Short and to the point.

Some local leaders are finding that concise, focused meetings are the way to attract new members into getting involved with their local unions. One meeting outline is called the 10-minute meeting agenda. The other is called JAMM — Just A Minute Meetings.

The Oneonta Teachers Association, which includes almost 300 teachers and teaching assistants, began using the 10-minute meeting agenda about four years ago, said President Tim Nobiling.

The agenda has been a critical communication tool for the OTA, particularly during a dispute with the district over retiree health benefits.

"In decentralizing the meeting and making them brief, we were able to increase member involvement and give members a broader opportunity to voice their concerns," Nobiling said.

While the OTA adopted the 10-minute meeting agenda, the Phoenix Central Schools TA in Oswego County decided to use the Just A Minute Meetings plan.

Phoenix President Ginny Kane Calvert said attendance following the switch to JAMM is now "very good" because many people are willing to show up for a 5- or 10-minute meeting.

"We were looking for a way to quickly and easily get information out to the buildings," Calvert said. "The short JAMMs work for us and are usually run by the association's chief building reps."

The agenda and advertising for these meetings is sent via e-mail and through postings in break rooms. Five minutes of meeting time is set aside for union information before opening the session to member topics.

Some topics are informational; others involve union issues, Calvert said.

Contact NYSUT's New-Member Projects Coordinator, Frank Ciarlo, at fciarlo@nysutmail.org, for sample outlines of the formats.