David Loerich, Local 600
“The commitment from UWUA National leadership was truly inspiring. Their energy and dedication to educating our members, growing our membership, and involving and empowering our younger members to become the future of the UWUA — that’s the message I’m bringing back to our Local 600 membership.”
Kaela Osborne, Local 430
“Attending the Leadership Conference gave me and my fellow officers the opportunity to bring back valuable information and training to benefit our local. We carried home many ideas and conversations about wall-to-wall organizing to help strengthen our numbers. The multiple trainings — ranging from financial guidelines to contract negotiations — will no doubt inspire new ideas and instill a sense of pride in our new officers and stewards as they become more involved. One of the most valuable takeaways for me was the chance to network with other locals, both large and small, and to learn that we share many of the same challenges no matter where we are in the country. Being able to exchange information that helps others, while also strengthening our connection to our brothers and sisters, was truly an indescribable experience.”
Curtis Reardon, II, Local 18007
“One of my biggest takeaways was seeing the camaraderie. Everyone had a smile and was so welcoming. The wealth of knowledge shared on everything, from financial matters to organizing and helping members with day-to-day issues, was incredible. I’ve been implementing these ideas since I returned, and they’ve given us new goals to strive for and achieve. I can’t wait for the next one!”
Philip Spalding, Local 118
“I had the privilege of attending the UWUA Leadership Conference in May, alongside our vice president, treasurer, and recording secretary. All four of us were newly elected to Local 118 leadership, and this was our first opportunity to engage with the National at this level. The financial training class, led by Mike Coleman, was incredibly helpful in ensuring we handle our local’s finances correctly and addressed all the questions we had. The conference also offered many other valuable classes, contacts, and resources that our local will be able to utilize and implement moving forward. I would like to extend our local leadership’s gratitude to the UWUA for organizing the conference and helping us keep labor strong!”
Rick Higinbotham, Local G-555
“The UWUA Leadership Conference was an incredible experience. I really enjoyed the workshop on expanding leadership skills. There are so many aspects of leadership, and it’s important that we continue to improve ourselves to better serve our members. Another session that resonated with me and my local was the one on effective organizing techniques. With the support of the National, Local G-555 has been at the forefront of organizing here in Ohio. It was great to learn more about the Action Builder platform, and we’ve since scheduled training for some of our officers. I’m excited to hear that the National plans to expand this Leadership Conference, and I’m already looking forward to the next one.”