Please see officers report above
Message of the Day—Keep American Values Strong
What are the benefits of Labor Unions?
It simply amazes me, how someone can reap the benefits based on the labor of someone else and really believe its’ okay. Labor Unions’ efforts have standardized many workforce regulations, including the 40 hour workweek, overtime pay, paid leave, unemployment benefits and health insurance. These are benefits we, as Postal Employees, enjoy as a result of negotia-tions between the USPS and APWU. Union workers receive wages nearly 20 percent higher than non-union. more By Jennifer Fulbright 
What is COPA you ask? APWU COPA;
the union's Committee on Political Action, was created to raise voluntary political campaign contributions from our Union's active and retired members, as well as members of the APWU Auxiliary to support the campaigns of candidates for public office who share our values and goals. We as members may not support the same political parties, but as working men and women, it is imperative we all support those who support us; otherwise we will become part of the "forgotten class" rather then the ''middle class." APWU SUPPORTS WORKER' RIGHTS AGAINST UNION BUSTING
There is strength in numbers, and as workers, united we stand. The Dallas Area Local APWU is a “Solidarity” union. That means we step up and support our union family when they’re striking, protesting and reaching to win better contracts, fighting for better pay, healthy and safe workplaces, or taking action to ensure workers can enjoy a dignified and honored retirement. When workers stand up and fight together, our movement grows stronger. And, in this time of heightened labor militancy, Dallas Area Local APWU members are answering the call with a resounding support of AGMA (American Guild of Musical Artists). AGMA is disturbed by the actions taken by management officials of Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT). As recently reported, nine former Dallas Black Dance Theatre main-company members are seeking reinstatement after the company fired them in an apparent attempt at union busting as illustrated in the news link below: https://www.dancemagazine.com/dallas-black-dance-theatre-agma/ As illustrated pictorially, United we stand. The struggle continues. 2024 JCIM TRAINING
APWU hard at work during the 2024 JCIM Training at NTXPDC Coppell TX. The JCIM training was joint collaboration between the Union and Postal Service. The Dallas Area local was well represented during the two-day event. 
Communicating with You, the Member - A Podcast with APWU President Mark Dimondstein
Join President Dimondstein for an interview with young members of the APWU as they talk about their experience in the union and their vision for the future. We'll also discuss solidarity actions members are taking to show support for striking workers and a brief update on USPS Network Modernization. Listen now! You can find our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Youtube, or wherever you listen to podcasts regularly. Make sure you “subscribe” to the podcast on your favorite podcasting app! And while you’re there, leave us a comment and let us know what you think! 
Dear Members,
We hope this email finds you well and that you are having a fantastic Labor Day weekend celebrating the spirit of the labor movement! As a union, our strength lies in our unity and the collective efforts of our members. We believe that every moment spent together, advocating for workers' rights and standing up for a fair and just workplace, is a step towards a better future. That's why we're reaching out to you today. Share Your Experience: Did you - or are you planning to - take part in any Labor Day events, workshops, or activities? Whether it's a snapshot of you in a parade, a photo of you with fellow members in APWU gear, or a video highlighting your union pride, your contributions can inspire others and showcase the power of our labor community. How to Share: Sharing your photos and videos is easy! Simply reply to: [email protected] with your media attachments. We can't wait to see the memories you've captured! In solidarity, The American Postal Workers Union SEPTEMBER 1, 2023
Sixty Years On, Dallas Area Local APWU Postal March on Washington!! On August 26, APWU members and officers from across the country participated in the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington in the Nation’s Capital with thousands of labor rights and civil rights activists and organizations. The event, billed “not a commemoration, but a continuation," was held in remembrance of the 250,000 people who, on Aug. 28, 1963, gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC to hear Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his famous “I Have a Dream” speech at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, which advocated for the civil and economic rights of African Americans. Many of the guest speakers for Saturday’s event highlighted many of the same issues that still plague or society today, such as civil rights abuses, racism, poverty, and the rollback of voting rights protections. "We are here to liberate the soul of the nation, the soul of democracy from those forces who would have us all go backwards and perish rather than go forward as sisters and brothers," said Arndrea Waters King, the daughter-in-law of Martin Luther King, Jr., who was one of several relatives who spoke at the event, including Martin Luther King, III. The program consisted