Three dozen union members gathered in Lincoln for our first NAPE/AFSCME leadership training weekend of the year. Fifteen brand new leaders participated in initial steward training, while returning leaders sharpened their skills as stewards and union leaders.
A union steward is a worksite leader who is trained on our contract, rights, and the law to help lead, communicate, represent, and organize their coworkers at their work location. Initial steward takes about ten clock hours, and our new stewards completed their initial training over the course of our leadership weekend.
Jason Baker, a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor with the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired is excited to be serving as a steward, especially after recently being elected to our Board of Directors. “There is so much the union does and is involved with that it’s hard to understand until you go through the training,” Jason said. “I highly recommend it!”
New stewards learned about our rights under our contract, how to represent members in predisciplinary meetings and grievances, and how to help organize their coworkers to have a stronger voice on the job. Meanwhile, returning leaders participated in training sessions to practice their grievance identification skills, how to deal with difficult supervisors, and plan the future growth of our union.
“It’s always good to brush up on our skills, and awesome to always continue learning,” said Daniel Buchanan, a DHHS Waiver Services Specialist from Beatrice. In addition to learning and training, members in attendance continued to build our union community. “Community in the workplace can be hard to find, and this is a great way to connect with others who have shared experiences,” said E. Nore, an Administrative Specialist at the Department of Education.
Our union will hold three more training weekends this year including June 27-28 in Lincoln, September 13-14 in Scottsbluff, and November 14-15 in Omaha. NAPE will cover the cost of training, meals, and hotel for those in attendance. Members can sign up for future training by clicking here. “This is an informative and empowering training,” said La’Trisha Turner, an Office Specialist at the Lincoln Regional Center. “I encourage everyone to take this training!”
