Shaye Skiff
In the news media I’d like to amplify NPEU member units and use the news to leverage worker power for our members. Our stories matter and they should be heard on the platforms available to us.
Introduce yourself and where you work.
I am Shaye Skiff, a union steward and executive board representative for Friends of the Earth Workers United (FOE Workers United). In my day job I serve as Senior Press Officer, managing media, messaging and news strategy for our campaigns. I live and work in Washington, D.C. where I have gotten to meet several NPEU members. But I’m most excited to connect with my labor comrades around the nation that have boosted NPEU to almost 2,000 members!
Why do you want to run for this position?
Communications is about connection. Storytelling has been used by labor organizers for a long time to amplify people and knowledge and to build collective power for workers. We all bring expertise to this work, and leveraging communications in a way that connects us and amplifies our impact is what drives me. I hope to be a connecting point for all members and build an internal network that is supportive and inspiring. Labor organizing is hard work and it often has disappointing outcomes. But by uniting in internal solidarity we strengthen our resolve, our movement and our local.
I am proudly running as part of the NPEU Members for a Democratic Union slate. We are committed to a democratic, transparent, and growing union, and I am eager to help put these into practice. By increasing member engagement within our union, we can tap into our collective power and become far more effective and capable than we are now.
What does being in a union, and specifically being an NPEU member, mean to you?
Being a member of NPEU is one of the most enriching experiences of my professional career. I have been able to listen and learn from experts and have gained friends I would not have met otherwise. Working in a remote space is hard when you’re organizing, and it’s encouraging to interface with and lean on those who care about the labor movement and the future of nonprofits.
Nonprofit workers hold so much knowledge and carry the future of social and political movements. We’ve seen how workers in industry have changed history, and I strongly believe NPEU is where nonprofit workers are doing the same.
What experiences have you had that have prepared you for this position?
At FOE Workers United I have served in a leadership role and have positioned myself as someone who uplifts other voices. My leadership approach is collaborative, informed and accountable - I want to know what members think and I am happy to take direction from them.
Outside NPEU, I am a core organizer with Green Union Hall, a labor resource group geared toward nonprofit workers. Through GUH I have built connections with other nonprofit workers, uplifted NPEU member voices and developed resources for organizing education and tactics. I hope to bring the skills and network I’ve developed through Green Union Hall into our local to help grow our communications impact.
What qualities do you believe make you a strong candidate for this position?
I have worked as a communications professional for six years, and have brought media and messaging skills to the labor organizing space for three years. At FOE Workers United I manage our Twitter account and I use my personal Twitter and Instagram handles to spread union solidarity and experiences. At a past union I developed a communications plan for going public and I bring strategic insight into the news space.
What goals would you like to focus on or accomplish over the next 2 years if elected?
For communications to be effective it must be collaborative. I’d like to partner with my fellow officers to develop consistent messaging that matches the needs of our members and amplifies the work of officers and the executive board. I hope to involve more member voices and experiences through NPEU internal channels, interface directly with new and existing member leaders, and use NPEU’s external platforms to uplift and celebrate worker stories and issues.
Our social media presence matters, so in this role I would engage directly with units to find out what content they need and provide guidance as members navigate their own social media strategy. In the news media I’d like to amplify NPEU member units and use the news to leverage worker power for our members. Our stories matter and they should be heard on the platforms available to us.