I don't know if you've read Jane McAlevey's "No Shortcuts," but on the off-chance you haven't I would strongly recommend it. She talks in depth about the exact thing you're talking about with identifying social leaders and using them as leverage. She calls them "organic leaders" and talks a little about identifying them and how they can be used most effectively in organizing.
How is the decoupling of the sick leave from HJ 100 anything other than an incredibly obvious scam? In what universe will 10 Republican senators vote to approve the sick leave bill--in what universe will calling a Republican senator's interns convince them to vote against the interests of capital? What are you talking about? Isn't this obviously a ploy by Dems--isn't it obvious that, since there is no path towards the Senate approving the sick leave bill, any nominally pro-worker representatives in the House should've voted as a bloc to defeat the strike-breaking bill?
Even saying that is against the law. The NLRB can't really punish the company much but, especially if you get proof of that in writing or in a recording, you can report it to the NLRB and at least scare them/humiliate the company by making them deal with an investigation. Potentially they could be forced to send emails/post notices/personally text employees telling them they have the right to discuss wages. If you talk about wages and they fire you for it and you have a paper trail of proof they'll end up having to give you backpay.
I don't know if you've read Jane McAlevey's "No Shortcuts," but on the off-chance you haven't I would strongly recommend it. She talks in depth about the exact thing you're talking about with identifying social leaders and using them as leverage. She calls them "organic leaders" and talks a little about identifying them and how they can be used most effectively in organizing.