On September 27, twelve members from UE Locals 704, 728, 741, 777 and 799 participated in the 2024 Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky subregional educational event. This training took a new format, with member-leaders Janet Gray, business agent of Local 618 and a participant in the recent UE Women’s Leadership Program, and Kevin White, president of Local 728, presenting the majority of the materials and leading roundtable discussions about solving workplace and organizational issues based on their own experiences. Local 728 Financial Secretary Melissa Hamblin said, “It was good sharing information about our new member orientation and labor management meetings with other locals. It was a great learning experience seeing how each local approached the same issues we have.”
Topics included welcoming new members, involving members in the union’s democratic processes at the local, regional, and national levels, and a discussion of current workplace issues. The training was held in conjunction with the Western Region Council for travel convenience and facilitated by Western Region President Bryan Martindale and Field Organizer Heather Hillenbrand. President Martindale said, “Member-run trainings at events are not only possible, but very effective. I hope that our locals will embrace this concept at all levels of the union.”
Several of the participants had not previously attended union events outside their locals but are interested in more collaboration with other locals in the future. Local 799 Recording Secretary Don Shannon said, “My favorite part was the open interaction with other members, sharing stories, and problem solving.”