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From the director
Region 9 Volunteers at the Forefront of Organizing
New Union Members
 Organizing
continues to be a priority within the region. We are very proud that several
of our locals have sent members to classes for training in how to assist
in organizing efforts.
Many locals have currently submitted names of members they would like
to send to the AFL-CIO’s Organizing Institute. These training sessions
are scheduled several times a year at various east coast locations.
The two-and-one-half day sessions include training on how to effectively
talk and share union experiences with unorganized workers, what are our
legal rights to organize, methods to use in house calling non-union workers
at their homes, and lots of role-playing exercises to get trainees more
comfortable with talking union. Members from local unions in New York,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania have attended these sessions.
The regional organizing staff has also conducted abbreviated versions
of the Organizing Institute training, targeted specifically at particular
campaigns within our region. Again, the emphasis of the training has been
on housecalling and building a worker-lead organizing committee within
the workplace that we are attempting to organize.
In the past two years, training sessions have been held for workers at
Local 686 in Lockport, N.Y., where volunteer organizers assisted the campaign
at Sherwood/Harsco. Members of Local 686 from the Perry’s Ice Cream
Unit and Local 55 from Ebenezer Rail Unit also attended organizing meetings
at Sherwood. Members from Local 774 were also trained to assist in this
huge effort that brought 500 new members into the UAW.
Another training session was held in New Jersey for the Palnut campaign.
Members from Locals, 980, 731 and 2327 were trained and participated in
that effort. Additional training took place for members of Local 980 for
the campaign at Johnson Controls in Edison, N.J. Members from Locals 677,
644 and 1612 participated in training for the campaign at Deka Battery
in Lyons, Pa., which took place a few years ago.
We are currently planning more volunteer organizing training in other
parts of the region. Our members have also helped in specific ways such
as leafleting plant gates, attending organizing meetings with non-union
workers, and getting names and phone numbers of workers possibly interested
in organizing where they work. Members of Locals 2177, 1612, 1069 and
8275 helped by leafleting a two-plant facility in Croyen, Pa., in February.
Several locals in the Pennsylvania area helped leaflet and attended meetings
at Bridon America in Hanover and Exeter. Members from several different
units in Local 2327 rolled up their sleeves and helped leaflet and attended
meetings for the T-Fal workers in southern New Jersey.
The work continues with the assistance of our Vice President of Organizing
Bob King with whom we launched two local union pilot organizing programs
in Region 9. Meetings were held at Local 1097 in Rochester, N.Y., with
President Paul Schuh and at Local 595 in Linden, N.J., with President
Tom Schaffer, along with the expanded leadership of both locals.
At both meetings, discussions took place to involve each local in expanding
organizing in their respective geographic areas. As a result, Local 1097
has already added two new units to its membership. Local 595 has gotten
started on their program by sending some volunteers to training. They
are currently searching out organizing leads in the New Jersey area.
As we look toward the future, plans are underway for a Region 9 organizing
conference. Teamwork and coordination between the region, the National
Organizing Department and local unions have already proven to be successful
combinations for increasing organizing activities and adding new members
to our union.
The local union leadership throughout Region 9 is to be congratulated
for their commitment and support of our organizing efforts. The dozens
of active organizing volunteers who have attended training and worked
on our campaigns are the true heroes of the labor movement.
Thank you.
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