In order to improve intra-union communications overall, the Retiree Chapter of AFSCME District Council 37 in New York City began hosting a series of regular teletownhalls for their members. The event series started in April 2024, reaching members spread across the country enjoying their retirement.
Each of the regularly scheduled events allowed the chapter members to choose whether to join the event via Zoom or by phone via a registration page sent by email. If neither option was chosen, the retiree received a phone call at the start of the event.
Each event featured a series of speakers from among the union staff, the retiree membership, and the regular union membership.
The retirees received crucial updates about their health care and pensions, were able to ask questions, vote in polls, and – at certain times – take action to be connected to their elected officials to lobby them on issues of importance to the union.
In all, AFSCME hosted 16 of these events over the last 20 months.
The results of this consistent communication have been phenomenal:
- Total participation in the events has risen 51% since April 2024, as positive word of mouth spreads about the events and their worth
- A total of 1,134 questions have been asked, an average of 70 per event, as members realize these forums are an excellent way to talk through complicated issues
- The average listening time per member has increased 25% since the events began, as members know how beneficial the calls are and that they have a specific agenda and are run efficiently
Those statistical results are obviously very positive for DC 37’s retirees, but the true benefits of these calls are the success stories – the retiree who receives help navigating their health insurance provider’s rules and regulations, the retiree who gets answers about changes to their pension, and more.
And even the unsuccessful moments prove to be positive – because of the repeated phone calls and emails related to these regular events, it’s easy to stay on top your data hygiene in order to update the information of members who have changed phone numbers or email addresses.
The Bottom Line: Consistent teletownhall events can increase your organization’s member engagement, enable good data hygiene, and foster a sense of transparency among leadership and a feeling of being heard among all.
Here are the key takeaways from the AFSCME DC 37 Retirees case study:
- They started regular teletownhalls in April 2024 for their NYC retirees, many of whom live all over the place now. The goal? Better communication!
- Joining was easy: Retirees could sign up to join via Zoom or phone. If they didn’t pick, they just got a call when the event started. Simple!
- What they talked about: Staff, retirees, and regular members all spoke. Crucial stuff like health care, pensions, and union updates were covered.
- Members got involved: They could ask questions, vote in polls, and even get connected to their elected officials to lobby on important issues.
- The numbers are awesome:
- Total attendance is up 51% since April 2024—word got around that these calls are good!
- Members have asked 1,134 questions total (that’s about 70 per event!). People feel heard.
- The average time members spend listening has increased by 25%—they know the calls are valuable and run well.
- The real wins: Beyond the stats, these calls mean real help for people navigating health insurance or getting answers about pension changes.
- Bonus benefit: All the calls and emails help keep the union’s member data (phone numbers, emails) up-to-date. Goodbye, messy data!
- The bottom line: Doing these consistent teletownhalls really boosts member engagement, keeps your data clean, makes leadership look transparent, and makes members feel like their voice matters.
Author: Chuck Westover, TTHM Labor Campaign Director