The UE General Executive Board’s meeting in January was the first one to be led by UE’s two new national officers — General President Scott Slawson and Director of Organization Kimberly Lawson, who took office on November 1 — along with Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Dinkelaker, who has served in that office since 2011. It was also the first GEB meeting for two new officers of the Eastern Region, Vice President Sophie Nighswander and Financial Secretary Mike Giles, both of whom were elected last fall to fill vacancies.
In her organizing report, Lawson covered the recent first-contract settlement won by UE Local 1010-New Seasons Labor Union at a set of ten grocery stores in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area. The local is looking to build on its first-contract success by organizing more stores in the chain. The 1,100 post-doctoral workers at Northwestern University who won an NLRB election in August are preparing for first-contract negotiations, and were chartered by the GEB as UE Local 1151. Lawson also reported on several large organizing campaigns in the works, in both higher education and among rail-crew drivers.
Following her report, Lawson received a round of applause. “Heck of a job,” said Bud Decker, Local 329. “We’re lucky to have you.”
Secretary-Treasurer Dinkelaker gave the financial report, noting that the union’s finances are healthy and the strike and defense fund is growing. The National Union is also rolling out a system that will allow locals to make per capita payments online; five locals have successfully begun using the online portal to pay their per capita.
Board Denounces “Militarized Immigration Enforcement”
The board also reviewed the union’s political action, international solidarity and education work. Board members discussed and approved a statement about the Trump administration’s militarization of immigration enforcement and suppression of dissent, and made a $10,000 donation to Labor for Democracy. Dinkelaker said that Labor for Democracy, a coalition of unions representing over seven million workers, has been “instrumental in taking on the attacks of this administration” and called the donation “a very important investment that we make as an organization.” President Slawson announced that retired General President Carl Rosen has agreed to continue working with UE, on a volunteer basis, as the union's Political Solidarity Liaison. The board also held a general discussion of the current political climate, the upcoming midterm elections, member apathy, mutual aid, and worker power.
Mark Meinster, who stepped down from his role as Director of Organization last fall, is staying on with the union as a staff coordinator and Director of Strategic Programs. As part of that role, he will lead the union’s international solidarity work. Slawson emphasized the importance of international solidarity, saying, “If corporations can be global then so should unions.”
The board also discussed establishing an education committee of UE rank-and-file leaders to produce education programs, trainings, and materials, and evaluate education needs. The committee will be “a way for someone to participate in the life of the union without a large commitment,” said Lawson, and asked board members to identify members of their locals “for whom this would be a good first step.”
“Solidarity-Building” Session Tackles Harassment in the Union
Following the conclusion of the board meeting, GEB members joined the national office staff for a “solidarity building” session with Ana Avendano, author of Solidarity Betrayed: How Unions Enable Sexual Harassment — and How They Can Do Better. The goal of the session was to learn how to identify, prevent, and respond to discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex and other prohibited characteristics.
Avendano started the session with the preamble to UE’s constitution, which describes UE as an organization that unites all workers, “regardless of craft, age, sex, nationality, race, creed or beliefs.” Participants in the interactive training practiced distinguishing between intent and impact, identifying types of inappropriate behavior, expressing their feelings in response to inappropriate behavior, and apologizing when they have hurt someone.
Avendano told the group that, although there are laws against sexual harassment, and that it is important to study them, they are not enough, especially since about 75 percent of harassment goes unreported. Instead, union members must create their own community systems of accountability, and work actively to maintain them.
According to President Slawson, the session “was a good first step towards building solidarity within our ranks.”