In just three weeks the summer round of Legislative and Political interns learned enough in TWU’s Washington D.C. office to lead to significant change for members across the country. 


Interns are trained to network, lobby, research and maneuver around the political world of Washington D.C., in order to return to and teach members of their locals how to do the same in their home communities. On June 18, the three summer interns were still hard at work on their second-to-last day of the internship, but anticipating the opportunity to take their experience home. 


Intern Angela Cox, a Shop Steward from Local 555 in Virginia, said she plans to work harder to get legislative information out to members once the internship is over. 


“Being close by (in Virginia) helps,” she said. “Members from my work are going to be excited to hear that congressmen are approachable and we can actually talk to them about issues we have at work, at the airport.”


The program is an intense, quick-paced training program. At the beginning of the three weeks, interns learn the tools and information they need to become a part of the Department of Legislative and Political Affairs (DLPA) and part of the political processes of Washington, and then takes his or her own direction with the DLPA staff’s support.


“It’s more than what I expected,” said intern Steven Hamm, Vice President of Local 229 in New Jersey. “I didn’t realize all the group work I would be doing here but it has been a beautiful experience and the whole office is very helpful.” 


“One of our goals is to help our interns understand that they can take the basic skills they are learning here back to their locals,” says DLPA Director Portia Reddick-White. “It takes time, stamina and effort, which is worth it because it can help us achieve positive changes.”


In addition to learning political skills that can be used in their own communities, interns gain a thorough understanding of how the Legislative and Political office functions and its importance to the TWU. Hamm feels that the internship has strengthened his relationship with TWU now that he has an understanding of the work the International puts into winning legislation that affects his, and all members, daily lives. “Everybody should try it if you can,” said Hamm and both Cox and Hall agree.


The program is truly designed for any and every member, whether you want the training to help your local become more politically involved, or are already interested in national or local politics, labor issues, or the DLPA and want to learn more. 


“I’m not politically motivated, but I am people motivated,” said intern Dennis Hall, an Executive Board member of Local 514 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I’m concerned with people being treated fairly and I can only see things like that getting done with politics. If you are going to play in that arena you need to learn the rules of engagement to be political and do it to represent your membership.”


You can apply for the Internship online at www.twu.org, by calling the DLPA at 202-638-6154, or asking your Local officers for an application. The deadline for the next session is August 31, so apply now!