At their autumn meeting in Vancouver, GCIU education directors looked at technological and organizational changes to help GCIU schools grow in the 21st century.

The meeting, hosted by British Columbia 525M and its Graphic Arts Training Institute, provided directors with the opportunity to exchange ideas for the future as well as information on what their graphic arts institutes are doing now.

In remarks to the directors, International Pres. James J. Norton noted that the AFL-CIO has urged affiliates to shift their focus to organizing and the GCIU is complying with that policy. "It's good that GCIU schools are training non-union workers" as well as members, which can help organizing efforts, Norton said.

The school directors focused on several problems that they said are contributing to weakening GCIU schools – especially in smaller locals – and offered some solutions.

Community programs

Some of the U.S. schools, such those operated by Milwaukee 577M, New York 1L, and Philadelphia 14M, are solving some of the financial problems with state and federal grants for "school to work," "welfare to work," and other similar programs.

John Potts of Local 14M said that the school-to-work program operating in the local's school brings in extra funds and helps train high school students for printing trades jobs. The Philadelphia school also participates in the federal Job Partnership Training Act program that provides retraining for workers displaced from other industries.

OKI 508M Executive Vice Pres. John H. Agenbroad said his local participates in the "Jobs for Graduates" program that provides help for disadvantaged youth.

Lauren Baker of Milwaukee-Madison 577M said the welfare-to-work program at that local's school was funded through a federal grant. The program provides an opportunity for the unemployed to learn a trade, as well to learn about unions. "That is a powerful organizing tool," she noted. The local also participates in high school youth apprenticeship and elementary school programs.

Secy.-Treas. Anthony Caifano of Local 1L, which participates in a school to work and the "Walks of Life" program with the New York City Board of Education, said grant "money is flowing through the states" for these programs. He said a training panel that includes representatives of Local 1L and the area Printing Industry of America group recently received an $8 million training grant. Federal and state legislation authorizing the grants require grant panels to include employer and employee organizations.

Norton suggested that the International could explore meeting periodically with the Graphic Arts Employers of America (GAE), the union employers' association, on training grants with relation to new technology and provide that information to the education directors.

The directors then passed a resolution to contact the GAE to try to establish a working group to coordinate on training.

Internet training

Victor Ciuccio, GCIU Contract, Research and Education director, said the International also continues to work with the AFL-CIO on obtaining a grant to develop Internet training. The federation is in the process of collecting data necessary to apply for the grant, he said.

Glenn Biech, who directs Local 525M's school and chaired the meeting, said web-based curriculum training offers exciting new possibilities for the GCIU. In addition to modular course work that can be accessed from the Internet, the technology provides opportunities for video-conferencing, virtual experience in a classroom, and e-mail by which students can ask instructors questions.

Ciuccio said there are many companies that offer Internet training program development but they aren't union. He suggested that the education directors' task force could make it a priority to find a qualified company that would agree to sign a GCIU contract.

A motion passed unanimously for a spring directors' meeting in Milwaukee to explore what's available in Internet-based training.

On other aspects of Internet training, Caifano said Local 1L is offering courses on surfing the web, both to prepare members for the educational possibilities that the Internet offers and to spark their interest in other courses offered at the school.

British Columbia 525M Business Rep. Brian Cormier, right, demonstrates the local's portable computer lab to, from left, GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau; E.R. Chard, national officer of the British Graphical, Paper & Media Union; GCIU Vice Pres. Lawrence Martinez; and Finn Erik Thoresen, head of the Norwegian Graphical Union.

Potts of Local 14M said that, since some GCIU schools teach web site publishing, those locals could offer to help GCIU locals without web sites to develop them. The directors agreed to begin development of the project.

In other aspects of creative ways to strengthen GCIU schools, many of the directors said they have benefitted from building coalitions with other GCIU locals and other unions.

Biech said Local 525M is working with the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers (CEP), which includes typesetters and journalists, in British Columbia. The coalition is working on apprenticeship training, which is being stressed in the province now. "We're lucky to have a government that pays for apprenticeship training," he noted.

Art Majoros of St. Louis 505M said his local is trying to develop training programs for St. Louis 6M pressmen.

Robert Davi of Local 1L said his local is working with the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE) and United Auto Workers (UAW) in the Consortium for Worker Education in the New York City area.

Ron Hawks of Chicago 458M and Baker of Local 577M said their locals have developed partnerships with local community colleges and technical schools that are working well. "I'm a big fan of partnerships," Baker said. "I think they really pay off for you."

Apprenticeship training

In discussing developments in apprenticeship training, Ciuccio warned that "there is some attempt to weaken labor's influence in apprentice training." He suggested that the GCIU submit apprenticeship standards to the U.S. Department of Labor and then provide them to locals to launch apprentice programs. "This would benefit both large and small locals," he said.

Local 577M Pres. Christopher Yatchak said members were pleased when the local won a four- year desktop publishing apprenticeship program four-years ago.

Caifano agreed. "There's a need out there, and it's increasing," he said. "Right now, employers cannot fill the jobs."

Also participating in the meeting were GCIU Secy.-Treas. Gerald H. Deneau; GCIU Vice Pres. James J. Cowan; Seattle 767M Pres. John D. Bachler; Rochester 503M Pres. Lynn R. Lanphear; Nassau County 406C Pres. George Tedeschi; Jorge Galveias, director, Toronto 500M GraphComm Training Centre; Robert Welsh, education director, Kansas City 235M; Ed Williams, education director, Washington 285M; Scott Waggoner of Local 508M; and Local 525M Pres. Robert J. Jennings.

Jennings urged GCIU locals to work to ensure that GCIU's training tradition goes forward in the 21st century. He said his local does whatever is necessary to keep its training programs alive for the members' benefit, including a portable computer lab that can be moved to where the members are. Unlike employers, he said: "We have the ability to train. We have talented members who can teach. We have to ensure that people in our industry are properly trained."

The leader of the Norwegian Graphical Union (NGF) said training members is his union's top priority.

Finn Erik Thoresen, who leads the 14,000-member NGF, attended the GCIU education directors' meeting in Vancouver along with Bent Inge Bye, NGF media director.

Thoresen told the Graphic Communicator that the NGF considers training important because "members can see what the union is doing to help their jobs. Members really appreciate it, and it helps organizing by keeping members loyal."

"The industry is changing so much," Thoresen said, "if you don't train your members then they don't keep pace with technology. And quality and productivity suffer as well as job opportunities for the members."

Thoresen said Norwegian graphic industry employers pay about $6 per week per employee for training and participate with the union in a joint foundation for training.

"Employers recognize that only well-trained employees will keep the industry strong in Norway and competitive with other nations," Thoresen said.

Like the GCIU, Thoresen said, the NGF, which operates a main school in Oslo and branches in smaller cities, is developing new training programs based on digital technology so members can learn at home.