[Excerpt] This study examines the impact of union tactics on certification election win rates, first contracts and post-contract membership rates in the public sector. Based on an in-depth survey of union organizers in a national sample of public sector certification election campaigns the findings suggest that a grassroots, rank-and-file intensive strategy, building a union and acting like a union from the very beginning of the campaign are critical components of union organizing success. By comparing these findings with Bronfenbrenner's earlier study of private sector union campaigns (1993) we found that not only are these strategies important to the union's ability to win elections and first contracts, but they are equally important to the union's ability to sign up new members, and build a lasting, viable organization, after the election is won and the first contract is signed.