Forty NAPE/AFSCME members attended our summer union leadership training weekend in Lincoln in late June. First time attendees took our initial union steward training course and have become certified union stewards, ready to help their colleagues at work. Returning stewards sharpened their skills like identifying grievances, representing members in investigatory meetings, and presenting new employee orientation sessions.
Joel Martin, a Supply Technician at the Central Nebraska Veterans’ Home in Kearney, traveled to Lincoln to become a union steward. “I decided to become a steward to help out my friend who is already a union steward,” said Joel. “There are so many people that I work with that I care about, and I just have a desire to make sure they have a strong voice at work.”
Returning stewards worked on their skills to better represent members when needed and to help grow our union. “I always enjoy coming to leadership training,” said Michele Anderson, a DHHS Resource Developer from Hastings. “These sessions re-energize me, I learn something new every time, and I meet new people.”
Getting to know fellow members and building strength and solidarity is an important part of each leadership training weekend. NDOT Senior Highway Maintenance Worker Harvey Schaefer from Neligh said that the training helped him have the skills to give workers a strong voice on the job. “When we all unite together, we give the working class a stronger voice and we help improve our American way of life,” said Harvey.
There are two more opportunities for union members to take leadership training in 2025. Our September 13-14 training will take place in Scottsbluff, and our November 14-15 training will take place in Omaha. To sign up for either class, please click here. Space is limited, so sign up early.
