IAM Education Representative Joe Gruber conducts a training at IAM District 8 on the role of an IAM Educator.
Educators and Communicators from within IAM District 8 attended an 8-hour training class to learn how to better educate and communicate important issues to IAM members throughout the Chicagoland area.
The class, taught by staff from the IAM Midwest Territory office at the request of IAM District 8 Communicator Joe Jackman, was designed to give participants more tools to serve the membership.
IAM Education Representative Joe Gruber covered a wide range of topics on the role of the IAM Educator. Gruber provided Educators with information, materials and techniques for conducting their own training sessions within their local on such topics as Weingarten Rights and current local and state issues. He also discussed how to educate new members on the union and how to help new members become familiar with what the union does.
IAM Communications Representative LaToya Egwuekwe-Smith brought her experience in journalism and working at the IAM Grand Lodge to leading discussions about different communications tools available to IAM Communicators. Different methods of delivering the message and some of the many news resources available were topics of lively discussion. From websites, social media, and newsletters to video and text messaging, the information needs to get out to the membership in a timely manner.
This was the first class of this type taught by the Midwest Territory. It is part of an effort to increase field training opportunities throughout the Territory.
