My platform is built on addressing new technology with strong, thoughtful contractual language that protects our members and secures our future.
Early in my union career, I was the Secure Employment Level Representative at my facility. After being trained in Detroit on the language, I returned home, audited the books, found discrepancies, and wrote a grievance to address them. We won that grievance and secured 93 jobs. That experience taught me that strong language matters. As automation and AI continue to change our workplaces, we must fight for contract language that protects our membership and holds management accountable.
Dignity in retirement is also a major priority for me. Retirement healthcare is essential to a secure and dignified retirement. This will be a challenge to achieve across all sectors, but it is a fight worth having. I also support a single-payer healthcare system that would take the burden off unions and employers for something so essential.
We must also listen to our members. That starts with explaining the contract resolution process and encouraging members to submit the ideas they want negotiated. I teach union orientation at my local, where new hires and transfers spend eight hours learning Union 101 and our core values. We talk about how change is won in the workplace. Contract resolutions are how we survey our members on what they want to see in the agreement, and it is then up to the bargaining team to fight to get it done. Please let your voice be heard.
For members covered by national contracts, we must make sure local agreements are signed before national agreements. Too often, local agreements go years past expiration because local bargainers lose leverage once the national agreement is signed. We need to support local unions by bringing back the practice of no national agreement without local agreements first.
Team building is also critical. Our International Executive Board must work as a cohesive group if we are going to fulfill our mission. No matter who is elected going forward, we must be able to work together for the good of the membership. I pledge to be a uniter and to help bring the board together.