Public Employee Press

Local activists study at leadership academy

Activists from Locals 154 and 1407 recently participated in three days of a leadership development workshop presented by DC 37's Professional Division and its parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

AFSCME's Local Union Leadership Academy presented the workshops during the weekend of Oct. 14-16 to help the 30 local leaders become more effective.

"It was very intense," said Local 154 President Juan Fernandez, describing the sessions. "We did things like role playing to help give us a better understanding of the member's point of view and how to communicate better with them."

AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee and Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders kicked off the weekend with an encouraging message for the participants delivered via video from Washington, D.C.

Yolanda Medina de Jesus of AFSCME's Education Dept. led the weekend workshops along with a team of DC 37 staff led by Professional Division Director Nola Brooker and including Assistant Director Maynard Anderson and union Reps Stephanie Miller, Marianela Santana, Sharon Steadman and Cynthia Keyes-Padilla.

The workshops covered topics such as how to increase membership participation in the union, improving communication with the membership, developing goals for the local and promoting public service jobs through legislative action. The local leaders also reviewed Robert's Rules of Order to help them run more effective meetings.

"Those who attended these excellent workshops from our local learned a lot that they will put to use advancing the interests of our membership," said Local 1407 President and DC 37 Treasurer Maf Misbah Uddin.

Executive Director Lillian Roberts, the keynote speaker at the conference's Friday night dinner, congratulated the participants for their commitment to building their locals.

"In difficult times like these, good leaders are more important than ever," she said, "so what you learn this weekend will be invaluable."