NoVA Students Get Schooled on Unions
Monday, May 19, 2008
(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
Hundreds of students at five high schools across Northern Virginia got a
break from studying to learn about the importance of union jobs and career
opportunities in union industries this spring. At career fairs and student
assembly presentations, union members from IBEW Local 26, the Washington
Building Trades Council, DC Labor (Astracor), OPEIU Local 2, CWA Local 2252,
IAFF 2068, Fairfax County Coalition of Police, the UA Trades School (Plumbers
Local 5 and Steamfitters Local 602), Insulators Local 24, and Elevator
Constructors Local 10 talked with students about their union experiences.
“These students are the union members of the future,” says Joyce Putnam, a
Northern Virginia Central Labor Council (CLC) activist and Local 2 member. “We
have to make sure they know the truth about unions and union jobs.” The
Northern Virginia CLC sponsored the events.