Knowledge is Power: Your Union Needs You!!!
Sisters and Brothers:
As we close out the final few months of 2023, and looking forward to a prosperous and productive 2024, I want to both encourage and challenge you to be more proactive in your Union. I constantly say as I have for years that you get involved with what we do in Local 3634. You don’t have to be an elected Officer, Steward, Location Captain or Trustee to be a particpant in the success of your Union. We have a variety of committees where you can participate and contribute to our success.
We encourage you to be active in our monthly meetings. With technology, you don’t have to be physically present at the Union office every month, but the ability to utilize Zoom and participate virtually is at your fingertips. Another way to be pro-active in your local and protect your contractual rights is to speak up by keeping the Union informed of violations by management when they try to circumvent the CBA and don’t make back door deals that hurt your co-workers and the Union as a whole.
There are millions of workers across our country who would love to have the protections and benefits of a Union. Many don’t realize what they have (or had) until they get themselves into situations where they lose time from work for disciplinary reasons or lose their job as a result of aggregious actions and or misconduct. Don’t become a statistic and lose all that you’ve worked hard for due to negative actions or behavior.
Our responsibility as your representatives is to not only fight for your rights but to be honest and tell you the truth when your self-inflicted decisions can be detrimental to your career and jeopardize your ability to provide for yourself and your family. Let’s do the right thing when we arrive to work at our respective locations, take pride in what you were hired to do and never take anything for granted.
Our strength as a Union is not just in the membership numbers but being well informed and knowing what to do or who to call when situations happen makes us more effective. Continue to educate yourselves. I always encourage members to take some labor classes to elevate their knowledge and in doing so we become stronger collectively. LA Trade Tech College has an excellent Labor Studies curriculum and I myself have been a beneficiary of their program. As President, I want you to know and learn as much as possible. Read the Union contract, familiarize yourself with company policies and know your work and labor rights via state and federal laws.
Let’s continue to Protect Our Family!!!
In Solidarity,
Brother Al Cromer
AFSCME Local 3634 President