Dave Kamper
Unions that don't organize die. It's as simple as that. By increasing member engagement within our union, we can tap into our collective power and become far more effective and capable than we are now.
Introduce yourself and where you work.
I’m Dave Kamper, and I work for the Economic Policy Institute as a Senior Policy Strategist. I’m a steward in EPI United and have been on of our bargaining team. I came to EPI in 2021 after a long career in the labor movement. I’m proud to be running for VP of Organizing as part of the Members for a Democratic Union reform caucus. We are committed to a democratic, transparent, and growing union.
I am eager to help put our principles into practice. By increasing member engagement within our union, we can tap into our collective power and become far more effective and capable than we are now. I live in Minnesota and am a cat dad.
Why do you want to run for this position?
Unions that don’t organize die. It’s as simple as that. We are tiny islands of (relative) safety surrounded by a sea of unorganized nonprofits. So long as there are too few of us, we face constant threats to our own position, and we lack the ability to influence the whole sector. We need to organize more workers to improve the lives of all nonprofit employees.
As a volunteer with the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee, I have seen dozens of nonprofit workplaces look to unionize, only to find that there is no union currently interested in taking them on. NPEU should be - needs to be - that union. Starbucks workers, the News Guild, and the political campaigns of Bernie Sanders have demonstrated the efficacy and efficiency of distributed models of organizing based around member volunteers. NPEU has amazing, smart, committed members. I will establish a member-run Organizing Committee and recruit members to take on new organizing campaigns and tap the collective experience of our members to help new unit get first contracts without imposing ridiculous burdens on NPEU staff.
What does being in a union, and specifically being an NPEU member, mean to you?
The only plausible long-term way to stop incipient fascism in this country is the development of durable institutions of worker power, and NPEU has a special role to play as the representative of some of the most capable and committed advocates for change in the whole labor movement. I am where I am because of unions. I signed my first union card in 1997, first became a union steward in 1998, and went on my first strike in 2001. My whole career has been in the labor movement, 20 years with unions and with EPI since 2021.
What experiences have you had that have prepared you for this position?
I’ve been involved in dozens of organizing campaigns in my career, both internal and external, as a union staffer for twenty years, in Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Minnesota. I’ve helped thousands of workers form unions. I’ve helped negotiate dozens of contracts, and led strikes, sit-ins, and other direct actions. I’ve trained, mentored, and supported members in organizing, bargaining, and building power. I have an MS in Labor Studies from the University of Massachusetts and a PhD in History from Illinois. I can hit the ground running in this role.
What qualities do you believe make you a strong candidate for this position?
First, I’m a team player. I’m committed to making sure my work on the NPEU Executive Board is collaborative and comradely. As a white, cisgender, middle-class male, I have a responsibility to check my privilege and make sure that all voices and perspectives are heard, respected, and empowered. My colleagues at EPI can attest to my commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and my ability to work on a team.
Second, I’ve got strong personal connections with some of the best organizing unions in the country right now, including Starbucks Workers United, the Association of Flight Attendants, the News Guild, UE, and the United Auto Workers, as well as with great labor organizations like Labor Notes and the Emergency Workplace Organizing Committee (EWOC). If elected, I will work to bring these folks in to help us, teach us what they’ve done that works, and secure their support for our efforts. I believe this is a competitive advantage I bring to the position of VP of Organizing and I would love to harness my network and skills to advance NPEU.
What goals would you like to focus on or accomplish over the next 2 years if elected?
First and foremost, NPEU needs to get organizing again. The current leadership has effectively decided to pause most new organizing efforts, mostly because of concern over staff workloads. While that’s a very legitimate thing to be thinking about - having been a union staffer for many years, you can rest assured that I will always work to treat our staff with respect – it’s a short-sighted view that neglects our most powerful resource, our members.
As I note above, if elected I will establish an Organizing Committee to support member-led efforts to organize new bargaining units. We will open our doors to nonprofit workers looking for solidarity.
I will also join my comrades in NPEU Members for a Democratic Union and build a more transparent, democratic, and engaged union. We will ensure that all members know what their union is doing and have a chance to offer their opinions and ideas. We will make sure the whole Executive Board is involved in key decisions. We will adopt policies to guarantee member participation, make us the kind of employer we want everyone to be, and to enable us to speak with one voice on pressing issues in this country and around the world. I ask for your vote and look forward to the opportunity to serve.