of a diverse group high-profile speakers from the media and entertainment, as well as community and faith-based organizations, who called for an end to racism, antisemitism, sexism, poverty, and gun-violence, and called for labor and civil rights, including voting rights. “I had the pleasure of organizing the APWU’s participation at the March on Washington anniversary,” said Human Relations Director Daleo Freeman. “The Human Relations Department is tasked with various matters that preserve and promote social and economic justice. The march, and the reason for it, coincides with those objectives. The march gave us an opportunity to re-center and engage the movement following a disastrous term on the Supreme Court and the continued erosion of our rights by legislators and courts across the country. The APWU affirms the need to act on these threats to our common good. We stand in unity with the AFL-CIO, the civil rights movement, and the labor movement in supporting the march. I’d like to thank our APWU family that attended and joined with us at the march to continue the fight for our rights.” Also Civil Rights Activist Annie Pearl Avery was encountered by our local president Jonathan Cage during the march. Sixty years ago, Ms. Avery was at the inauguration march. She is the esteemed lady with the mobility walker in the images herewith. click Image to enlarge 
November 28, 2022
INSTALLATION OF NATIONAL OFFICERS WITH OUR OWN YARED WONDE INSTALLED AS SOUTHERN REGIONAL COORDINATOR The Dallas Area Local is proud to acknowledge the transition of our Yared Wonde, who served effectively for 18 years from 2004 to 2022 in capacity of Vice-President and President. Mr. Wonde is now installed as APWU Southern Regional Coordinator. The Dallas Areas Local Executive Board was present at the installation event. click Image to enlarge 
Loyal Employees are your Most Valuable Asset! By: Brigette Hyacinth, Author: The Future of Leadership: Rise of Automation, Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Keynote Speaker An employee's relationship with their manager sets the tone for their level of commitment to the organization's success. Gallup research shows that a mind-boggling 70% of an employee’s motivation is influenced by his or her manager. It’s no wonder employees don’t leave companies; they leave managers. Disengaged employees can cost companies millions of dollars from lost productivity, damages from employee negligence and negative publicity due to poor customer service. Organizations know how important it is to have motivated, engaged employees, but most fail to hold managers accountable for making it happen. 7 Things a Manager can do to Improve Employee Morale: 1.Connect with staff- As a leader you should be seen. Make your presence felt.Don’t just lock yourself in your office whole day and only communicate with staff when you want something done. Get to know your employees. Find out about their interests. 2. Show employees that you genuinely care. If an employee is dealing with an issue whether personally or professionally, show Empathy. Advocate for your team. Stand up for them. Don’t throw your people under the bus when things go wrong. 3. Practice Open and Honest two-way Communication. Keep employees informed. Don’t let them have to be hear of upcoming changes through the grapevine. Listening to employees - Have an atmosphere where employees ideas and suggestions are valued. Don’t have surveys and suggestion boxes then when feedback is given, you simply ignore it. 4. Be fair and neutral. Treat everyone fairly. Don’t pick favorites. Lead by example. Be known as a person of integrity. 5. Empower Employees. Provide them with the proper tools, then give them room to get the job done. Don’t micromanage! 6. Reward and Recognition- Offer incentives. Show employees how much you value and appreciate them. Always reward staff for good work, and not only top performers include those who are improving or doing their best. Be generous with "Thank Yous." 7. Recommend employees for training and new opportunities. Staff members can interpret an employer’s unwillingness to invest in training as a disregard for their professional development. Acknowledge and encourage strengths, recognize the different skills they possess and recommend training and development opportunities. If you believe, that employees are your most valuable asset, you will create a healthy work atmosphere and provide them with the tools and support to do their jobs effectively. It's important that managers focus on relationship building and encourage a family atmosphere at work. Get to know your employees, meet them where they are and be flexible. Many organizations treat their employees as if they are a commodity. They use them until they can get no more out of them, and then cast them aside. This leads to poor morale, lower productivity, and higher turnover. Loyal employees are your most valuable asset. Don't take them for granted or treat them poorly. They use your internal tools and systems and interact with customers. They are your best brand ambassadors. Loyalty is a two-way street. You can't buy loyalty, but you can certainly foster and nurture it. Employees who have been pushed to the point where they no longer care, will not go the extra mile.They will not take the initiative to solve problems. They will end up treating customers the same way you treat them. Employees are the heart beat of the company. And if the heart stops beating...What will happen?
