NTEU Public Service Campaign Wins Honorable Mention in National Competition

12/09/2008

12/9/08: The ongoing efforts of NTEU to increase awareness about the important contributions federal workers make to our nation were recognized December 4 by PR News, which awarded the union with an honorable mention in its 2008 Nonprofit PR Awards competition for NTEU’s “Federal Employees…They Work For U.S.,” national public service campaign. Click the eagle to see the public service announcement.

Launched in July, the union’s first-ever public service campaign utilizes media relations, grassroots efforts and television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) that feature actual federal employees talking about the work that they do to defend our homeland, protect our borders, ensure the safety of our natural resources, health, food supply, financial systems and more.

NTEU national President Colleen Kelley said many Americans are not aware of the vital contributions federal employees make to nearly every aspect of our lives. “We want hard-working and dedicated federal employees to know that someone is telling their side of the story,” Kelley said. “Americans should be proud of the caliber of the people in this country who are called to public service.”

The NTEU leader said she looks forward to working with the new administration on improving the image of public service. In media interviews, President-elect Barack Obama has said he wants to make public service “cool” again. “We already know it’s cool. We want the rest of the country to think so, too,” said President Kelley.

In addition to public service announcements, NTEU launched a complementary campaign web site, www.TheyWorkforUS.org, where people can go to learn more about the campaign. The union also initiated a grassroots push involving its nearly 250 local chapters nationwide. Each NTEU chapter received a public service campaign kit with tips on how to implement the campaign locally with brochures, speeches, sample letters to the editor, print ads and other suggested activities.

“This campaign has helped combat the negativism about federal workers that is often prevalent, especially during election seasons,” Kelley said. “We make sure to send this PSA to politicians, media figures and agency leaders who make negative statements about federal workers in the press.”

PSAs are unpaid advertisements that educate and raise awareness about an issue among TV viewers and radio listeners. NTEU’s television and radio PSAs were made available to over 600 television stations and 500 radio stations nationwide. More than 60 radio stations—both on the AM and FM radio dial—and eight television stations are currently airing the PSA. To date, the campaign has garnered more than 70 million viewer impressions and over $1 million in airtime.

And, NTEU’s www.TheyWorkforUS.org web site has had tens of thousands of visits since the campaign was launched, including more than 2,500 site visits on July 23, the day the campaign was announced.

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