Organizing requires measuring participation

How to implement structure tests in the university setting

Abstract

In a workplace context, structure tests are strategic actions that measure the participation levels of rank-and-file members and test whether they are ready to take job action. This article reflects on the lessons the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) learned in adapting the organizing model in the context of a large, research-intensive university in Canada, and in particular the importance of measuring participation in structure tests. It identifies several key challenges: how to marshal the requisite resources, which tools to use to measure member participation, and how to share information in a manner that keeps workplace leaders engaged and organizers accountable but respects privacy.