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National Arbitration Award--Discharges for "unfavorable" NACI background Checks
(The National Agency Check with Inquiries (NACI) is a basic background investigation primarily for federal employees who will not have access to classified information. This investigation is appropriate for positions designated as public trust positions that require responsible and trustworthy employees, but with no national security impact. An SF-85 is completed for the NACI.) Union Family, On June 30, 2025, Arbitrator Margo Newman issued the award unfavorable NACI background check discharges. Arbitrator Newman issued a decisive win to the APWU and the other intervening unions. In show of solidarity between the NALC, the NPMHU, and the NRLCA, the four unions took a united position that employees who were discharged from the Postal Service due to unfavorable NACI background check after the employee’s probationary period or 90/120 day requirement (non-career) was completed were entitled to have their case adjudicated in the grievance arbitration process and that such a discharge must be for just cause. The APWU was the lead union on the case where I was the case officer for the dispute. Arbitrator Newman held that “(1) A grievance protesting the separation/removal of a non-probationary employee based upon an unfavorable NACI [background check] report is substantively arbitrable under Article 15, and that (2) in such arbitration, the Postal Service must prove that it had just cause for the separation/removal under the principles of Article 16.” I am proud of this award and how it reinforces non-probationary employees’ rights to the grievance arbitration process and just cause. I want to thank all those who helped develop this case at the regional and national level and our witnesses from the field that contributed to make this a strong case. In accordance with the National Agreement, any regional cases held behind this national dispute should be remanded and can proceed to arbitration on the merits of whether the Postal Service had just cause to remove a non-probationary employee because of the findings in their NACI background check. The Postal Service has told the APWU that it will not process the regional cases at this time while its legal department analyzes the decision. The APWU will continue to press the Postal Service to process the cases held in abeyance and the Industrial Relations Department will update the field as the matter develops. It will also be posted on https://apwu.org Thank-you, Industrial Relations Director American Postal Workers Union, AFL-CIO 
March 20 National Day of Action - Dallas Area Local Rally Event U.S Mail is Not For Sale! The membership came out to support the nationwide rally with the local rally taking place at Dallas Main Post Office. The entire postal system is facing an existential threat with the current White House administration in its attempt to cancel the Postal Service as we know it to be. Since 1775, the revered Postal Service began its mission to provide universal mail service to every legal and viable address, and this mission continues today, with the Dallas Area APWU membership inclusive. Local media coverage of the rally: NBC 5 DFW, FOX 4 DFW, Univision 23, and a host of others. With a resounding solidarity of support at the rally, we had the following auxiliary labor organizations were present: Texas Reliance for Retired Americans; Lou Luckhardt of AFL-CIO; United Steel Workers; Communication Workers of America and United Auto Workers. Special thanks from the Executive Board to the aforementioned labor organizations that came to support our Dallas Area Local APWU! The Struggle Continues!! Click tab below for pictures from the event: Take Action Now to Defend Our Public Postal Service!
The law is clear: the Postal Service belongs to the people. Stand with us and fight back against illegal attacks to harm our public postal service! Call your Senators by dialing (844) 402-1001 and email your Legislators by CLICKING HERE and tell them to stop the illegal takeover of the public Postal Service! Find more ways you can help at apwu.org/action Our Collective Bargaining Rights Are Under Attack
Last week, the Administration fired two key officials from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) - General Counsel Jennifer Abruzzo and Board Member Gwynne Wilcox. Now, the NLRB, which is supposed to have five members, is down to just two. What Does the NLRB Do? The NLRB is the federal agency that protects workers’ rights. It makes sure employers follow the law when workers organize, bargain for better wages, are locked out by renegade employers or go on strike. The Board also oversees union elections and steps in when companies break labor laws. Why Does This Matter? With only two members, the NLRB can’t make key decisions or enforce labor laws. That means:
Has This Ever Happened Before? No. The law says the President can only remove an NLRB Board member for serious misconduct—like neglecting their job or breaking the rules. No President has ever fired a Board member like this before, and we don’t believe there was a valid reason to remove Wilcox. What Can We Do? Demand a Fully Functioning NLRB. The labor movement is fighting back. We need President Trump to reinstate Gwynne Wilcox and restore the NLRB’s ability to protect workers' rights. Email your Senators now and urge them to sign this letter demanding Wilcox’s reinstatement. Click HERE to send your email! Workers deserve a fully functioning NLRB. Taking action just takes a moment and our rights depend on it! 
