Tag Archives: Engaging Young Workers

CT AFL-CIO Creates Young Workers Committee

17 Aug

The Connecticut AFL-CIO passed a resolution yesterday at their Biennial Political Convention in Hartford, CT establishing a young workers committee to develop a young workers program that will look both at ways to engage young workers in the labor movement and legislation to push to address the crisis facing young workers in the labor market.  As far as I can tell, this is the second state federation to establish a young workers committee and the first following the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Summit.

Here’s the resolution:

Resolution #15: Support Young Workers

WHEREAS, the continued strength and vitality of the labor movement depends heavily on the ability of younger union members to develop into strong and effective labor leaders; and

WHEREAS, a powerful labor movement can be built only through recognition and inclusion of the full diversity of the labor force, including workers of all ages; and

WHEREAS, the economic crisis has had its most significant impact on young workers, and that combined with the changing nature of work and the lack of union density in industries with many young workers; and

WHEREAS, the National AFL-CIO convened a Young Workers Summit in June to hear from young workers as to the initiatives and programs that will bring young workers into the labor movement at the national, state, and local levels, to which three delegates from Connecticut attended; and

WHEREAS, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO has successfully established a “Futures” program with a Futures Committee and a Futures representative on their Executive Council and Central Labor Councils; and

WHEREAS, the Hartford Central Labor Council has successfully established an “Emerging Leader” seat on their board and appointed a union member under 35 to that position;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Connecticut AFL-CIO establish a Young Workers Committee, which will develop a Young Workers Program for the Connecticut AFL-CIO to help educate affiliated unions on ways to reach out to younger members, recruit younger members into the movement, and draw attention to the unique issues and perspectives of younger workers, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Connecticut AFL-CIO address the crisis that young workers are facing in this recession by supporting legislation that creates jobs and education/training opportunities for those entering the workforce.

AFL-CIO establishes council for young workers

9 Aug

Workday Minnesota reports…

AFL-CIO to establish special council for young workers

By Mark Gruenberg

8 August 2010

WASHINGTON - Responding to demands from its first-ever Youth Summit less than three months ago, the AFL-CIO will establish a special council of young workers from around the country to consider, refine and channel their demands and to help connect the labor movement to young labor.
The council is the most fully developed part of the federation’s increased outreach to youthful workers, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told Press Associates Union News Service and the Bureau of National Affairs in an exclusive Aug. 5 interview at the federation’s Executive Council meeting in downtown Washington.

Shuler, herself only 39, was the prime mover behind the summit — along with data showing union members are older and grayer than the U.S. workforce as a whole. Only 5% of workers aged 18-24 are unionized, compared to 16% of those aged 45-64.

Further, according to the 300 youthful activists at the summit, labor doesn’t know how to reach and involve young workers, needs to adapt to changing non-traditional work environments, and must start 2-way communication, among other things.

Shuler’s report to the council touched on all those issues and more, including the need to educate young workers about unions. “There are a lot of moving parts to this” and it’s still being developed, and will be road-tested through webinars, she said.

“People felt really comfortable with what we recommended,” Shuler said of the other union leaders. “First and foremost, we’re going to establish a Young Worker National Advisory Committee, drawing on the participants from the summit” and other youthful activists named by local unions. The committee will sift through the summit’s recommendations, investigate best practices for drawing young workers in, and propose concrete actions unions can take to bring in and encourage young activists.

“And the committee is going to look at all our programs (her emphasis) through the eyes of young workers” to see if they’re effective, and if not, how to change them. Shuler said. The advisory council “is also responsible for starting” the 2-way dialogue.

Youth summit participants also noted young workers are in different arrange-ments from traditional ones unions are used to. The new arrangements include part-time work, contract work, work from home — what the young workers call “the pajama class” — and free-lance work. Unions must figure out how to both organize and benefit workers in those new arrangements. The committee will handle that task, too.

Recruiting and involving younger unionists also involves mentoring, the summit participants said. Shuler reported her colleagues were surprisingly receptive to the idea, but warned the local level may be another story. There, mentoring and participation opportunities — such as holding union office or serving as a national convention delegate — often go to older veteran members who worked their way up.

