Workplace Issues and Collective Bargaining in the Classroom

During the past 18 months, the Community Services Agency (CSA) of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO has been very active in finding ways and means to involve high school students in its Collective Bargaining in the Classroom FMCS grant project.

In addition to carrying out two train-the-trainer sessions for teachers, union educators and others, the CSA held a teacher training seminar for Montgomery County high school social studies teachers. A Collective Bargaining Institute was held May 3 at the Calvin Coolidge Senior High School in Washington, D.C.

Other program activities include involvement in out-of-school youth initiatives such as the CSA’s Labor 2 Youth Fair on May 16 in Washington, D.C. A Labor Speakers’ Bureau, consisting of 31 speakers, was also established to fulfill requests from high schools for presentations in classrooms and at career days/fairs. So far, members of the Speakers’ Bureau have addressed students at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in Maryland, and Cardozo Senior High School, Coolidge High School, Luke Moore Academy Senior High School, and Fletcher-Johnson Educational Center in the District of Columbia.

The Teamsters Education Department has been actively involved in all stages of this worthwhile project. In May, Teamsters Education Coordinator James Beeharilal, a member of the Speakers’ Bureau, participated in Cardozo High School’s 10th Career Day. This event attracted more than 25 professionals from various organizations in the Washington Metropolitan area who addressed 11th and 12th graders on union industries and career development.

Specifically, Beeharilal addressed students in five classes and spoke to them about the Teamsters Union and the difference the union makes. He emphasized the fact that unionized workers earn more and enjoy better working conditions and benefits than non-union workers. The majority of students expressed a keen interest in labor issues and workplace rights.

The Teamsters Union is committed to reaching out to youth to teach them about unions, union industries, workplace rights, globalization, fair trade, labor law, and labor history in relation to preparing them for the world of work.

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