City Union of Baltimore hosts hands-on training for its newly seated steward board
On Saturday, October 10, 2026, new and returning union stewards of the City Union of Baltimore (CUB), Local 800, gathered at the AFT Maryland union hall in Baltimore County. They spent the day building the skills they need to represent their coworkers. The session came just days after the new steward board took office on October 1.
The training was led by la’Rufus Mitchell-Reid, Assistant Director and Union Leadership Institute facilitator with the American Federation of Teachers. She guided stewards through the steps of organizing conversations and had them practice with one another. AFT Maryland President & AFT Vice President Kenya Campbell and AFT Maryland organizer Janell Edmonds also attended.
Giving New Leaders the Tools to Serve
With so many new faces on the board, CUB President Antoinette Ryan Johnson said the training was a priority. “There are a lot of new stewards, and it was important for me as a president to ensure that they have all of the tools and the information that they need to best serve our membership,” she said.
Her goal is for stewards to link members at the worksite with the local office, the leadership team, the executive board, and staff. “All too often we don’t have that person to stand and bridge the gap, to bring concerns from our members back so that we are able to address them,” she said. With stewards in place, she explained, the union can learn what is happening at worksites, talk with members, and bring issues back to be raised with management.
Practice, Not Just Presentation
The training was hands-on. Participants paired up for role-play conversations and worked through the steps of a one-on-one conversation with a member.
CUB Executive Vice President Terri Lassane called the day “immaculate.” She said she especially valued the focus on one-on-one conversations and what they can bring to light, both for her work as an executive vice president and for the members she supports.
Ed Dawson, a steward and DHC building inspector, said the exercises pushed stewards to get to the heart of a member’s issue and work through the checkpoints. He was candid about why he came: “I need practice right now.”
Watch the Video:
The training was documented by Zion Pyatt of Live Like Kings Productions. The video features interviews with CUB leaders and stewards, along with clips from the session.