“Don’t just give me a mentor and a program is what we’re saying,” Shuler said. “I want to be able to pick the mentor, help develop the program and have 2-way communication. And another thing is that union meetings are boring and need to be turned into educational opportunities” that appeal to members, she added.

Mark Gruenberg writes for Press Associates, Inc., news service. Used by permission.

Young Transport Workers Demand Recognition

6 Aug

Young transport workers worldwide are looking for greater recognition and voice in their unions.  At this week’s International Transport Workers’ Federation congress, young delegates held their own one-day conference to brainstorm ways to address to young workers issues both in the workplace and in the movement.  The ITF formed a young workers steering committee in 2006 and have been supportive of their work since.  But, young workers still do not have a formal voice in the federation, and they introduced a constitutional amendment that would give them that recognition.  (The vote is on Aug 12.)  To push for the amendment they created this great video chronicling their work over the past four years:

Young transport workers seek formal ITF status

5 August 2010

Young transport workers are urging the ITF Congress to formally recognise them as a fully fledged part of the ITF’s structures. Formal recognition within the ITF constitution would give the young workers – representing the under-35s – similar status as the ITF women transport workers’ committee.

An amendment to the constitution which would put the recommendation of the young transport workers into effect is scheduled for debate at the Congress plenary session on Thursday (12 August).

A youth steering committee was set up following the 2006 Congress and has since been building a network of young active transport trade unionists around the world.

At this week’s conference in Mexico City, speakers stressed that greater participation by young workers was an essential tool in the objective of building strong unions and international solidarity.

The one-day conference was welcomed by ITF president Randall Howard and general secretary David Cockroft, who commended steering committee members for their hard work.

The more than 100 delegates watched a film produced by the ITF about the work of the steering committee. They later broke into working groups to consider five topics: climate change, precarious work, strengthening the ITF’s young workers’ network, organising and campaigning and making the work of young activists relevant to young workers in the workplace.

ITF youth officer Ingo Marowsky said afterwards that he was delighted with the level of support for the conference and the participation of delegates. “It was a very positive event, which clearly underlined the point that young transport workers are not the future, they are here now and eager to play their part in the trade union movement both nationally and internationally.”

He added: “We are on our way to enabling our young members to play their part in implementing the Strong Unions – Sustainable Transport strategy.”

MN AFL-CIO Young Workers Roundtable in Photos

30 Jul

On Wednesday, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler joined young workers with the Minnesota AFL-CIO to discuss ways to make the labor movement work for them.  Courtesy of a young activist, cursedthing, here are some photos from the event:

MA JwJ Youth Organizing Summit

29 Jul

On Saturday, August 14, 2010 young workers, generally 18-24 yrs. old, and their allies will gather in Southeastern Massachusetts to start building a stronger voice for our area’s future.

Why Young Workers?
Because they are hit the hardest by the current economic conditions. Youth unemployment is much
higher than the regional average, wages are stagnant, no health benefits, housing is out of reach, and because they deserve jobs more than minimum wage.

Youth Organizing Summit 2010 featuring rapper Tem Blessed.

The Youth Organizing Summit is focused on organizing to share ideas, building communities, and simply gaining strength by organizing together. Act now, you can’t afford to wait, and your communities can’t afford to wait. There will be an opportunity to focus on workshops and discuss the actions needed to take to demand. These workshops are: Impact of CORI Reform, Music and Social Movement, Organizing for Jobs and Justice, Building the Perfect Resume.

Register here for the 2010 Summit and the workshops or call for more information: 508-999-8007.

Please join us for food, fun, music and movement building on Saturday, August 14th from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the UMass Dartmouth Woodland Commons. As we work to identify hurdles, search for solutions and build the young worker movement! (park in Parking Lot 7).

Directions: UMass Dartmouth directions – Google Maps
 Parking: Park in Lot 7, take the shuttle to Woodland Commons. Please see the campus map for details.

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