As announced by the Maine AFL-CIO today, "the Charles A. Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education has hired Dr. Kevin Van Meter as its new teaching fellow." The Scontras Center will be based at the University of Southern Maine.
"Van Meter says the most rewarding part of being a union organizer is seeing how transformative being part of a union can be. He says the labor movement not only provides a way for working class people to build the skills they need to improve their wages and working conditions, but it also trains them to become leaders in their communities.
'Somebody may get involved in their union because they’re concerned about a workplace issue, like needing more CNAs and support in their department,” he said. “Then they become a steward and defend workers’ rights on the job. Then they’re passing out bargaining surveys and sitting on the bargaining team. Then they’re testifying in front of the Governor on staffing levels. To see someone do that in nine months or a year, where they go from just becoming involved to being an advocate and having a voice in their community, that’s why we do this work.'"
Take a read of the full announcement here.