IAM members from various sectors gathered at the William W. Winpisinger Education and Technology Center to participate in the IAM Young Workers Program. The event was organized by Dee Colbert, Director of IAM Women’s and Young Workers.
The program lasted a week and aimed to provide young union members with practical training, leadership skills, and an overview of the union’s activities. According to Colbert, “This initiative is designed to engage and empower the next generation of union members by providing them with exposure to a wide range of departments, leaders, and opportunities within our movement. It is imperative that we give young workers meaningful experiences that deepen their understanding of union values and help shape their leadership mindset as they prepare for long, successful careers in the labor movement.”
Participants engaged in sessions on topics such as IAM history, strategic planning, parliamentary procedure, generational diversity, public speaking, organizing around key issues, economics from a union perspective, human rights, and forming effective committees. Experienced educators from IAM led these sessions.
Attendees were divided into groups to create strategic plans for starting Young Workers Committees at their local unions. One group used a podcast format for their presentation as an example of using modern media channels for outreach.
The IAM Communications Department held a session focused on messaging strategies. This part provided participants with tools to communicate effectively with other members and support committee development in their own locals.
Senior figures from IAM attended the program to address the participants. Among those who spoke were General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes; Bryan Pinette, Special Assistant to the General Secretary-Treasurer; and Richie Johnsen, Air Transport Territory General Vice President. They shared personal experiences from their time in the union and stressed how important it is for younger members to become active within the organization.
