Public Employee Press

DC 37 Women’s Committee Conference
Back to basics

A hands-on, how-to, all-day opportunity for trade union women as caregivers, community activists and entrepreneurs

By JANE LaTOUR

A group of activists gathered at union headquarters on Saturday, April 28, to participate in a conference organized by the DC37 Women’s Committee. The planning committee that put the conference together included women from many different locals. The all-day program they designed focused on the many different aspects of women’s lives, from family and parenting concerns to communityaffairs to developing personal skills.

Committee Chair Walthene Primus, who is also president of Housing Authority Clerical Employees Local 957, welcomed the participants. “We’ve tried to touch on many different issues and provide useful information on what women need to know,” she said.

The conference offered participants four workshops. Local 1549 member Susanne Brown chose to attend the roundtable discussion on affordable housing issues. “I’ve been living in a rent-controlled, rent-stabilized building for 44 years,” she said. “Now we are in danger of being kicked out because of all the development that’s going on all around us. I found the workshop enlightening. Henry Garrido was very knowledgeable about all of the legal issues.”

Garrido, DC 37’s assistant associate director, chaired the discussion, along with Noemi Vega, program manager and homeownership counselor for the union’s Municipal Employees Housing Program.

Christine Thompson, a member of Local 957, ­selected the Care Giving and Grandparenting Workshop. “I chose it because I have five grandchildren and I’m a very caring grandmother,” she explained. “But I also learned a lot about programs that are available for homebound seniors. It was very useful to know that all these people are out there looking to help others.”

The other two workshops focused on budget and consumer issues and on developing writing and business skills.

Connie Derr, acting regional director of DC 37’s parent union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, gave the keynote address and shared specifics about a new plan to help women advance into leadership roles in the union. “Your own chair, Walthene Primus, is a member of AFSCME’s National Women’s Advisory Committee, which developed the plan,” she noted.

“Leadership development is one of the most important priorities for women leaders in our union,” said Derr. “About 57 percent of AFSCME members nationwide are female, but we are still underrepresented in the leadership. Training is a crucial role for the national union.”

“The conference provided a lot of information,” said Susanne Brown. “I’ve been an activist for a long time, but sometimes things seem like a Catch-22. All of the materials and resources that were available helped me sort out some of the confusion.”

Before its 2007 AFSCME Leadership Conference in Washington, AFSCME is holding a Women’s Pre-Conference Leadership Institute on June 16 and 17 to offer training on political and legislative action. Brown is planning to attend.

Handouts available for participants included a huge array of materials on credit and budget items, caregiving, foster care, adult day care, memory loss, and business basics. The networking opportunity that was built into the basic program added an extra dimension for all of the busy women in attendance.