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Organizing for Power (O4P), which has trained more than 35,000 people in 1,400+ organizations coming from over 110 countries since 2019 – recently concluded a week-long intensive training for Public Services International (PSI), a global union federation representing 30 million public services workers in 700 unions across 154 countries.

Over four days of intensive sessions, O4P gave a special version of its Core Fundamentals training, instructing PSI staff on organizing methods including leader identification, semantics, structured organizing conversations, charting, and structure tests – and how to best incorporate these methods into the particular nature of their work as a global union federation. The training was prepared by O4P lead trainer Jane McAlevey and program coordinator Ethan Earle – in close coordination with PSI’s newly elected General Secretary Daniel Bertossa – and was led by McAlevey and other senior O4P trainers, alongside brand-new trainers from PSI’s staff.

All 45 members of PSI staff from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East were present (the timing making it impossible for Asia-based staff). This means that everybody – from the General Secretary, to regional and thematic program officers, to administrative staff and secretaries – came together, not just to teach new skills but to help PSI build a shared language and culture, an organizing ethos to pervade all of their varied work supporting public service unions across the globe.

As responsible for a PSI sub region, the training is directly connected to my work. I feel enlightened.

Najwa Hanna, sub regional secretary for Arab Countries, PSI