Week ending February 9, 2024

Welcome to This Week in Labor Education!

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide education, information, and resources to members on labor issues and labor education trainings/workshops offered by the Education and Training Department. If you haven’t subscribed, but would like to receive this publication directly to your inbox, please click here to subscribe.

Upcoming representation and union-building webinars

The Education and Training Department staff continues to provide opportunities for members to gain and enhance their skills through our online trainings. These trainings are open to members in all Regions. Workshop descriptions and registration for all current offerings are available online on our website.

Participants must use their own time or have approved release time to attend trainings if attending during their normal work hours. Grievance Representation Training and Representing Members in Discipline and Interrogation Training are both required for all officers as per the CSEA Constitutions.

Here are our upcoming offerings:

February

• February 13 & 14** – Representing Members in Discipline & Interrogation Workshop– Binghamton (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (607) 338-1130 to register.
• February 20 & 21** – State Government: Representing Members in Discipline & Interrogation – Oneonta (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (315) 433-0050 or (800) 559-7975 to register.
• February 27 & 28** – Contract Negotiations: Team Training – Bath (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (716) 691-6555 or (866) 568-7734 to register.

March

• March 2 – Grievance Representation Workshop – Yonkers (Region 3) – 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Call (845) 831-1000 or (800) 757-CSEA to register.

• March 12 & 13** – Steward Workshop – Plattsburgh (Region 5) 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (518) 314-6000 to register.
• March 13 – Labor/Management Committee Workshop – Binghamton (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (607) 772-1750 to register.
• March 13 & 14** – Public Speaking Workshop – Commack (Region 1) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (631) 462-0030 to register.
• March 14 – Advanced Grievance: Power In Numbers Workshop – Binghamton (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (607) 772-1750 to register.
• March 19 & 20** – Grievance Representation Workshop – Commack (Region 1) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (631) 462-0030 to register.
• March 19 & 20** – State Government Grievance Workshop – Albany (Region 4) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (518) 782-4400 or (800) 874-7344 to register.
• March 20 & 21** – Grievance Representation Workshop – Carmel (Region 3) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (845) 831-1000 or (800) 757-CSEA to register.

April

• April 2 & 3** – Grievance Representation Workshop – White Plains (Region 3) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (845) 831-1000 or (800) 757-CSEA to register.
• April 6 – Contract Negotiations: Maximizing Our Leverage Workshop – Commack (Region 1) – 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Call (631) 462-0030 to register.
• April 8 & 9** – Grievance Representation Workshop – New York (Region 2) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (212) 406-2156 to register.
• April 9 & 10** – Steward Workshop – Gloversville (Region 4) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (518) 782-4400 or (800) 874-7344 to register.
• April 10 & 11** – Steward Workshop – New City (Region 3) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (845) 831-1000 or (800) 757-CSEA to register.
• April 15 – New Member Orientation Workshop – New York (Region 2) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (212) 406-2156 to register.
• April 16 – Private Sector: Representing Members in Discipline & Interrogation Workshop – New York (Region 2) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (212) 406-2156 to register.
• April 16 & 17** – Steward Workshop – Watertown (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (315) 433-0050 or (800) 559-7975 to register.
• April 30 & May 1** – Grievance Representation Workshop – Allegany (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (716) 691-6555 or (866) 568-7734 to register.

May

• May 7 & 8** – Steward Workshop – New York (Region 2) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (212) 406-2156 to register.
• May 8 & 9** – Public Speaking Workshop – Binghamton (Region 5) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (315) 433-0050 or (800) 559-7975 to register.
• May 14 – Inside the Time & Attendance Process Workshop – Amherst (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (716) 691-6555 or (866) 568-7734 to register.
• May 15 – All About Our Union Workshop – Amherst (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (716) 691-6555 or (866) 568-7734 to register.
• May 15 & 16** – Representing Members in Discipline and Interrogation Workshop – Rochester (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (585) 295-8600 to register.
• May 28 & 29** – Representing Members in Discipline and Interrogation Workshop – Amherst (Region 6) – 5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Call (716) 691-6555 or (866) 568-7734 to register.

**Must attend both days

Here are our upcoming online offerings:

February

• February 20 & 21 (Tue & Wed) – Contract Negotiations: Maximizing Our Leverage – 6 pm to 8 pm
• February 24 (Sat) – Private Sector Discipline and Interrogation  – 10 am to 12 pm
• February 26 (Mon) – Representing Members in Discipline and Interrogations Recertification – 6 pm to 8 pm
• February 27 & 28 (Tue & Wed) – Steward – 12 pm to 2 pm
• February 28 (Wed) – Grievance Representative Recertification – 6 pm to 8 pm
• February 29 (Thu) – Conducting Successful Meetings – 6 pm to 8 pm

Activist Word of the Week

Caucus – In contract negotiations, grievance meetings, interrogations, and other meetings between union representatives and management, we have the right to “caucus”: to stop the joint meeting and meet privately just with the member(s). 2) The word “caucus” is also used in the labor movement to refer to organizations of union members committed to supporting certain principles or issues within the democratic structure of the union.

This Week in Labor History

In 1970, after five years of struggle, the United Farm Workers (UFW) signed a union contract with table grape growers in California’s Central Valley. Farm workers, like public sector workers, had no federally protected right to organize, because they were specifically excluded from the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Furthermore, many farm workers depended on their employers for housing, so worker organizers risked both firing and eviction. Nonetheless, in 1965, Filipino grape workers organized and went on strike, and another organization of mostly Latino grape workers voted to join them; the two organizations soon merged to become the UFW. In the ensuing struggle, the farm workers successfully deployed tactics associated with the Civil Rights Movement, including marches, community organizing, and most prominently a massive boycott that brought their local struggle across the country. Their struggle inspired a generation of labor activists and expanded our strategic toolbox to win against the odds.

To learn more:

https://ufw.org/1965-1970-delano-grape-strike-boycott/

https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/the-united-farm-workers-and-the-delano-grape-strike

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/workers-united-the-delano-grape-strike-and-boycott.htm

This Week in Labor Education is published by the Education and Training Department of CSEA, AFSCME, Local 1000, AFL-CIO.

Mary E. Sullivan, President