Lobbying 101
Lobbying 101
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"Lobbying 101"
In order to get the Labor Rate Bill passed, we will need a great lobbying effort on behalf of the entire collision industry. Certainly, some professional lobbying will be done to help our cause, but nothing is more important than people who are a part of the industry getting involved with their own state representatives and senators.
YOU ARE THE BEST LOBBYIST FOR YOUR OWN CAUSE. And, while you may think that politicians don't care about what you think, nothing could be further from the truth. They want to serve their constituents by demonstrating their support for your causes, especially ones that make as much sense as our bill, S122 / H1043. BUT, THEY WON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR CAUSE IS UNLESS YOU TELL THEM.
The most effective form of lobbying is the phone call. Simply pick up the phone, dial the number, and tell the person who answers that you'd like to speak with your legislator. Tell that person that your call is in regards to S122 / H1043, the Auto Body Labor Rate Bill. If you are able to speak with the legislator, tell him or her your name and the address of your workplace or your residence (you could have up to four different representatives and senators), and that you are calling to get their support for the Labor Rate Bill, S122 / H1043. If you call or visit a legislator, we have some suggestions:
• First, be yourself and don't be nervous. Introduce yourself by name, the name of business where you work, the type of shop (independent, car dealer, used cars, small-medium-large, etc.).
• If you know people who know the legislator or can interject something you may have in common with him or her, this would be a good thing to mention. Knowing people is a legislator's stock-in-trade.
• Remember that the legislator will be impressed that you've taken the time to make the call or to visit with him or her. They will admire your passion for your cause.
• Make any stories you mention about business simple to understand. Don't use jargon. They won't understand it. And, don't mention a particular repair, like "a lady comes in with a Kia ..."
• The legislator may want to talk about his or her own issues, such as an important issue in the district. That's a good sign and you should be agreeable to this idea. One important aspect of lobbying is to leave as a "friend." Legislators don't like to make votes that hurt their friends.
• You must pay attention to the staff members you meet or speak to on your path to the legislator. Ask for the names of staff people and write down their names and titles, such as "Legislative Aide." These people are critical to your efforts. Say "thank you," and treat them with dignity.
• You may find that a legislator already supports the bill, especially if he or she has already received letters from you and others asking for his or her support. Obviously, this is a very positive development and you should thank the legislator. Still, you may wish to mention one point about the bill that is important to you. (See Talking Points)
Another very important form of lobbying is writing letters to legislators. The staff members routinely compile a list of "Yes" and "No" letters, phone calls, faxes, and emails on each bill. This is their "scorecard." Since everyone won't have the opportunity to speak with or visit with each legislator, writing letters is a common way to lobby for a bill like ours. We need thousands of letters out there!
We have made the process of writing a letter very easy for you. Go to our website, www.PassTheLaborRateBill.org, click "Sample Letter" in the left navigation column, and you will see the current letter we want you to use (this letter will change as the bill progresses through the legislative process). This sample letter can be copied and pasted into an email or you can edit it and print it out for mailing or sending a fax. Please make sure to put your name and company information on the letter. If you're writing to a legislator who represents the district in which your workplace is located, use that address. If the legislator represents the district of your residence, use that address. These letters must come from their "constituents."
To complete the results of your lobbying efforts, you should report what takes place. Print a copy of the "Tracking Worksheet" fill it out, and fax it to our office at (617) 484-0568. If you receive an email back from a legislator, forward it to us at
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. If you receive a reply in the mail, fax it to us at (617) 484-0568. Or, call us at (617) 484-0205 to talk over any important developments. We need to know which way each legislator may be leaning. We keep scorecards too. Thank you for your help.