Union Skills Winter Conference

Are instructors and students getting sick due to exposure to mold in your buildings? Your not alone, the prevalence of mold in US schools is a significant concern, with reports indicating that 34% of school buildings include mold growth due to moisture intrusions. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) links indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, wheeze, asthma attacks; and hypersensitivity pneumonitis in immune compromised individuals. We will discuss the removal of mold from schools, as well as methods for finding and stopping the source of moisture in the structure, as a critical aspect of maintaining indoor air quality and ensuring the health of students and staff. In this workshop, MTA local union leaders and professional experts will show you how to mount a successful organizing campaign and describe the technical and financial resources the MTA provides free to locals for successful remediations in schools.

This session aims to instill confidence and empower union representatives and activists to build strong unions at the worksite.  We cover fundamental statutory information (legal rights of union representatives, Weingarten, Duty of Fair Representation) and use those skills in an investigatory meeting roleplay.  We will also demystify contract interpretation and discuss organizing approaches to help win on the issues important to our members.