Solidarity Sunday: Fatherhood is Still Worth Fighting For
Happy Father's Day!
Dads are important, because kids need them. When men suffer from anxiety, depression, and addiction, they can lose sight of that. Being active in their childrens' lives gives men a sense of purpose, and a higher purpose sustains us through the tough times. Men with purpose are good for labor, good for families, good for the country.
The research is clear, kids do better when fathers are involved, and men do better when we're involved in our kids lives. The stats clearly support this. According to the national institute of health, fathers with one, two, three or more children had a 59%, 74% and 69% lower risk of suicide, respectively. Furthermore, children who feel a closeness to their father are twice as likely as those who do not, to enter college or find stable employment after high school, 75% less likely to have a teen birth, 80% less likely to spend time in jail, and half as likely to experience multiple depression symptoms.
If we're going to truly be there for our members, then it cannot only be about CBA's, filling job calls, organizing, etc. It's not all about time-and-a-half or double time, it's about spending time with your kids and being an active member of your family. Passing along the good things and leaving behind the bad ones from our own fathers.
Be there for your members. Listen to them. Learn the signs of stress. Remind them how important they are to their children, to their family, and to the local. Encourage them to hang in there and stay involved. Help them get the help they need. Encourage them to take time off for family and that they have resources to help them at your local. Let us not forget the majority of our members are fathers. And fathers are still worth fighting for.
Some resources to pass on:
All Pro Dad | Advice for Dads on Parenting, Marriage and Relationships
How involved fathers improve kids' well-being - First Five Nebraska
Mental Health resources for Fathers | Fatherhood.gov
FMHN - Fathers' Mental Health Network (fathersmentalhealth.com)
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment for Union Members
Be Authentic
In our line of work, we frequently take for granted that others outside the union circles know about us and what we do, but that isn't always, or even most of the time, the case. Rather than leaving union reputation up for interpretation, we decided to take frequently asked questions about unions and spin them into an authentic conversation about the labor movement in the first of a two-part podcast called "Rumors & Myths: FAQ's on Labor Unions". In a digital world, we cannot afford to leave our story up to others to twist and distort. We have a great story to tell and we should tell it in the most authentic fashion we can.