Postal Service Eliminates Deepest Presort Discounts for Package Consolidators
November 19, 2024 Since the creation of a Grand Alliance to Save Our Public Postal Service, the Alliance and our allies have opposed postal privatization in all its forms. One form of privatization that had largely gone unnoticed by the public is the Postal Service’s long-standing reliance on the “presort discount system.” That system effectively allowed large sections of the Postal Service’s transportation and processing work to be performed by private-sector companies for private profit, with the Postal Service accepting mail and packages “downstream” for last-mile delivery. This system incentivized private sector consolidators to aggregate mail and packages from many shippers into larger drop-offs into the postal network. They would bypass all or most of the postal processing network and rely on the Postal Service for last-mile delivery. In September, the Postal Service announced it was eliminating the deepest presort discounts that many package consolidators used (or abused) before turning their packages over to the USPS. The USPS estimates that as many as two billion packages enter the mailstream each year after being processed and transported by consolidators, which is roughly 25 percent of the Postal Service’s total package volume. By ending the presort discount for package consolidators, it is likely that much of that package volume will be returned to the USPS for end-to-end acceptance, transportation, processing, and delivery, which would increase the Postal Service’s overall revenue for shipping products. For too long, mail and package consolidators have relied on low-wage workers, and the steep discounts offered by the USPS to turn a profit from work that postal workers can rightly perform. The end of the discount program is shaking up the postal industry, with FedEx poised to eliminate its FedEx SmartPost product. Pitney Bowes has fi led for bankruptcy for its ecommerce division, and other package consolidators are likely to feel the impact soon. Supporters of a Grand Alliance to Save our Public Postal Service should welcome the change as an opportunity for the public Postal Service to claw back more of the work that the Postal Service was created to do, serving 167 million addresses, six days a week, with a commitment to quality, public service to the entire country. Upcoming Fight to Preserve Service StandardsAs this edition of The American Postal Worker was going to press, the Postal Service had just submitted before the Postal Regulatory Commission its proposals to once again change service standards. As we did in the 2021 service standards case, A Grand Alliance (AGA) will once again organize community resistance to the Postal Service’s proposal to slow down the mail. While this year’s proposal appears to be more complicated than the 2021 case, postal workers and AGA allies should stay alert for opportunities to promote the quality mail service that we are promised under the law. The proposal from the USPS appears to lengthen the delivery time for First-Class mail based on how far the destination address is located from a sorting facility; this is likely to have an outsized impact on customers in rural America. Readers should stay tuned to the APWU website and AGA channels for more information. We will analyze the Postal Service’s proposal in the weeks ahead, plan our response, and engage with postal workers and our allies to promote our vision for robust, quality postal services. 
From National APWU Southern Regional Coordinator (and our very own Former Dallas Area Local President):
Standing Strong to Build a Bigger Union and Advance Forward, Together July 29, 2024 The best way to win big is by “standing strong” to build a bigger union. Members should continue to encourage nonmember coworkers to join the APWU; we are all in this fight equally and our union gets twice as “strong” with equal pay and equal rights – what we all deserve. I have witnessed the Postal Service’s relentless assault on our members. Over the past two years, Article 12 excessing has impacted every district across the Southern Region, disrupting employees’ lives and livelihoods. It is evident that reassignments have affected numerous facilities. As we always have, we will continue to fight back against these challenges the APWU way. Do not be discouraged. With the collaborative efforts between myself and the National Business Agents (NBAs) regarding excessing, most of the impacts have been canceled. Our partnership has been instrumental in supporting locals with Article 12 grievances, and ensuring that affected members receive the assistance they need. Along with the participation of local leaders, we are making sure to actively monitor the impacted employees’ retreat rights closely. Additionally, with the implementation of the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) established by APWU Headquarters, we are attempting to reduce the grievance backlog. In this process, I would like to recognize Secretary-Treasurer Elizabeth “Liz” Powell who took the lead, and I applaud her efforts on behalf of myself and the Southern Region members. I want to acknowledge the dedication of our Clerk, Maintenance, and Motor Vehicle Service Division NBAs who work tirelessly to represent our members: Clerk Division NBA – Atlantic Region:
I extend my deepest gratitude to all APWU members for their unwavering support and for entrusting me with a leadership role within our esteemed union. Serving the Southern Region and being part of the executive board has been an immensely fulfilling experience. It has been an honor and privilege to serve as the Southern Region Coordinator, and I am thankful for the opportunity to contribute to the betterment of our union and the lives of our fellow postal workers. From my heart, I can affirm that there is no greater reward than serving our fellow men and women. As I continue in my role as Southern Region Coordinator, I am committed to serving the membership with dedication and integrity. I am here, willing, and ready to support in any way I can. Always remember, let us continue to “stand united, uphold our values,” and advance forward, together. YARED WONDE 
NALC Enough is Enough! – Protect Our Letter Carriers
The perpetual violent attacks and assaults on postal employees, especially the letter carriers, rural carriers, distribution clerks, MVS drivers, etc. are intolerable. Enough is enough. The APWU is proud to support and stand with the NALC Enough is Enough! campaign. No one should face violence at work and our letter carrier union brothers and sisters are standing up for protection while they do their job. Our own Dallas Area Local clerk craft director Katina Range and assistant maintenance craft director Kimberlye Ervin attended the Dallas NALC Enough is Enough! rally. Also, APWU National attended the NALC National Enough is Enough! rally. 
