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Recognized as an Effective School-to-Work Practice,
December 2003
Labor Education Program
Teamsters Local 20
Toledo, Ohio
Overview of the Project
Local 20 represents over seven thousand workers in a
variety of job classifications including UPS, drivers,
warehousemen, and production. For the past three years,
the Local has taken the union message to over
twenty-five high schools in the Toledo, Ohio area. Union
Organizer Chuck Spruce, assisted by Chief Steward Mike
Veris, Steward Karen Dick, and Business Agent Ernest
Boose (now retired), educate students on the mission of
organized labor and what the Teamsters Union does to
enrich the lives of its members and their families.
The program gives union representatives the opportunity to
interact with students at all levels. It teaches students
how a union provides services for its members, and how the
benefits enjoyed by today’s workers are a product of labor
unions’ efforts throughout history. It also gives students
the unique opportunity to engage in mock labor-management
activities such as contract negotiations, arbitration
hearings, and grievance handling.
Local 20, in addition to giving presentations and engaging
students in the aforementioned activities, has adopted the
Walbridge Elementary School and the Libbey High School in
Toledo, Ohio.
The Need
The program started as a result of the Local 20’s
leadership seeing the need to educate the community,
especially the youth, about the work of the Teamsters
Union, unions in general, and the world of work. They
thought it best to first reach out to Teamster members’
kids to ensure that they know as much as possible about
the Teamsters Union, including the meaning of the
Teamster logo, before reaching out to other youth.
A second reason for embarking on the program was to educate
teachers about the Teamsters Union and the labor movement as
a whole so that they could impart that knowledge to their
students. “Teachers belong to a union but many of them do
not know what a union is all about,” said Chuck Spruce.
“They simply pay union dues and identify themselves as
members of the teachers union but do not know the benefits
of being a union member versus being non-union.”
The Local’s leadership also saw the need to give students
hands-on experience on contract negotiations, grievance
handling and arbitration hearings through simulations.
Meeting the Need
In order to educate high school students about the
Teamsters Union, the labor movement and the collective
bargaining process, Local 20 initially held staff
meetings to develop an action plan and a list of people
to staff the program. The Local then requested and
obtained technical assistance and relevant materials
from the IBT Education Department to implement its
plans.
Before the first presentation at Libbey High School, the
presenters assessed the school to learn about the
socio-economic status of the students and determine what
would be most appropriate to include in presentations and
other activities. According to Spruce, this type of
assessment is helpful in the planning and preparation of any
presentation. In a typical presentation, presenters
introduce themselves, involve students in defining what a
union is, discuss organized labor with a Teamster twist, and
talk about the world of work. The presenter also provides
handouts and novelty items, including the Teamster brochure,
to students and teachers.
During the course of presentations, presenters identify
potential student leaders and ear-mark them as group leaders
for mock contract negotiations, grievance handling, and
arbitration hearings.
Before students participate in a mock contract
negotiation session, they are already trained about the
purpose of unions and the world of work. They are divided
into two groups of five to six students each–one group
representing the union and the other representing the
employer. Each group is given an information sheet with the
issues to be negotiated–for example, health-care, wage,
overtime pay, sick leave. A Local 20 representative is
assigned as a coach to each group and works with the group
before actual contract negotiations begin. The coach assigns
each group member to handle a particular issue that has to
be placed on the bargaining table; however, at the
bargaining table, all members of a group work together as a
team, supporting and defending one another with guidance
from the coach. Sometimes the parties (labor and management)
reach agreement. At times when no agreement is reached,
another union representative acts as a mediator to help with
resolution of unresolved issues. Students are made to
understand that this is how contracts are negotiated in real
life situations between a union (representing workers) and
management (the employer).
In a typical mock grievance handling case, students
take turns in role-playing as grievant, steward, witnesses,
and also as supervisor representing an employer. Like the
mock contract negotiations, students are coached on their
roles prior to every grievance handling session.
Prior to a simulated arbitration hearing, students
learn the differences between mediation and arbitration as
well as why a case should or should not be taken to
arbitration. Students are divided into two groups of five or
six (one group representing the union and the other
representing the employer) and a union representative is
assigned to each group as a coach. Here again, students who
have exhibited leadership qualities are given appropriate
roles such as arbitrator and spokespersons.
The Results
According to Local 20’s President Bill Lichtenwald and
Spruce, this program has achieved outstanding results.
Students and teachers at the various participating
schools now have a better understanding of what a union
is, the structure of a union, and the countless number
of contributions made by unions over the years. They
also know more about the Teamsters Union, specifically,
its history, diversity of membership and occupations,
and involvement of its members at the community, state
and national levels.
The remarkable outcome of this program is
evidenced by the feedback received from students and
teachers. Students write thank-you letters to the presenters
expressing their gratitude for the opportunity given to them
to learn about unions, the Teamsters Union and the world of
work. Local 20’s representatives receive an increasing
number of requests to visit and present at area schools.
Reflections
Looking back to the beginning of the
program, Spruce feels that the local has come a long way
in its efforts to reach out to young people through the
schools, to teach them about labor and the Teamsters
Union, and the world of work. According to him, every
member of the union team of presenters feels that he/she
is performing a worthwhile service by promoting trade
unionism to the youth. The letters of thanks from
students, the personal interactions with students and
teachers, as well as their own personal convictions,
serve as motivating forces for these union
representatives to continue their service in the
schools.
Spruce feels that, “The benefits of
presenting the school-to-work program is not only vital, but
essential in moving the next generation forward with the
Teamsters’ labor message. This message has to be clear,
concise, and presented in the proper format so as not to
lose the audience regardless of their socio-economic
background, race, gender, etc. I feel we have accomplished
good results due to the overwhelming response from the many
students and teachers after our group finished its first
presentation. The kids are like sponges
waiting to absorb the union message. This program is one
that I truly enjoy and look forward to each day when I can
visit the schools and reach out to the young people.”
Reflecting on the Labor Education Program,
Local 20’s President Bill Lichtenwald said, “Our youth
education program has been a great success due to the fact
that it allows the students to participate in mock-type
grievance meetings and arbitrations and make it fun for
them. This is in addition to a little history and
information regarding labor unions and the Teamsters. This
program is also invaluable when these students hit the labor
ranks and, therefore, makes organizing easier as these
students have some knowledge and a good attitude about labor
unions when they vote in a representation election.”
More Information
For
additional information about the Labor Education
Program, contact:
Mr. Bill
Lichtenwald, President
Teamsters Local 20
435 S. Hawley
Street
Toledo, Ohio 43609
Phone: 419-243-8800
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