District Council Hosts Joint Training Conference
More than 70 Local Business Managers, Field Reps and staff attended the third annual Minnesota-North Dakota-Wisconsin District Council Joint Training Conference July 16-18 in Wisconsin Dells.
As in previous years, the conference featured sessions and workshops designed to help Local leadership and staff deal with the issues, duties and responsibilities of Local Union administration while improving the effectiveness of local unions in servicing the membership.
Roger Blacklow, LIUNA Legislative Department, and Joe Oswald, Wisconsin District Council, lead delegates through a workshop on citizen lobby techniques which included exercises on dissecting issues to identify arguments both for and against a position, and writing a letter to their Congressman to oppose “Independent Contractor” bills that will allow contractors to work employees outside the protections of existing labor laws.
Kitty Conlon and Bernie McCann of the Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America, presented workshops on “Drug and Alcohol Awareness” and “Achieving Your Peak Performance.”
Each workshop recognized the fact that construction is a demanding, dangerous and stressful occupation, that can take a toll on workers, their families and the industry.
The workshops were designed to better prepare agents in the field to recognize and deal with the various stress factors inherent to the industry that impact workers on a daily basis.
Minnesota LECET Fund Director Jessica Looman, National LECET Director Christopher Engquist and Wisconsin LECET Director Jerry Diemer outlined various programs and initiatives that have been implemented over the past year through the labor-management Trust.
For example, Minnesota LECET produced an informational video on “The Benefits of Belonging” to the Laborers, as well as other promotional materials and events that included hosting a booth at the Minnesota State Fair.
In addition to material designed to promote Union Laborers, Wisconsin LECET has developed a software program to make it easier for signatory contractors to submit prevailing wage and hour reports to the Department of Workforce Development.
Rounding out the series of workshops was a session on Financial Obligations of Local Unions, lead by International Rep. Dick Maki and International Auditor, Mike Pagano.
The 4th Annual Training Conference will be held next summer in Minnesota.