Green told me that student participants at Union Summer are taught the fine art of soundbites and snappy comebacks. When asked whether union dues should be used for political purposes, they learn to argue that union money goes for education and that companies use their profits for politics. Or, if someone defends the right to work against compulsory unionism, they are taught to shift the debate to what is fair and whether workers should get benefits if they don't contribute to their collective bargaining unit. Summeristas spend lots of time trying to persuade workers to join unions and convincing community groups to support unionization drives. Training culminates in practical experience.
Unions gain a lot by pulling in college students.
Many also have a working knowledge of Spanish, which is vital as unions target recent immigrants, including illegal immigrants. Class consciousness and class warfare indoctrination is alive and well in today's labor movement. During the first two weeks of Union Summer in 1998, program attendees spent time phone banking for Democratic candidates. Naturally, Republicans need not apply to Union Summer. When I submitted an application, I stated very clearly that I was a Republican, but an advocate for unions.