Communications — 2

The IAM Journal, Goiam.org and the IAM Studio are the flagships of the Communications Department. But there is a network of communication tools designed to “get the message out.” This network consists of software, hardware and our most impressive asset - our own communicators.

After the 2000 Convention, the Communications Department was tasked with launching the Communicator and Educator program. The basic idea was to create an ever expanding broadcast email system-an electronic means to place information in the hands of members, in their computer inboxes and on union bulletin boards. Have you heard? was the electronic leaflet that opened up the system.

Every Have you heard? is seen now by more than 35,000 sets of eyes. As the number of Communicators grow and their broadcast email lists expand, this almost instantaneous communications tool will enable the IAM to fulfill the members’ demand for more information, delivered more quickly, and with more local content.

Imail, a web-based newsletter that replaced Faxlink, goes out to nearly 9,000 IAM activists and allies twice every week. It gives Communicators news they can use and forward to others.

The IAM Microsites program offers smaller local lodges a free website, one requiring very little expertise to launch and update. Nearly 250 local lodges applied for space on the IAM server and more than 70 microsites are now operational. When the remaining sites enter the family of IAM websites, every district lodge and one-third of the local lodges will be accessible via the Internet.

Training activists to produce effective newsletters, websites and communications networks remains a top priority for the Communications Department. Week-long classes at the William W. Winpisinger Center are taught by various members of the Communications Department, and are carefully designed to meet the needs of newsletter editors and web stewards. Each year, more than one hundred activists take home skills that help their lodges better communicate with IAM members.