GAT (General Agreement Training) 2005 –

A Union training odyssey

As the day drew near

The way was un-clear

How would the script read?

What training would I need?

What did I fear?

Where was the beer?

The first day came

Anne and I played the game

Of speaking one after the other

Anne spoke to a worker, then me to another

We signed up three members

That much I remember!

Dave asked had it been fun

But I wasn’t listening to anyone

I felt good

Not made of wood

I also felt worried because the workers today had

      been lovely

But tomorrow would they be grumbly?

On the morrow I buddied with Steve

He gave me a reprieve

when a worker called her rights rubbish

I felt like giving her a shove-ish

But Steve spoke to her politely

Then we left sprightly

The next worker had been left out in the cold

by the Metal Workers Union of old

He poured out his scorn

I tried to give him a membership form!

Steve said to him thankyou and good day

Then he took me aside and had this to say

Experience will tell you when to go

If they’ve had a positive experience

    it will show

I looked grim and nodded at him

But then...at the next place we met a “friendly”
and I recited the script most splendidly

This took away my frowns

and I realised there were ups and downs

On the third day Jess and I buddied

We signed up some members and I studied

Jess’s techniques for recruiting

Direct questions, that is plain, straight shooting

Both Jess, and later, Ken, built up rapport

with frazzled workers, as I saw

I tried to join up my work colleague from Tafe

But she wouldn’t financially commit in order to feel safe

I felt rather sad as it isn’t much money

I thought I don’t suppose you even make donations…to charity

However, luckily, Anne thought of our prize

A reward at the ice-creamery – in my case a waffle cone

     of regular size

I had after-dinner mint, although Robert’s honeycomb looked nice

Ice-cream at the end of the day was our only vice!

I love and admire the organisers, one and all

They make me feel ten feet tall

I now feel inspired to carry out my Delegately tasks

That’s all the organisers ask

My confidence in speaking with strangers has increased

and my disbelief in myself has decreased

The days went quickly, not a drag, as I had thought

We even visited the Midland court!

Blitzing in teams was great

It helped get us past the gate

On the fourth day I spoke the talk with ease

But some workers treated the Union as a disease

Never mind, we were all stars

Though….to some..we might as well be from Mars!