Page 10 - Work Force June 2017

CSEA women make our mission SUNY Potsdam Local member Heather O’Hara stands strong Building our union
The conference’s keynote program ‘Mission Possible ’ ’ focused on on on our our ongoing efforts to to engage members to to build and strengthen our our unions Johanna Hester special assistant to to the executive director UDW AFSCME Local 3930 in California that represents home care workers gave a a a a a a a a powerful address about how her union
survived in in the the midst of the the U S S Supreme Court’s Harris v v v Quinn decision that struck down closed shops for home care workers SARATOGA SPRINGS — When CSEA women set out to get something done anything is possible
At the recent CSEA Statewide Women’s Conference hundreds of our members were were inspired and empowered to meet challenges facing our union
They also took home knowledge and skills to to to help us succeed in in in moving our union
forward during tough times “Women’s rights rights and and workers’ rights rights are still under attack and and and there is so much work work that needs to be done ” CSEA Acting President and and and Standing Women’s Committee Officer Liaison Mary E Sullivan said “Women make our our union
strong We need all of our our members to to be be well informed and and and and engaged to to stand up and and and and protect what so many union
sisters and and and and and brothers have fought and even died for ” Local 3930 lost about 20 20 percent of its members after the the 2014 ruling but Hester said her union
was prepared for the the challenge and immediately worked to to engage members in conversations to to to keep them connected
to to the the union
which has a a a a a a a membership of predominantly women The local also reached out to the the many immigrant communities that comprise much of the the union’s membership “As women we we we are amazing powerful and we we we get the job done ” said Hester also an an AFSCME International Vice President “We must acknowledge these fights if all workers are to to unite [Our opponents] try to to divide and conquer us us but we must remove all barriers ” Hester said the the local also prepared by having their their organizational infrastructure in in in in in in place including upgrading their their their technology updating their their databases and having authorization cards ready to to go The local also created an an employee organizing program to to bring back members “You should [also upgrade technology] now ” ” she urged attendees “It’s your greatest protection ” ” Despite the challenges Hester said that we can be be successful with preparation hard work and and an an an an engaged membership “We have to stand up ” ” she said “This mission is is possible
” Members engaging members Many of the conference’s breakout sessions sessions including sessions sessions on on on on on on political action communication safety and and health and and organizing also focused on on on on strengthening our union
“It is our our obligation to leave here and teach our our members what’s at at at at stake ” Sullivan said Members also received information about why we should vote ‘no’ on on on on on on on a a a a a a Constitutional Convention this November along with Finger Evelynn “CSEA women never quit ” Women’s Committee Chair Karen Pecora
said “We need all of our members involved in in in strengthening our our union
so our our our conference really focused on on the the skills our our members need to face the the challenges before us ” Pecora
: MISSION
STRENGTHENING OUR UNION
Maybe more rosies here if we have them 10 The Work Force
June 2017
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