By Sibylle Kaczorek, Sydney Northside branch
Sydney Northside branch has substantially increased its financial membership over the past two months, a result of our very conscious approach to recruiting. The growth reflects the huge potential of Socialist Alliance but also focus of our work which can be summed up with the slogan "normalising socialism".
Probably the key to our recruitment success is exactly that - normalising the socialist alternative in everything we do. So, next time someone asks in a smart way, "What, you are a socialist!?", answer back, "What, are you NOT!? Do you support cuts to education and health? Do you agree with the murder of innocent people in Iraq?"
Confidence about our socialist project pays off, and there are more and more people who we meet on the streets, in workplaces, on picket lines, and at marches and rallies who do want an alternative that puts people before profits. We can convince them that this is possible, but not under capitalism. We can convince them to join SA, and not the Greens for instance, by clearly saying we are anti-capitalist. We should not shy away from this discussion with people.
There is no doubt that our recent recruitment success is in great part because of the profile that the Alliance has built up, especially through the anti-war campaign. Most of our new branch members came along to the rallies and marches at the beginning of the year, and one thought that the recent Canberra ‘Stop Bush’ mobilisation had been organised by SA. It is SA’s consistency and commitment in activism that people who are looking for an alternative are noting; we gain their trust and confidence.
Our weekly street stalls are an important aspect of this consistency. One of the women who recently joined our branch did so because she had seen us out there every week for a long time and is impressed by our commitment. Our stalls allow us to display our socialist solutions to the issues of the day; they allow people to see and talk to us. Northside branch has made a conscious decision to expand our suburban stalls as widely as possible in the new year.
We have found that stalls are also a great way to involve new members. We invite them to come to the stall to pick up leaflets for upcoming events, and hand them out there and then if they want.
But most important is the regular phone contacting of branch members and supporters, both newer and longer-term. By keeping in touch, we ensure that people know the breadth of activities we’re involved in - again, it is about building confidence and trust.
SA membership is administered annually, but if we want people to renew their membership at the end of each year, they need to be convinced why. By talking to our members regularly we help enable people to be part of our project, and to participate as much as they can or choose to.
Mail-outs to all members play a role also. Some members cannot come to branch meetings, but they have the right to know what is going on and what decisions are being made by the branch.
In then end, the main reason we are joining lots of people is because we have confidently and explicitly asked people to become part of building the socialist alternative in Australia, as part of an international movement. Our starting point has been that people will want to be part of this inspiring project and organisation, if only we ask them.