Integrating Offline Activism with Online Mobilization
This panel will show how the United Steelworkers' web-based mobilization arose out of the union’s historically effective use of on-the-ground activism. Panelists directly involved in the evolution will discuss how to integrate on-the-ground and web-based mobilization systems, using the USW’s work on the Obama and Make Our Future Work campaigns as examples.
Connie Mabin is a communications technician for the United Steelworkers international headquarters, where she serves as the multimedia editor for North America's largest industrial union. Mabin oversees the newly designed usw.org and the union's Web 2.0, social networking and other new media endeavors. Duties also include video production, writing, strategic messaging and assisting with multimedia mobilization campaigns. Before joining the USW in 2007, Mabin spent 10 years reporting and editing at Associated Press bureaus in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Texas, Colorado and most recently as correspondent in charge of the AP's Cleveland, Ohio, bureau.
Scott Weaver is communications technician with the United Steelworkers, the largest industrial labor union in North America. He serves as USW’s multimedia producer, bringing to the organization almost 20 years’ experience in television, audio and graphic production.
Scott began his career working for higher-end post-production companies. In 1997, he took a position as Senior AVID Video Editor for Wix Pix Productions. There he produced for such clients as General Electric, Pep Boys and Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Scott has received numerous Platinum Telly Awards, and a 2003 regional Emmy nomination.
Eric Russell is a staffer of the United Steelworkers' International Political Department. For the last two years he has coordinated the union's Political Mobilization Center; a 30-station Predictive Dialer (call center) that is used for a range of activities including surveying, polling, political mobilization, and education of the union's 850,000 members across the United States.
Prior to joining the United Steelworkers Political Department he received a Masters Degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work.
Barbara White Stack is blog editor for the United Steelworkers (USW). In addition to editing and helping prepare steelworker-written blogs for the site, Stack selects guest bloggers to post. She developed site features such as Union Matters to give steelworkers and associate members voice on vital issues. Stack joined the USW in 2007 after 30 years in journalism, the last 27 with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She is a Poynter Institute Ethics Fellow and received a University of Maryland Journalism Fellowship in Child and Family Policy. Her work led to the opening of Pennsylvania juvenile court to the press and public.
Kyle McDermott is the National Field Director for the United Steelworkers Political Department. In his capacity Kyle creates and implements field mobilization programs working with USW members around the country to educate and engage active and retired members around working families issues as well as state and federal elections.
The USW political activist network, known as the "Activist Corps", has grown from 2000 member activists in 2004 to almost 12,000 in 2008.
Before joining the USW in 2007, McDermott spent 6 years working with the National AFL-CIO and the Ohio AFL-CIO.
