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Overview

Broadstripes was built primarily to help labor organizers find and use information effectively during campaigns. One of its key strengths is the collection of built-in tools within Broadstripes that are designed specifically to collect and organize information relevant to labor organizing. These organizing tools are designed to address workers’ personal opinions, leadership in social groups, and employment information that organizers need to run effective campaigns.

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Key built-in tools

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Built-in data fields

You can easily populate your project with workers’ addresses, departments, and more in just a few minutes using built-in fields. These fields are pre-configured to capture the most common types of information needed for organizing campaigns. For a complete list of built-in data fields and their explanations, see the built-in data article.

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Assessment codes

Assessment codes are one of the most important tools for tracking worker support during organizing campaigns. How assessment codes work:
  • You can code a worker using a scale of 1 to 5
  • Typically, 1 means “on board” and 5 means “most hostile”
  • The scale allows you to track varying levels of support or opposition
Common uses for assessment codes:
  • Count who will sign a union card
  • Track potential votes in a union election
  • Count petition signatures
  • Keep track of potential votes in political elections
  • Turn out workers to meetings or rallies
Assessment codes provide organizers with a quick, standardized way to evaluate and track worker sentiment throughout a campaign.

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Leadership roles

The leadership roles tool helps you identify and organize the social structure within your workplace or community. How leadership roles work:
  • You name leaders in your shop or workplace
  • You can then assign them people to lead
  • This creates a hierarchical structure that reflects real workplace relationships
Benefits of leadership roles:
  • Track natural workplace leaders and influencers
  • Organize workers into leadership structures
  • Plan targeted outreach through identified leaders
  • Build organizing committees based on actual workplace dynamics

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Why use built-in tools?

These built-in tools offer several advantages over custom solutions:
  • Proven in practice: These tools have been developed based on real organizing campaign needs
  • Ready to use: No setup required - you can start using them immediately
  • Standardized: Consistent approach across different campaigns and organizations
  • Integrated: Work seamlessly with other Broadstripes features like reporting and mapping

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Getting started with built-in tools

To start using these built-in tools effectively:
  1. Assess your campaign needs: Determine which types of information are most critical for your specific organizing goals
  2. Set up assessment scales: Define what each assessment code (1-5) means for your campaign
  3. Identify leaders: Begin mapping out leadership structures in your workplace or community
  4. Train your team: Ensure all organizers understand how to use these tools consistently
These built-in tools provide the foundation for effective data collection and analysis in your organizing campaigns, helping you make informed strategic decisions based on solid information.