Headline News
Local 1901 Members Train to Organize
Members of Local 1901 attended a seminar last week in Manhattan conducted by instructors from the Teamsters Organizers Bootcamp. Representatives from the Organizing, Strategic Research and Campaigns, Training and Development and Communications departments led the program.
“Our goal was to bring the resources from Teamster headquarters to members of our newest local union,” said John Murphy, International Vice President. “The International Union’s staff went through many of the important parts of a good organizing campaign so that Local 1901 members would have the tools ready for when they launch outreach to nonmembers.”
About 25 members attended the seminar training session which was held at Local 810’s meeting hall in Manhattan. Most of the attendees were business agents and stewards from union shops such as the New York Times, Daily News, Star Ledger, New York Post and others.
“Membership in a union gives your job some stability,” said Greg Miller, an employee of the Daily News and a member of Local 1901 since 2000. “With strength in numbers we can put pressure on companies for better work conditions.”
“Every day our members work with other newspaper delivery drivers who are not yet part of the Teamsters and they need to be shown the light,” said Doug Panatierri, President of Local 1901. “Instructors from Teamster headquarters brought us a breadth of knowledge that we can use to organize new members. This is a difficult job and all workers in it deserve good pay and benefits—assets a Teamster contract can help guarantee them.”