Women share stories, skills at first-ever union Leadership Retreat (& photos)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4055

23 May 2009
BRAINERD - More than 140 women from dozens of different unions participated in the University of Minnesota Labor Education Service’s first-ever Union Women's Leadership Retreat April 22-24 in Brainerd.
The focus of the training was “Building Our Labor Movement.” Workshops provided skills on mobilizing members, growing solidarity, working in coalitions and organizing around work/life issues.

An opening panel of women shared their stories of overcoming adversity to become leaders. The panel included Lois Jensen, a former Iron Range Steelworker who fought harassment in the mines; Elva Neubauer, whose experience overcoming oppression in her native Mexico honed her skills to be an advocate for SEIU Health Care Minnesota; and Katie Farber, who helped to spearhead an innovative internal organizing campaign for AFSCME Local 34.

“We’re all glad we went and we learned a lot,” said Geraldine Hughes, a member of AFSCME Local 3801, which represents clerical workers at University of Minnesota-Duluth. “We plan on sharing what we learned with our union sisters with the hopes that they too will some day be able to attend the retreat. We made new friends and have been inspired by their stories.”

FULL story at link. Photos here: http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4054

[ensho]

1. smart thinking - wish them well - Unions are necessary

nt