MAPE Steward Retreat focuses on union foundation, family

An idea about gathering MAPE stewards for a summit of sorts planted more than a year ago bloomed last weekend when more than 120 MAPE stewards and their families gathered for Steward Retreat 2023. The event kicked off Friday night with family-friendly fun for all and wrapped with a keynote and 11 breakout sessions led by stewards and staff on Saturday. 

“Our goal in planning an event of this magnitude was to offer education for new and longtime stewards while recognizing that camaraderie and relationship-building is just as important as the trainings,” said MAPE Vice President Angie Halseth, who chairs the Employee Rights Committee (ERC), the group hosting the retreat. “I hope our stewards and their families left feeling rejuvenated and energized for what’s to come.” 

Speaker Meg Soper, photo at right, started Saturday off with a “motivational humor” keynote rooted in the importance of building relationships and laughing along the way. 

“You as union stewards are the backbone of this organization,” Soper said. “You’re in the business of hearing ‘You can’t’ but I’m here today to tell you that you can!” 

After the opening session, stewards chose three breakout sessions to attend for the day before closing out with a steward panel discussion that included audience Q&A.  

Lead steward from Region 1 Jed Becher, presented at left, co-led a breakout session, Investigations 101, and participated in the closing steward panel. He said the energy in the room during every part of the retreat was contagious; that stewards came ready and excited to learn. 

“There was so much interaction between stewards and presenters in the Investigations 101 presentations that we didn’t get to the role play exercise during either session, even with one of them being immediately after lunch!” Becher said. “We had great questions and discussion throughout both presentations.” 

“I hope you all met new people and formed new relationships,” Halseth said in closing out the retreat Saturday. “Because being in a union is all about family – our own families and our union family.” 

As if right on cue, ERC member Wanda Fortune-Stiffin took the mic and ended the day with her own rendition of Sister Sledge’s We are Family singing “We are family – I’ve got all my stewards and me!”

Pictured at right are Region 6 stewards.