LSUS interns share experiences and learn from one another through weekly journal entries posted to a common listserv. Here are excerpts from LSUS 2008.

Legal Research

I was doing legal research and writing ten minutes into my first day. This firm threw me right into the middle of everything…. I will be spending the next few days … looking at IRS forms and trying to do cost analysis for the contract proposals.
—Edmund Donnelly, New Jersey

One of our nurses won a great arbitration award, and the hospital asked the superior court to vacate or correct the award, and I got to draft the brief for our side….

—Allison Genco, California

M]y latest research project [was] … to compile a quasi-memo consisting of simple, straight to the point, no guff rules of law … on a union’s right to access an employer’s property….

—John Castro, California

Legal Support

I spent the entire day with two [discharged] grievants … and the business agent who represents them. … [T]he union is strong and tight-knit and the workers are very dedicated to their work…

—Melissa Lardo, New York

It’s pretty clear that workers will be retaliated against so … I’m trying to set up a model to make the process of filing ULPs or other retaliation charges easier.

—Mariana Padias, California

Organizing

I spent a lot of time interviewing workers and preparing materials that were used as part of the [union’s] organizing efforts.

—Patrick Linsey, Kentucky and Tennessee

This week I was also able to meet with a religious leader in the community…. He signed the letter of support … that we will be sending to the CEO.

—Michelle Owen, Kansas

I went to another leafleting … which went well. I also went to my last in–house meeting. It was again the biggest meeting to date. It seems that momentum is building.

—Renee Medved, West Virginia

All day we make phone calls, get out mailings and in the afternoons and evenings we drive all over and make house visits….

—Dorit Radzin, Washington and Kansas