⏳ Planning for Tenant Union Workshop

Tenant Union Tasks
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Update: Tenant Union Workshop Planning

Based on our 2025-02-15 planning meeting

We created a meeting structure that addresses the Tenant Union directly. We thought it would be best to use an approach that avoids distractions about codes and laws. Instead, we present tenant unions as a primary tactic rather than having participants default to using a lawyer, that we would then have to walk them back from. You can read and edit our the working document here.

You can also see the outline below:

INTRODUCTION

Welcome and Purpose

  • WCU introduction and participant welcome
  • Event agenda: Two-part structure
    • Vision and history showing tenant union achievements and necessity
    • Time for sharing housing struggles and developing collective solutions
  • Brief grounding exercise

PART 1: What is a Tenant Union?

  1. Core definition of tenant unions
  2. Tenant union structure and function
    • Meeting immediate housing needs
    • Building collective power against wealthy landlords and the politically connected
    • Centering tenant protagonism (but we can use a different word)
  3. Historical context of tenant organizing

PART 2: Purpose and Impact of Tenant Unions

A. The Importance of Tenant Unions

  • Moving beyond NGO services and towards a larger political vision
  • Shifting from lobbying to tenant leadership

B. Tenant Union Achievements

  • Securing immediate demands
  • uilding long term structures that are not just political demands
  • Case study: Effective rent strike tactics

PART 3: Strategy Development

A. Community Discussion

  • Small group breakout sessions
  • Planning for future organizing with connected tenants

PART 3: Listening to issues and building a strategy

A. Discussion and break out groups

  • Plan for future events if there is a tenant that is connected to people