Solidarity Sunday: Somebody's Telling Your Story... Might as well be you.
John Hardy was a desperate man. He carried two guns every day
Shot down a man on the West Virginia line
You should've seen John Hardy get away, Lord Lord
You should've seen John Hardy get away
The punk country band Uncle Tupelo told me John Hardy's story for the first time about 25 years ago. The last time I heard his story was this weekend by a band of twenty-somethings at a bluegrass festival in Montana. Turns out John Hardy's story goes back to the late 1800s and it is still being told today.
John Hardy taught me one thing… if your story is worth telling, somebody's telling it. And telling it. And telling it again.
As a local union, you have a story and people are telling it. The contractors, guys on the job, the media, the politicians, school counselors, parents, if they know who you are, they have a story about you, and they are telling it. Good or bad, whether you like it or not. What stories are they telling about you and your local union? Do you know?
You are either participating and influencing it, or you're leaving it up to others to tell. How active are you telling your story? Is your story compelling enough that others can see themselves in it? Do the people you're trying to recruit see themselves in it? Are you telling your story in places where the people you're trying to reach naturally spend lots of time? Is your story about wages and benefits, or do wages and benefits play a bit role in a grander overall story? Are we giving our desired public a story worth watching?
Is your story worth telling to the next generation? If so, then you should be the one to tell it.
Speaking of compelling stories...
Josh Wilson was not ready for the "real world" at 18. Frankly, who is? Bouncing around dead-end jobs and trying to figure it all out. But Josh knew he was built for greater things and apprenticeship was the pathway that took him to his current place of prominence as one of the most influential members of IBEW Local 136. He is a living example of the inspiring stories we have in our local unions. We loved producing Josh's story and we will use it in several campaigns over the course of the next year to help recruit new members. We can help you find the story that is uniquely yours, too!
