Forum Post: Incentive Programs to Promote Hard Work At OWS Sites

A common complaint that is emerging: Camps, especially small ones, who give the exact same rewards to people working full shifts as they do to those who sit around and just take up space, are ending up with serious morale problems and loss of members. We don't want to pay people for involvement, but GAs should be able to work on points, merit badges, scarves, stickers, pins, etc. as rewards for specific actions such as working 15 full shifts on various duties such as food, dishes, security etc.. People can be rewarded for doing specific dirty jobs like taking out garbage by earning raffle tickets to get chances to win original "Occupy" art from volunteers on site or similar prizes. Tickets could also go towards buying things campers need, but can't necessarily be widely distributed, such as aluminum water bottles, paper journals, books, or prepaid phones.

I know there are many involved from an egalitarian/anarchist/socialist background who believe strongly in totally equal compensation regardless of work put forth; but without rewarding extra effort, you're going to exhaust the good will of people who feel like they're not being recognized for the hard work they're doing to help everyone else. Generosity has its human limits, and we're going to have to do some serious Freakonomics-style thinking about how to most fairly and transparently promote hard work within the movement through use of incentive programs. I hope these thoughts help those organizing around the country to keep the Occupy sites running as smoothly as possible. Stay peaceful, keep reading.