In September, NAPE/AFSCME members Thomas and Sarah Wuestewald, employees at the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems (NPERS), attended our 2024 Contract Negotiations Kickoff Rally. Accompanied by their nephews – who Thomas and Sarah have adopted – the family shared what they’re fighting for during contract negotiations: our future.
Thomas said he has talked to his nephews about the value and power of unions, giving them anecdotal experiences from his early career when he worked for employers who took advantage of their employees.
“I’m not sure that the youngest fully understands what I’m talking about when I say that unions take back the workers’ power, but the other two do and they thought it was cool to see people band together at the rally,” he said.
Thomas and Sarah agreed that standing united with their fellow union members to fight for a better contract is the first step in making Nebraska a place that the next generation can proudly call home.
“I look around at all of my coworkers and there are so few in my agency who are young professionals. The stories about brain drain are true – there’s nothing that incentivizes young people to stay,” Thomas said. “If we don’t offer things like paid parental leave and competitive wages we’re going to continue losing young people and when we lose that workforce, Nebraskans lose the support they need.”
Sarah noted that it’s important for her and Thomas to teach their nephews about the importance of working with their friends or classmates to address issues or solve conflicts – something that she said her oldest nephew seems to really understand.
Thomas and Sarah believe in building a better future through worker solidarity not only for their nephews but for all young Nebraskans. They want Nebraska to remain a great place to live and raise a family.
“In Nebraska, you don’t just live in a house on the street, you live in a neighborhood,” Thomas said. “You band together with your neighbors – the boys can walk to their friends’ houses and we know that the people around us are looking out for them the way that we look out for their kids.”
After the rally, their oldest nephew said that he wants to be a NAPE member someday. Thomas and Sarah know that standing with their fellow union members and continuing to fight for better wages and working conditions will make the State of Nebraska a great place for their nephew and any other young person to land when they enter the workforce.
If you’re not yet a union member, join us today and help us in our fight for a better future!
