Union Leaders Tell President’s Economic Advisory Board: Worker Training Key to Job Creation

Steven Horsford

Daniel Marschall, AFL-CIO Legislative and Policy Specialist for Workforce Issues, reports on union participation in this week’s meeting of the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board.

Unionists from manufacturing, high technology and services industries this week urged the President’s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) to integrate innovative education reforms and best practices in worker training into the Obama administration’s approach to creating jobs and recovering from the recession.

Speaking at a technology meeting sponsored by the newly formed PERAB Education and Training Subcommittee Dec. 16, Matthew McKinnon, director of the Machinists (IAM) Legislative and Political Action Department, emphasized the importance of building an educational system that has a place for technical training, providing multiple pathways for young people and dislocated workers to move into high-skill, family sustaining jobs.

Kevin Celata, training administrator for the CWA/NETT Academy of the Communications Workers of America, described the academy’s work with community colleges and stressed the value of worker involvement in the decision-making process of what courses are offered.

In the services/retail meeting, Steven Horsford, chief executive officer of the Culinary Training Academy in Las Vegas, talked about the power of bringing employers, labor unions and educators together into regional and industry partnerships that can provide essential training to incumbent workers, helping them move into well-paying jobs. The academy, which serves some 3,000 workers per year, is funded from cents-per-hour contributions from collective bargaining agreements negotiated with UNITEHERE! local unions, the Culinary Union Local 226, Bartenders Local 165 and major resort and gaming properties in Las Vegas.

The meetings featured representatives from major corporations, top administration officials and leading foundations. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka was appointed by President Obama to serve on the full board. Results of eight meetings of the Education and Training Subcommittee will be synthesized into a report to the board, to inform the president’s job creation agenda.

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