Public Employee Press

Women on the move
Leadership Cafe

By JANE LaTOUR

The DC 37 Women's Committee modeled its Nov. 13 Leadership Café after a similar program at the July 2010 Boston convention of DC 37's national union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Yvonne Syphax, AFSCME's assistant director for women's leadership, led the dynamic dialogue as a full house of activists gathered at tables at union headquarters for the half-day Saturday event. Small-group discussions focused on the road to leadership and ways to increase women's participation in union activities. Participants examined how they came to see themselves as leaders and ways to bring other women along the same route.

Committee Chair Walthene Primus, president of Housing Authority Local 957, got the discussion going by describing her own path to leadership. Curious about the dues coming out of her paycheck and dissatisfied with the answer she got her from her shop steward, Primus went to her first union meeting. "I've been going ever since," she said. "You each have your own story and we'd like to hear it. We believe the people here can work together, learn and be creative."

A series of questions and a format that rotated women from table to table stimulated the exchange of views and networking. Group discussions centered on determining the best ways to climb the leadership ladder. The focus was on learning that your opinions matter, improving written and technical skills, setting an agenda, leading projects, and staying connected to the cause without getting burned out.

Local 957 member Shelly-Ann Wilkinson led a small-group discussion on how people begin to get involved. She summed up the group's consensus: "The common road is a search for knowledge and an attempt to strengthen their union."

"I've been a dedicated activist for 22 years," said Local 1549's Samantha Benton, a Senior Police Administrative Aide at the 7th Precinct. "I learned about union struggles from those who came before me." Mentoring others was high on her list of best practices.

Edwina De Loach of Finance Administrative Employees and City Investigators Local 1113, grew up attending union meetings with her father, a public-sector union shop steward. She became a DC 37 delegate for her local six years ago. "I love it," she said.