OCS Conference Funding Submission

Event Photo:

Plenary sessions featuring union leaders from around the world and UAW president Shawn Fain

Speakers from the global south talking about unions within their country

Alex Han who is the editor of In These Times magazine speaking about the importance of writing about labor news.

Name: Gabriel Flores

Degree Program: MPA IN PUBLIC & NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & POLICY

Specialization: PNP-Advocacy & Political Action

Conference Host Organization/Institution: Labor Notes

Conference/Competition Name: 2024 Labor Notes Conference

Conference Term: Spring Conference Start Date: 2024-04-19 Conference End Date: 2024-04-21

What were your takeaways from this conference/case competition?
I met amazing labor organizers, unionists, socialists, and other radicals who taught me so much strategies from organizing to the bargaining table. I will take away these practical strategies and also the political lessons of fighting against the corporate class of the United States and the importance of building a working-class movement to fight this fight.

How will your participation in this conference/case competition support your professional development?
I want to be a labor organizer and so all the strategies and training I did will have prepared me so much to take this work on. Furthermore, the connections with the movement are super vital to ensure that I have a community of organizers and unionists to rely on to fight the good fight.

What are some next steps or action items this conference/case competition inspired?
I am currently in a labor union in my own workplace and I am part of the negotiations committee there. Therefore, I will be relying heavily on the resources I gathered to ensure that I am able to effectively fight for the proper contract we need. Furthermore, some of the people I made are forming a group chat to ensure that we are in communication with each other to share ideas, and updates, and just build a broader union activist community.

What are some tips or best practices that you would like to share with other Wagner students who attend a conference/case competition?
Talk to everyone! Everyone is there to learn and meet new people. You have experience and knowledge to bring to the table so don't be afraid to share that with others and form meaningful connections. Also, try new things out and go to sessions that you are curious about but might not see it as something super relevant because things will surprise you.

Wagner Areas of Impact: Government, Inequality, Race, and Poverty, Nonprofits