Public Employee Press

Local 375 delegates sharpen skills

More than 125 Local 375 delegates dedicated several evenings this summer to beefing up their skills for defending co-workers. “On the part of our delegates, there’s a real thirst for knowledge that can give them more power to help their fellow workers,” said Claude Fort, president of Civil Service Guild Local 375.

Each of the delegates, as the local calls its shop stewards, attended three two- to three-hour sessions. The seminars focused on topics including U.S. labor history and labor law, the growth of DC 37, workplace rights, collective bargaining, and identifying, investigating and handling grievances.

Participants explored in depth the state’s Taylor Law, which grants collective bargaining rights to public employees but prohibits them from striking, and the concept of duty of fair representation, the legal obligation of unions to defend workers who face disciplinary charges.

Industrial Hygienist Sam Nebedum, the vice president of the local’s Dept. of Environmental Protection Chapter 32, said he was happy to gain a deeper understanding of the rights and duties of union representatives. “The training helped clarify what’s right and wrong when you are representing a member,” Nebedum said.

Time to organize
City Planner Noah Kaufman serves as the public relations officer of his chapter at the Dept. of Design and Construction. He said he was particularly pleased that Local 375 has established its own organizing committee and is pushing grassroots training at a time when organizing is a top priority of the labor movement.

“The training was a good opportunity to hear from delegates from other agencies,” Kaufman said. “I gained insight through the experiences of other delegates. I came away with a feeling of renewed energy and desire to keep working for better working conditions for all employees.”

Led by Assistant Director Larry Kelly of the DC 37 Education Dept., the sessions sparked lively and sometimes controversial discussions.

Local 375 1st Vice President Jon Forster attended several sessions along with Fort to help facilitate discussions and respond to questions about the local’s policies and practices. “The union is only as strong as its advocates in the workplace,” Forster said.

“Training our delegates is part of a long-term process of bringing a sense of internal organization to our union. Our delegates play a crucial role in improving the credibility of the union and inspiring more members to become active,” Forster said.

— Gregory N. Heires