Page 11 - Work_Force_February_2019

cseany.org
February 2019 Vol. 22, No. 2
Volunteer Member Organizers build our union strong
See pages 10-11
11
zers build our union strong
national President Lee Saunders get fired up in a group image taken during the recent Volunteer
program here in New York.”
She also shared tactics for growing interest
in her local union like holding lunch and learn workshops, informative trainings, and publishing newsletters.
“It basically gave me another opportunity to network with other activists throughout the country and share different ideas,” Hall said.
Kelly, who works as a school resource officer, said the conference gave him an opportunity not only to network with other volunteer member organizers, but to further develop his skills.
“The skills I learned in our workshops about interpersonal communications went beyond memorizing data and facts and sharing them. I am putting all this information I learned to good use,” he said. “I now feel very comfortable talking to anyone about the importance and value
of union membership, especially with police, corrections and public safety officers.”
Hall, Briscoe and Kelly said they appreciated the opportunity to go out and organize workers.
“You learn by doing; you don’t learn by sitting at tables talking about it,” Hall said. “I thank CSEA for sending me.”
Hall added that it was motivating to see others who are as supportive of unions as she is.
“It doesn’t matter what union you’re from. People are passionate about their union and that’s always a good thing,” Hall said. “They care and they want to make things better for their members and make our unions stronger.”
Briscoe agreed, saying, “If you’re passionate about being in a union; if you believe in the union, you’ve got to get out and spread the word about why it’s important to be a union member.”
When Kelly met with the Nevada state employees, he not only noticed strong differences between public employees in New York and Nevada, but many similarities.
Herkimer County Local President Beth Hall mimics the Rosie the Riveter pose. (Photo by Mark M. Kotzin)
“We are spoiled here in New York State when it comes to unionization,” Kelly said. “Many workers in other states are struggling with attempts to just be recognized in the workplace. When we went door-to-door to talk about the value of belonging to a union, almost everyone we met understood this completely. They just wanted to be represented by a union and we helped them get one step closer.”
— Mark M. Kotzin and Ove Overmyer
On the cover, Leslie Briscoe reviews
some of the materials he received at the AFSCME Volunteer Member Organizer Rise Up conference that he recently attended. (Photo by Mark M. Kotzin)
February 2019
The Work Force
Photo by Mark M. Kotzin