Developing the Next Generation of Union Members

by Seth Michaels, Sep 14, 2009

One of the breakout panels at the AFL-CIO Convention this afternoon focused on the critical issue of leadership development among the next generation of union members. Delegates chose from eight breakout panels focusing on issues key to building a stronger union movement, stronger economy and stronger America. Here’s what a few of the participants in the next generation breakout panel had to say:

Liz McLoone of the Southeast Minnesota Area Labor Federation said she was interested in the discussion of how more experienced members can reach out to new members.

“I went to the panel on how to recruit and encourage younger people to get involved with the leadership of the labor movement, because that‘s something I’m going to take back to my leadership, because they’re always asking me, how do I get new people involved?

“I want to propose to them that they take on a new member, in their local, because they have that access to them on the job, day by day, and monitor and mentor those people.”

Larry Thomas, a Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) member, said the building trades were once able to do outreach in schools, which is missing now:

I thought the panel was excellent, because that’s exactly what we need, more youth.

What I would like to have seen come up is having programs in the schools, especially high schools, because that’s how the building trades traditionally introduced people to the union.

Peggy Kramer, a Minnesota AFSCME member, is nearing retirement and looking to keep her union strong in the future by getting new employees interested in union leadership:

I’m interested to see how to get those people involved. I think I did learn about some of those ways today.

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