting
Vote delayed; one more meeting scheduled to finalize

@Englishpete08 held reading group on “Looking Backward to Counter Mysticism and Despair” by Adolph Reed Jr.
Recording and discussion summary available here

First training held successfully last month. Updated presentation is here.

Union explainer materials are still in progress. If you want to work on them on your own, you can find them here.

Database of local unions being compiled here
No responses from contacted unions yet. Latest updates are here.

	(A)Code of Conduct	(B)Words to Action	(C)Unionization Side Quest
@chima	yea	no	yea
@HipGnosis	yea	yea	yea
@Englishpete08	yea	yea	yea
@Turcotte	yea	abstain	yea
@Adri_Martinez	yea	abstain	yea
@Veewok	yea	yea	yea
@SeanHun	yea	yea	yea
@NoraG	yea	yea	yea
@Robert_H	yea	yea	yea
@Sauc3_L1oron_217	yea	yea	yea
@Techify	yea	absent	absent

2-4 Community Defense Meeting

10 3-6 TU Canvas

11 6-8 TU Canvas

12 6-8 TU Canvas

13 ICE Materials

14 6-8 ICE Union

16 10-12 Tenant Union Workshop + 12-2 Organizing Conversations

18 Steering Committee

21 6- 8ICE Union

26 New Member Orientation

28 ICE Materials

[(11+10+10)/3]/2
= 6