APWU Young Members’ Conference Convenes

Young member delegates of the APWU gathered on Oct. 3 for the second biennial Young Members Conference, kicking off the 2025 All-Craft Conference events in Las Vegas, NV. Under the theme “Fighting for Our Future” the Young Members Committee (YMC) organized and directed the conference for APWU members who are under the age of 35.

Western Region Coordinator and YMC officer liaison Omar Gonzalez welcomed delegates, offered a moment of silence, and led the invocation. Reno Local Maintenance Craft Director and Western Region YMC member Jada Anderson followed, leading the Pledge of Allegiance and reading the Code of Conduct.

After welcoming delegates and conference participants to the conference, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Powell introduced the YMC national officer liaisons, which include Northeast Region Coordinator Tiffany Foster, Western Region Coordinator Omar Gonzalez, Organization Director Anna Smith, and Legislative and Political Director Judy Beard. She hailed the conference as a space for young postal workers to come together to learn, to organize, and to lead in the very real fights against privatization, automation, and economic injustice, and to carry forward the strength of those that came before them with fresh energy, and ideas. “But we don’t face them alone, we face them together because we are union strong,” said Secretary-Treasurer Powell about those threats. “Because a union is only as strong as its members and our full strength is carried by those who are here today. So let me be clear – you are not just the future of the APWU you are the present. You are the power,” she concluded.

FIGHTING FOR OUR FUTURE

Following the first days’ opening proceedings, committee members gave presentations and facilitated activities to give young APWU members the tools to fight for their future as postal workers and union members. Presentations included:

• What’s in a Name – During this exercise, committee members and attendees shared the meaning and backstory of their names. The purpose was to show that everyone has a story and that story telling is a way to relate to each other and share experiences.
• The History of Labor Unions – Presenters educated attendees on the formation of labor unions in the industrial age of the U.S., and how postal unions of the past formed the current APWU, with a reminder that young members are the present and future of our union.
• What’s in it for Me? – Committee members and participants shared stories about why they joined the union and how they have helped others, emphasizing that while we all have different issues and perspectives, members are the union and should stand and fight for each other because we have all been treated poorly by management in some way.
• Day of Action/Call a Senator – The presentation highlighted the importance of getting involved in political advocacy to advance the interests of working people. They touched on the key issues that the APWU advocates for and the tools we have at our disposal, including calls to action, days of action, town halls, and a digital presence.

In the afternoon, President Dimondstein addressed attendees and saluted young members in their fights for justice, adding that fights throughout history have included young activists. He congratulated members on the newly-won APWU contract, negotiated with no concessions and protected annual wage increases, cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), and the no-layoff clause, all while dealing with a hostile administration. Dimondstein touted the involvement of young members in moving the union’s priorities forward during his past 12 years as president, including the fights against privatization, winning back concessions from the 2010 contract, and the dangers workers faced during the COVID pandemic. He also spoke about the serious issues that we face today, such as rising authoritarianism, increasing division, and attacks on unions and working people, but was also optimistic that APWU young members have what it takes to fight to build a better world. “We need to build that better world with strong unions, living wages, good retirement, and where health care is a human right. We want a world with peace, a world where everybody is respected … a world with solidarity,” said Dimondstein.   

The program continued with a presentation by Organization Director Anna Smith on the importance of organizing and why unions are crucial for young members. She stressed that organizing is worker power and encouraged members to establish local organizing committees.

Staff from the Legislative and Political Department then presented on the importance of the APWU’s non-partisan Committee on Political Action (COPA), which was created to raise voluntary campaign contributions to support congressional members who advocate for the public Postal Service, working families, and help defeat those who do not.

The day wrapped with a presentation from Hustle representatives. Hustle is a text messaging platform that the APWU uses to facilitate personalized peer-to-peer messages between the union and our members to engage and mobilize supporters and drive our union’s campaigns.

YOUNG MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE CONTINUES

The second day of the Young Members’ Conference continued with a series of presentations, including:

• Selling Your Proposal – Facilitators shared the best practices for crafting fiscal proposals to present to a local union’s membership and executive board.
• Building Media Contacts – APWU Communications Director Madeline Lund discussed how to build relationships with the media to tell our stories and advance our causes.
• Becoming a Mentor – The presentation focused on the importance of mentorship and helping to teach others to solve problems and address member needs.
• What to Do When the Union Breaks Your Heart – Participants took turns identifying the attributes of an ideal union, then discussed what union workers want, what they are receiving, identifying problems and how to make the change they want to see.
• Starting a Local Young Member Committee – Attendees were encouraged to start local Young Member Committees and were given the tools and education to build grassroots support to help give a voice to the next generation of APWU members and leaders.

Human Relations Director Daleo Freeman followed with a presentation on engaging our young members. He discussed his enthusiasm to get involved in his local as a young member, the many trials and tribulations that he encountered in his journey to become a steward and local president, and that he ultimately endured it all for the good of the members. And when armed with knowledge, perseverance, and dedication, young members can spread their wings to meet the challenges ahead.

Western Region Coordinator Omar Gonzalez closed out the conference praising the Young Members Committee as remarkable union activists who are rising in the ranks in our union. Gonzalez, who became a local president at the age of 23, addressed all the young members in attendance, saying that whatever role they choose to play in our union, that role is crucial to the survival of the Postal Service and the APWU. “All of you, everybody in this room, has the potential to be a national union leader… you all have that potential,” concluded Gonzalez. 

YOUNG MEMBER VOICES

“If I want to make a difference, I need to start where I am. Being a part of the APWU allows me to see how real change begins at the ground level by standing up for workers’ rights, strengthening our voice, and learning how policy decisions directly affect our livelihoods. The Young Members Conference gives me the opportunity to grow and connect with other passionate members that want to keep the younger generation and seasoned union leaders connected.”

Jennifer Moore
Fort Worth Area Local

“Seeing all the young faces, how eager they [were to] learn and how enthusiastic they were… they were coming up to the stage, they were talking. We were all having fun… It’s not so much of a note taking, it’s more [like] ‘what I can learn and retain’ versus going back to a notebook.”

Liset Hernandez
Modesto Area Local

“I would like to see greater connection between the generations, I feel that the media has made a great effort to divide people based upon various divides and age is just one of them. Young members are always looking to learn and explore their power in a world where they grew up being told they had little to no power. The union makes personal and group power very possible and accessible to the young, and picking a mentor or a member of the older generations to learn from would be a great way to ease our way into this.”

Kyle Wherry
Puget Sound Area Local

“What I’m really taking away from this weekend is the power of community and connection. Being around so many young members who share similar experiences and challenges made me realize we’re not alone and together, we have real strength. Hearing their stories and ideas gave me new energy and motivation to keep pushing for change. I also gained a deeper understanding of how the union operates and the role we can play in shaping its future. It showed me that change isn’t automatic; it takes people stepping up and getting involved, and that’s on us. Most importantly, I’m leaving with new connections and a support network of people who I can turn to, learn from, and work with going forward. This conference wasn’t just about learning, it was about building a community that I’m proud to be part of.”

Nicolas Isby
480-481 Area Local