News
EXECUTIVE BOARD AND STAFF MEET JOINTLY
(May 2, 2007)
 As he had promised, UWUA President Mike Langford created a first by calling a joint session of the Executive Board and National Staff, and asked for their input, working together, on how best to move the Union forward at the upcoming convention.
The joint session, which took place at the same hotel where the convention will meet in June, worked hard for a solid day with the executive officers, answering questions posed by a facilitator. Those questions included asking for input on what were the critical issues that have to be dealt with at this convention, what constitutional amendments are needed to help us move fully into the 21st century.
Also presenting at the meeting was Jami Simon, an expert on training grants. She noted the critical shortage of skilled workers in the utility industry as the industry has allowed its workforce to dwindle and age, while deliberately failing to train replacements in a drive to augment profits.
But pointing to the Training Trust already started in California, she said there was money all over the country, much of it federal, which could be tapped, and, as others stated, allows the UWUA to take the lead in a resurgence of industry skills. This strategy dovetailed well with some of the approaches to combat contracting out which came out of the meeting of locals back in December. Expect to see more soon. |