August 22, 2023
Postal Support Employees now eligible for dental and vision benefits (FEDVIP) There’s some exciting news for PSEs. Postal Support Employees are now eligible for the Federal Employee Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP). The program includes comprehensive dental and vision benefits for employees who choose self, self plus one, and self and family coverage. Enrollment is open now through September 24 – so don’t wait. After that, you’ll only be able to enroll during the annual “open season” or withing 60 days of a qualifying life event. Premiums for FEDVIP are paid by the employee with no agency contributions. Several regional and national plans are available. Participating PSEs pay premiums post-tax. You can learn more and enroll at www.benefeds.com or call 1-888-337-FEDS. July 14, 2023
Long Island Postal Workers Organize Spirited Response to Attempted Assault by Manager Members of the Long Island Area Local led a spirited protest on July 12 after management failed to take action against a USPS Labor Relations Specialist who attempted to physically assault the local’s vice president. Around 250 attendees braved the 95-degree heat, including many from other APWU locals, the New York Labor Federation, sister unions, and allied organizations. The loud, animated rally received extensive press coverage, reflecting the seriousness of the incident. Video: ABC News Video of the APWU Protest on Long Island More than 100 members of the Long Island Area Local were joined by members of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, the Brooklyn Local, the Southern NY Area Local, the Western Nassau Area Local, the Rockville Centre Local, and the Flushing Local, challenged the management abuse at the rally. They held signs in front of the Long Island P&DC, in Melville, NY that read “zero tolerance means all employees” and “Postal Workers Demand Dignity and Respect”. Tiffany Foster, the Northeast Regional Coordinator, and National Business Agents, Peter Coradi, Liz Swigert, and Rick White, also participated in the rally. It comes as APWU state and local organizations continue the campaign for Dignity & Respect, launched on the April 28 National Day of Action, that calls on management to put an end to their hostile work environments once and for all! “On May 5, 2023, a Labor Relations Specialist from the New York-2 District physically lunged at me with her hand raised to hit me," said Long Island Area Local Vice President Michelle Nadeau. "The United States Postal Service has a zero-tolerance policy. They do not treat managers the same way as they do postal employees." The Postal Service has failed to take any disciplinary action at either the Area or the District level in the two months that have passed since the incident occurred. "We are here to send management in the New York Postal District Number 2, here on Long Island, a clear message that the zero-tolerance policy throughout the postal service not only pertains to craft union members, it pertains to management too," said Long Island NY Area Local President Peter Furgiuele. Northeast Regional Coordinator, Tiffany Foster, who attended Wednesday’s protest on Long Island, said "We are dedicated essential workers. We deliver the mail every day. We work the windows; we want to provide a service. And all we want is dignity and respect in doing that." The incident on Long Island continues to highlight the widespread issue of toxic work environments, and a lack of dignity and respect for postal workers, at the Postal Service. Managers continue to engage in a confrontational approach that not only creates these hostile environments, but also creates high turnover rates across the country, especially among new hires. Peter Coradi, National Business Agent, New York Region, who helped organize the action, said: "We want our workers to be treated fairly, with respect and dignity. Nobody should have to come to work and get screamed at, cursed at." “Hats-off to the Long Island Area Local and the many area, national, and local leaders, activists and members who stood tall in defense of their union leaders and the physical targeting of their elected local vice president,” said APWU President Mark Dimondstein. “The APWU will keep pressing forward to end the far-too-prevalent hostile work environment and the outrageous double standard where the USPS top brass refuses to discipline out-of-line managers, even when they engage in physical threats.” MAY, 2023 POSTALEASE SECURITY UPDATE
