Public Employee Press

A presidential videographer

Cuthbert Dickenson, well-known as the president of Quasi-Public Employees Local 374, has taken on a new identity as a do-it-yourself (DIY) videographer.

Dickenson puts his heart into grassroots video production to spread the union gospel. He posts his videos on the local's YouTube channel ("Cuthbert450"), its website (http://www.local374.biz) and its Facebook page, which can be accessed by typing "Local 374" in Google.

"It's a lot of fun, and you never know when you'll find something to shoot," said Dickenson, who hardly ever leaves home without carrying the local's camcorder.

Earlier this year, local leaders decided they could better inform members about union business and encourage them to get more active by using online videos. When the local purchased the camera, Dickenson spent Mother's Day weekend learning Final Cut Pro software for film production.

Obviously he won't be winning an Academy Award soon for his DIY videos, but he's succeeding as a union messenger.

Kathleen Sweeney, a media professor at the New School for Public Engagement, called Dickenson's work an example of how affordable, user-friendly technology gives workers a greater ability to express their views. Ultimately, grassroots journalism is an expression of participatory democracy, she said.

So far, Dickenson has created 14 videos on his home computer. "DC 37 Fight Back Rally" includes interviews with leaders and activists and panoramic shots of the June 14 demonstration at City Hall Park where thousands of members protested budget cuts and government downsizing.

"War on the Workers!" features the Labor Parade in September, which honored 9/11 heroes on the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attack. Others include "Stop the Lies: Wall St. vs. Main Street," and "May Day! Our Day!" a rally for immigrant rights. (Dickenson chairs the DC 37 Citizenship Committee.)

"I guess I'm no longer just a local president," Dickenson said. "I'm also a video artist."

—Gregory N. Heires