Meet our newest NAPE/AFSCME staff members Billy Stock and Luke McDermott! Billy joins our field team as our newest Field Representative and Luke is coming on board as an intern.
Billy, an Omaha native, worked in political advocacy for eight years before joining our staff.
“I saw the impact that being involved in the labor movement can have on people’s everyday lives,” he said. “I’m excited to be a part of that.”
Billy is most looking forward to interacting with our members across the state and helping them with their workplace concerns.
“I’d imagine that when people are reaching out it’s likely because they’re going through something and they need help,” he said. “Being able to help guide them through these situations is something I’m really looking forward to learning how to do.”
Billy understands our union’s mission and is eager to hit the ground running as we gear up for contract negotiations this fall.
“I’m excited to go out and organize,” he said. “Building our base and strengthening our position so we can negotiate the best possible contract is always the goal and I’m ready to get out there and be a part of that.”
Luke, a junior political science, economics, and history triple major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, comes from a labor family and has always had a passion for the labor movement. He applied to be a NAPE/AFSCME intern because he feels the knowledge and experience he can gain as a member of our staff will set him up for success in the future. He plans to go to law school to become a labor attorney after he graduates.
“I have a lot of academic and policy experience with labor but I’ve never done any organizing work,” Luke said. “I want to do that type of work, work that’s a little bit closer to the employees themselves.”
Luke is most looking forward to getting to know our members and he’s especially excited about joining our staff right as we kick off negotiations for our 2025-2027 state employee union contract.
“I’m interested in learning about the unique concerns of public employees and how those concerns diverge from those of trade unions,” he said. “Public service is a unique environment, so I want to learn more about what these employees care about.”
In his free time, Luke is a prolific baker – most often returning to his favorite banana-bread-in-a-cup recipe. He’s also an active member of student government.
Billy and Luke are both excited to help grow and strengthen our union. If you see them at a meeting or worksite, make sure to give a warm welcome to the newest members of our field team!
