The Canadian Association of Labour Media is a communications cooperative that seeks to strengthen the communications capacity of locals and provide a link between unions and federations, small and large, in all regions and sectors. They offer communications workshops, online training, guidebooks and many other resources.
CALM has a website that offers a range of services to labour communicators. Through the website’s login, members can access all of CALM’s content for use in their own communications materials.
How to get the free, trial membership
For the next three months, until the end of August, CUPE Nova Scotia locals can have a free, trial membership to try it out!
To gain access during this free trial period, go to www.calm.ca and find the social login at the bottom of the page. Select login with (Facebook, Google, or Twitter). CALM staff will follow up to confirm your local and allow you access.
Alternately, you can email editor@calm.ca with your name, local, and email address and CALM staff will follow up with a user ID/password for you.
After the trial period, CALM staff will contact your local about annual membership.
Here’s what CALM membership gets you!
Training – Online and Workshops
- Fundamentals of graphic design for beginners and non-designers
- How to use your smartphone to make videos – filming and editing
- Photography training and tips
- How to write opinion editorials
- How to speak at a rally
- Effective political writing for campaigns
- Writing good headlines
- The art of the interview
- Media relations
- Making the local news
- Dealing with journalists
- Crisis communications
- Strike ready – elements for a successful media strategy
- Effective campaign organizing
- Website design basics
- Social media
Guides, handbooks and presentations
- CALM editor’s handbook
- Newsletter templates
- CALM guidebook to dealing with media
Labour News, Visuals, Infographics
CALM publishes original and aggregated labour news, opinion and features. CALM’s editors write content for use by its members. CALM produces infographics and visuals that members can download and use in their print or online newsletters. If your organization is searching for something in particular, don’t hesitate to be in touch for help. They will create graphics for unions.
Annual CALM Awards
The annual CALM awards recognize excellence in union publications and productions in a variety of categories and classes. Entries are judged by independent experts and awarded at the annual CALM conference. You must be a CALM member in good standing to enter the awards.
CALM Conferences – building skills
CALM holds a yearly conference in the spring, alternating between the west and east of Canada. The conference is an opportunity to meet and network with colleagues from across the country. Seasoned communicators facilitate workshops designed to help members acquire new skills in writing, editing, photography, design, video, web design and development, and strategic communications and organizing. The 2018 CALM conference will take place in Halifax from May 11-13. CALM members pay a discounted delegate fee. For many unions, the discount alone pays for CALM membership.
Canadian Labour Communicators Slack channel
Are you on Slack? CALM coordinates a Slack channel for labour communicators. There, you’ll find a list of resources and other labour communicators who you can chat with to help troubleshoot and brainstorm. The channel is open to any labour activist, not just CALM members (though we strongly encourage you to join.)
Media training
For those members looking for more specialized trainings, CALM offers tailored workshops that will help members developing skills in creating media strategies for longer term campaigns, framing, story-based narrative analysis, understanding the media story cycle, and building relationships with reporters. For more information about workshops and training, please contact the CALM editor.
Media strategy consulting
Not sure about the strength of your media strategy for a campaign or issue? Want to improve the chances of getting your event or action covered by a daily or national newspaper or media outlet? We can arrange a session over the phone or Skype to offer constructive feedback and suggestions about your media strategy, framing, messaging, pitches, and other elements of your communications and media work.
- For more information, please visit the CALM website.