Tag Archives: Young Trade Unionists Baltimore

Guest Post: A Young Worker’s Plight in a Struggling Economy

27 Jan

A Young Worker’s Plight in a Struggling Economy

By: Cory McCray, Young Trade Unionists

As we all continue to hear that the unemployment rate for workers is fewer than 10%, have we taken the time to really understand the future of the young worker that’s unemployment rate has been stated to linger around 20%? Among major demographic groups in the U.S., the jobless rates for young men (20.5 percent), young African-Americans (33.4 percent), and young Asian-Americans (21.6 percent) continued to rise from a year earlier. The unemployment rates for young women (17.5 percent), young Caucasians (16.2 percent), and young Hispanics (22.1 percent) hardly changed the BLS reports.

To most this can be considered challenging or troubling, and that is because it is. The reality is that you’re competing in a workforce where people with 15 or 20 years of experience are fighting for the same job. There is almost a 20% unemployment rate amongst construction industries across the states for young workers that want to join apprenticeship programs; for those young workers that decided to go to college only to be disappointed with the unrevealing possibilities in the job market; for the young workers that have found some type of employment in this bad job market, research has shown that they are earning 17.5% less than their counterparts in a good economy. Research shows that this can adversely affect young workers for seventeen years of their life. As we deal with underemployment and less benefits than our parents generation. We are at a point in time where businesses are demonizing pensions to institute “save your own retirements 401K slaves”.

The point of the story is that it is heartbreaking to see my other young friends and families have to deal with this epidemic that is out of our control. I have heard parents and elders repeatedly say “We are doing this for the future” or “We are laying down the ground work for the next generation”. Well the moral is that our elders created this mess and it’s getting worse, but we are going to have to be the ones that stand up, take responsibility, and fix it.

First, we have to be diligent in purchasing Made in America products, remember these are our family, friend, or own jobs that we might be saving. This must be executed with our cars, clothes, food, and even cleaning products. Second, we have to strive to receive the best education and training available to compete with the innovation from other countries. A high school diploma is no longer acceptable like past generations to make a good wage, affordable benefits, and a dependable retirement. We have to obtain college degrees or apprenticeship training certificates to be competitive in this job market, never miss the opportunity to obtain a great education. Finally, we have to stand up for conditions that our parents are giving up such as a living wage, pensions, safety conditions, and affordable health care.

I watched a movie last night that was called Wall Street “Money Never Sleeps”. In the beginning of the movie the star called my generation NINJA’s (No Income, No Jobs, No Assets). Young Workers I challenge you not to relax like the previous generations, but to survive, learn, and fight such as generations from the Great Depression of 1928. We have the power to enact change and stimulate this great country we call America!

Netroots Nation Young Workers Panel

26 Jul

On Friday at Netroots Nation, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler led a panel of three young grassroots labor activists on “Taking Charge of Our Future“.  As Maria Escobar of the Student Labor Action Project commented, the economic crisis makes this the ideal time to build a young workers movement.  She has seen the student-worker connection grow stronger as more students leave higher education to enter the workforce because of skyrocketing tuition, and more workers go back to school to learn new skills because of the employment situation.

Shuler began the discussion by noting the precarious state of young workers in the labor market and the efforts of the AFL-CIO, but the conversation quickly evolved into how can the labor movement better engage young activists.  The panelists themselves represent the varied ways young workers get involved:

  • Sara Flocks, who founded Young Workers United based in San Francisco, became an activist because she held a variety of low-paying service-sector jobs before working for a union and learning all of the benefits of a union contract.  After looking around and seeing her friends caught in a “Bermuda triangle” of going to college so they could get a good job, but unable to pay for college because they were living on a service-sector job salary, she decided that something must be done.  She began with conversations and workplace organizing, which spread to political organizing and then involving more workers through community college organizing.
  • Cory McCray, of Young Trade Unionists in Baltimore, was an apprentice in the trades who noticed that the union gave him greater wages and benefits than his friends had in non-union workplaces.  One day the seasoned (i.e. older) leadership of the labor council brought a group of young workers together and asked them to lead an effort to engage young workers so everyone recognizes the economic benefits McCray already did.  Within a week it was up and running.  Now the group holds monthly meetings that are “fun and interesting”, but also bring young people across industries together to build solidarity.
  • Escobar grew up in a working-class, immigrant household.  As a student at Florida State University she connected with the workers on campus because she understood their struggle and led other students in economic justice campaigns.  SLAP is a joint initiative of the United States Student Association and United Students Against Sweatshops that works on supporting campus worker contract fights, living wage campaigns, anti-budget cut battles, and general economic justice awareness campaigns.

