Last month, CWA launched a virtual Health & Safety training for State Worker Shop Stewards to prepare for a return to the worksite. The three-part training led by CWA’s National Deputy Health & Safety Director, Micki Siegel de Hernández, M.P.H., focused on creating Health & Safety Committees, organizing around health and safety issues, and developing their leadership skills to address concerns on the job.

The sessions covered various topics such as workers’ rights with OSHA and PEOSH, as well as how to file effective health and safety grievances. As stewards gathered for the trainings via Zoom, they were assigned to break out rooms where they role-played in different scenarios to sharpen their skills when communicating their concerns and demands with management. Members learned how to use escalation tactics and how to organize their colleagues into being more active members of our union.

From sanitation provisions to the importance of COVID-19 vaccinations, the training gave an in-depth guide on the importance of health & safety and how to handle potential concerns at the workplace so members can feel safe in their working environments while also building collective worker power.