Earlier this month, Investigative Post - a non-profit, non-partisan on-line news outlet based here in Buffalo, hosted an interesting panel discussion that featured United University Professions (UUP) Statewide President Fred Kowal (Pictured Above, On The Left/WNYLaborToday.com Photo) and Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation President (WNYALF) Peter DeJesus (Pictured Above, On The Right/WNYLaborToday.com Photo).

Held at a Downtown Brewery, the Labor Leaders were joined by local Labor Attorney Michael Dolce for more than an hour, during which the trio provided their observations on the State of Labor not only here in Western New York, but across New York State and the Nation.

During an event where there needed to be more Labor Representatives in attendance to listen to what Kowal and DeJesus had to say, the candid conversation was more than interesting and offered yet another view of what Organized Labor is currently doing and what needs to be done in order to accomplish its array of goals.

The two Labor Leaders, especially, touched on a variety of topics, from fighting for more State funding for New York’s Education System to handling the creation of a host of new Green jobs to connecting with and educating current Union Members to organizing new and younger Union Members, as well as moving past having Elected Officials on all levels “solve our problems.”

UUP is the Nation's largest Higher Education Union, with more than 42,000 Academic and Professional Faculty And Retirees.  UUP Members work at 29 New York State-operated Campuses, including the State University at New York’s (SUNY) Public Teaching Hospitals and Health Science Centers in Brooklyn, Long Island and Syracuse.  UUP is an affiliate of the New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) Union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), the National Education Association (NEA) and the AFL-CIO.

It was quite a feather in Investigative Post’s hat to have Kowal travel to Buffalo to take part in the Labor Panel, especially with the major fight his Union is currently involved in with regards to saving SUNY programs and Faculty jobs across New York State.

The WNYALF, meanwhile, is an umbrella Labor Organization that oversees four Central Labor Councils (CLCs) in Buffalo, Cattaraugus/Allegany, Chautauqua (with the recent merger of the Dunkirk and Jamestown Councils) and Niagara/Orleans.  Part of the New York State AFL-CIO, the WNYALF’s mission is to improve the lives of and increase the power for Working Families, to bring fairness and dignity to the workplace and secure social equity. 

Investigative Post has posted their account of the event (which can be accessed at: Labor leaders talk strikes, the future, climate change at IPost event : Investigative Post) and a series of videos that I encourage anyone who is reading this Labor News Report to watch.

But in the meantime, here are some quotes and comments from that panel discussion, which was moderated by Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney:

DeJesus: “The WNYALF ‘is excited where we are.’  We see an ‘upward trend’ (in Workers Unionizing).  We are ‘bucking the trend (when it comes to organizing) here in Western New York.’  New York State is ‘Blue’ and we have friendships (in Elected Office) with Organized Labor ‘that leads to successes for us.’  ‘We make it clear (to Union Membership) to vote how they want to vote, but (voting Democrat) is better’ for Workers.  ‘We are making that much more clear in our conversations with’ (Union Members with the upcoming Presidential Election in November).  (For example, under a Democratic U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration) ‘that they come home safely.’  ‘That’s just the reality.’  We’re also ‘talking the Union Difference’ to (Non-Union) Workers.  Younger Workers ‘are seeing the reality of collective bargaining and a voice’ (at work with organizing drives happening in companies like Starbucks and Amazon).  (Labor) has had ‘successful’ campaigns, with (recent and new contracts with the) UPS and the Teamsters and the UAW (United Auto Workers and The Big Three Automakers), ‘but there is more non-traditional organizing’ (to be done) through Social Media.  ‘We see more Workers (Unionizing) over the next three years.’  What we need to do is ‘stop looking at Elected Officials to solve our problems.’  (Organized Labor) ‘is getting back to its agitational roots.’  ‘We’ve got to be getter.’  Workers’ feel they are not being heard, that they are being left out.’  (Labor Leaders) ‘have got to listen to (Membership) and we have to activate them.’  ‘We’ve got to be much more (better) in communicating our messaging.’  ‘We have to continue to educate them, but we have to listen and include them.’”

Kowal: “We want to ‘build’ our Union.  People ‘want to get every benefit and all benefits, but we have to work our asses off.’  ‘But it’s tough to negotiate contracts in the Public Sector.’  Ninety-percent of the time we are lobbying Albany (for more funding) for SUNY (the State University of New York System).  Over the last six months, campuses are getting stuff cut ‘and it pisses me off.’  ‘Old-time’ Democrats ‘built this party and now we have to fight with our friends who undermine what we do, but we are fighting and the fight is on.’  (In regards to Unions organizing more and more Workers) The ‘nature of industry is changing,’ one-third of Americans now work in health care.  ‘And you’re seeing more’ Adjunct Faculty (being Unionized).  ‘There is a sense of vulnerability in this new economy and (Workers) need Unions to protect themselves and each other.’  ‘It is doable (organizing more Workers), but we have to be nimble and get back to root cause’ issues.  We are ‘seeing more’ Strikes.  ‘There is a commitment by the Working Class to take control.’”

WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: The Entire Labor Panel Discussion Was Videotaped By The Investigate Post And Can Be Viewed Here: Investigative Post's Organized Labor Event (youtube.com)