2023 WORKPLACE HARASSMENT FIGHTBACK!
Our Dallas Area Local esteemed members in pictorials in APWU new campaign to fight back against toxic workplaces and win dignity and respect for postal workers in every craft!! click Image to enlarge Why Young Workers Are Embracing Labor Unions
Millennials are more pro-union than generations before By Jamie Lynne Burgess In March 2019, the editorial staff at Gimlet Media became the first podcasting company to unionize when they joined the Writers Guild of America. The announcement came just a month after Gimlet was acquired by Spotify in a $230 million dollar deal. Unionizing has been notoriously difficult for tech companies, according to Fast Company, but it could be the beginning of an industry-wide shift. And the Gimlet workers’ move is evidence that labor organizing isn’t a thing of the past. The Center for Economic Policy and Research reported that 75 percent of new union members are under the age of 35. Will younger generations of workers lead a resurgence of organized labor? Fresh energy Whitney Yax has been working for the labor movement for more than six years. In her role as an organizer for Communications Workers of America District 1, which represents 150,000 members in the Northeast, she helps new members get involved in their unions. She has noticed an increase in younger members, and in younger members’ desire to be active participants. They’re phone banking or knocking on doors to garner support for a political candidate, organizing meetings with industry leaders, or gathering signatures on a petition. This is on-brand for millennials, who typically value experiences over stuff. Whether or not unions can adapt quickly enough will determine if they grow in the next generation. “I always think of unions as offering a voice, a role in decision-making at work,” Yax said. Millennials are more supportive of labor unions than generations before them. A 2018 Gallup poll showed that 66 percent of people ages 18 to 34 approve of labor unions, compared to 60 percent of people ages 35 to 54 and 62 percent of people ages 55 and older. But unions have a long way to go when it comes to finding the right set of benefits that will encourage membership among millennials, said Zane Dalal, executive vice president of the union benefits administrator BPA. “Millennials are incredibly adaptable, and people think of them as this sort of vague group, yet they are activists, and they’re incredibly sure of what they want,” he said. Unions’ influence often extend beyond their membership, Yax said. The opportunity to effect change is attractive to young workers. “I believe very strongly that unions, individually and collectively, just by their existence, improve the situation for workers that are non-union,” she said. For example, unions were instrumental in raising the minimum wage in New York, which benefited all minimum wage workers, not just the unionized ones, Yax said. “The action that union members take can have a great effect on other people,” she said. A ‘match made in heaven’? Knowing that our work and financial lives will be much different than what our parents experienced, millennials have been forced to adapt. In many cases, adapting has meant piecing together side gigs and extra jobs. It’s easy to feel alone in the gig economy, or even feel in competition with your fellow workers. “The human element is diminishing, and it shows in the way that people want to pay their workers,” Dalal said. He believes “unions might bring back that personal side” to employment. We millennials can be both disdainful of being forced to go it alone, and oddly proud of our hustle. Joining a union means embracing solidarity and leaving that pride behind, which can be especially hard when you’re raised on a strict diet of American individualism. Yet, as we try to find a path to retirement, millennials and unions have been called a “match made in heaven” by the California Labor Federation. “Some may think that unions are a thing of the past, but as reports pile up on how young workers are going to need to work themselves into exhaustion just to put food on the table, joining a union remains the best way for millennials to reap the kind of economic security their parents and grandparents had,” Alexandra Catsoulis wrote for the California Labor Federation. ‘A barrier for younger people’ Union membership peaked in 1970 and has been declining ever since. Whether or not unions can adapt quickly enough will determine if they grow in the next generation, Dalal said. “There was a heyday of the labor movement, and many of the people who were part of it are still involved, in roles of leadership now,” Yax said. Millennials have a unique opportunity to contribute to labor unions and, in turn, contribute to change in many sectors. There are issues specific to this age group and this cultural moment that unions could address if young folks pushed for it, Dalal said. Unions could advocate for student loan repayment policies, as our collective debt continues climbing. They could also become involved in the opioid crisis, he said, pushing for recovery support. But there’s a sentiment that younger generations don’t want to get involved. “The language of people who are driving the conversation, they’re in their 70s and they’ll never ‘get’ millennial culture,” Dalal said. It’s hard to sit in meetings as a young person and hear about how millennials don’t care, Yax said. In fact, it’s “a barrier for younger people to get involved.” Even so, “I really think we could have another heyday very soon,” she said. |
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