UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - On March 22, nearly fifty union members from a dozen local unions in Southwest Pennsylvania gathered at the Pittsburgh Federation of Teachers Hall for a forum entitled, “Strategies for a New Labor Landscape: Strengthening Member Commitment,” hosted by The LABOR School at Penn State, the Allegheny-Fayette CLC, and the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO.
In the forum, participants shared challenges and stories of hope in this new labor landscape. Labor Council president, Darrin Kelly, reflected on the challenges and opportunities across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The increasing challenges against labor will not stop with the 2018 Supreme Court ruling of Janus v. AFSCME, where it was ruled in a 5-4 vote that nonunion workers cannot be forced to pay fees to public sector unions. However, there are clear examples of unions building power and making gains in the current environment ranging from member re-sign up conversations in public sector unions or as evidenced by the strikes from teachers across the country to UE workers in Erie, Pennsylvania.
At the forum, participants shared lessons they learned from their union’s practices around member commitment, heard about strategies from research on new member orientation, and inspired attendees with new ideas on strengthening member commitment and participation.
The next program hosted by The LABOR School and the Allegheny CLC is the Pittsburgh Labor Activist Academy, which begins on May 7. For more information and to register, please visit www.cvent.com/d/b6qs74