AFL-CIO promotes activism:

Union Summer interns spread the word

Talking up unions was part of the AFL-CIO Union Summer program that brings together hundreds of workers, students and community activists for a four-week labor education internship.

At UUP, members know the value of unions and the value of education. But, in some workplaces without unions, employees do not realize they have a right to unionize, and they are unaware of how a union can bring them representation. Workers often need the support of others to get help taking that next step toward workers’ rights, safety in the workplace or economic justice.

In New York state, one program that received support was focused on the Syracuse area, where United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) District Union Local One used interns to help galvanize supermarket employees toward unionization.

As part of the campaign, the UFCW Women’s Network rallied in June with a march to support women supermarket workers who want a living wage, family health care and retirement benefits.

But, as most unionists know, holding a rally is only part of the picture: There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work in getting the message out. For Union Summer students, the bulk of their work involved the long, slow process of approaching supermarket workers one by one. Bob Stankus, director of organizing for UFCW Local One, spearheaded a group of 13 interns who joined his staff of five.

“It gave us the ability to mobilize and motivate our own membership,” Stankus said. “We had young people connecting with the many young people who work in the supermarket industry. It was a great four weeks.”

Stankus noted that nonunion competition in the supermarket industry has grown at such a rapid rate that the nonunion stores are dictating wage and benefit levels throughout the industry that are not as beneficial to employees.

Campaign workers visited stores to hand out literature and authorization cards to supermarket employees. Fliers informed them about their rights to organize under the National Labor Relations Act.

Supermarket workers were educated about how being in a union means better pay and benefits, representation for grievances, and advocacy.

“When workers join a union, they choose a representative and the dynamics change,” Stankus said.

“Getting workers to sign union authorization cards is important, but it is more important to educate workers about their rights and their voice as an individual,” said Union Summer Syracuse intern Narissa Moore, a Brooklyn resident who attends SUNY Stony Brook.

Kelly Jeun, a SUNY Binghamton Union Summer Syracuse intern from Bayside, said: “Anything is possible with dedication, passion for what you believe in, and patience.”

Part of this particular Union Summer agenda is also to urge people to shop at union grocery stores in a show of solidarity. UUP follows similar principles in using union hotels for its conferences; purchasing vehicles from union car manufacturers; supporting other unions in protests, etc.

Union Summer was launched in 1996 and has graduated close to 2,000 activists. Participants receive a stipend; the sponsoring union usually provides housing. Interns develop skills for organizing drives and other campaigns for workers’ rights and social justice. 2001 Union Summer sites ranged from California to Baltimore to Chicago to Florida and New York.

— Liza Frenette