So what were the magic words of wisdom?  What is the silver-bullet?

There is none.  Flocks made the important point that the one-on-one conversations are necessary, but so is making a real difference in the lives of the members.  By first leading workplace organizing in restaurants and malls to win back wages, end sexual harassment, and prevent the abuse of immigrant workers, YWU built trust and had real success.  From there they were able to mobilize their members politically to “vote themselves a raise”.  Workplace organizing victories will only get them so far, but by winning an increase in the living wage, paid sick days, and health care for all in San Francisco they were able to help out many more workers.  Now they even have one of their own running for office!

McCray made the point that YouTube helps get the message out if videos are kept short and to the point, like their recent film: Young Trade Unionists Join Forces.  He also made the point that to re-brand the movement, unions need to do a better job of getting out into the community.  To which Shuler agreed and noted the work many of the trades do with Habitat for Humanity.

With regard to the work of SLAP, Shuler made the great point that very often unions rely on students and young activists for help when there are contract issues, but it needs to be more of a two-way street.  The labor movement needs to better partner with many of the organizations out there that are already engaging young people whether around student aid issues, or the environment, or whatever.

Perhaps the most important point for those in the 60 person crowd looking for inspiration was made by McCray: Young Trade Unionists is 100% volunteer.  Folks wanting to figure out how to make their organization work should not worry so much about economic resources.  If you see the need for a young workers organization, just make it happen.  That’s the real answer to the “how” question.

You can watch the panel here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8465000.

AFL Continues Outreach to Young Workers

22 Jul

Good news, the AFL-CIO’s outreach to young workers with two events over the next week!  The first is tomorrow at  Netroots Nation where Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler will join Tula Connell, the AFL’s media director, Maria Escobar, of the Student-Labor Action Project, Sara Flocks, with the California Labor Federation and Young Workers United, and Cory McCray, with Young Trade Unionists of Baltimore.   The event can be watched live on the Netroots Nation stream.

Young Workers: Taking Charge of Our Future

Friday, July 23rd 3:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Panel, Brasilia 1

More than a third of workers age 35 and under cannot pay the bills; seven in 10 do not have enough saved to cover two months of living expenses; and a third are forced to live at home with their parents. How can young workers avoid becoming the nation’s new underclass? Hear from panelists who are taking charge of their economic future by forming coalitions and networking with unions to reshape the traditional structure of workplace-based unions and reach young people where they’re at, while building on the power of collective bargaining. Find out how you can take part in a grassroots mobilization that’s shaking up the traditional face of the labor movement.

The second event features Shuler talking with young union members in Minnesota as a follow-up to the Next Up Summit in DC last month:

Young Workers Roundtable with AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler

July 28, 2010 – 4:00pm – 6:00pm

How can we reach young workers and build the labor movement ? How can young union members shape their unions? How can we build upon what so many others fought for to protect working families? How can we take advantage of technology to communicate with union members?

Curious? These are some of the questions that will be asked at the Young Workers Roundtable Discussion hosted by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler on July 28. Sponsored by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, this event builds upon the Next Up Summit held in Washington, D.C. in June that brought hundreds of young union members together to discuss the same questions. Minnesota’s union members are ready to take it to the next level through this discussion and design a program that local unions can use to engage locals and bring the young worker’s voice to the table.

If you are a union member between the ages of 18-35 and would like to participate in this discussion, please contact Jessica Hayssen, Field Coordinator at the Minnesota AFL-CIO, at 651-261-8559 or jhayssen@mnaflcio.org by July 19.

Videos of Young Workers Fighting

2 Jul

ITUC Young Workers’ Solidarity Picket.
During the International Trade Union Confederation General Assembly meeting a few weeks ago, young workers from around the world joined their Canadian brothers and sisters in picketing at Hertz.  COPE (Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union) were on strike for five-months and just earlier this week came to a fair contract.  Maybe it was the support of all these young workers that made the difference:

Young Trade Unionists Join Forces.
In late March, the IBEW reached out to the Young Trade Unionists in Baltimore and asked what they could do to help the future of the labor movement.  The result was an effort to show the world the great work of the Young Trade Unionists, here is the video.  Watch it, then send it around:

AFSCME Generations.
Earlier this week, we posted on AFSCME Next Wavers being featured with their Retirees program at their International Convention this week.  Here is a great video they put together showing how the generations can learn a lot from each other:

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