Young Workers, AFL-CIO Leaders Build for Future at Summit

by Mike Hall, Jun 11, 2010

The best person to reach out to, communicate with and educate people about the union movement, is “a passionate, militant, committed union member…[and] someone who looks like you,” said a young Communications Workers of America (CWA) member during a question-and-answer session at the opening of the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Summit this morning.

The back-and-forth between AFL-CIO leaders and the 400 young workers from around the nation was a two-way street. AFL-CIO union leaders asked the young workers questions about their concerns, ideas and vision for the labor movement’s future and the audience questioned AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker.

The kick-off session of the three-day conference in Washington, D.C., was webcast live and viewers were able to join in an interactive discussion. Shuler told the young activists and leaders:

This is not just a three-day meeting, with a couple of receptions and some speakers. This is the birth of change and you are the change makers. We’re going to be picking your brains and working together for three days.

Today and over the weekend the young workers will take part in workshops and breakout groups with policy experts, labor leaders, student activists, community allies and a couple of political comedians and professional athletes.

The workshops are focused on topics identified by young workers across the country, such as communications, organizing and mobilizing, issues facing this generation and integrating young workers into the union movement.

Shuler identified several key areas where the labor movement must develop effective and relevant strategies to reach younger workers and build the movement.

“We need to communicate in new ways—using cutting edge technology and messages that appeal to younger people. We need to open up leadership opportunities and provide more mentoring. We need to do a better job of educating the public about the labor movement—who we are and what we do—especially in the schools. We need to adapt our structure and be more open to organizing unconventional industries.”

She also got the morning’s first laugh when she followed up on the “unconventional industries” point.

You may have heard the UFCW just organized the medical marijuana facilities in California.

Trumka, who said the workers at the summit “are the faces of change, the future of American labor,” outlined the corporate and political assault of the past three decades that has stripped workers of the freedom to join unions, instilled fear, shipped jobs overseas and more recently shattered the economy.

While he said, “I believe we can and will fix a lot of this—and I want you to believe that and fight for that with me,” he also said:

But quite frankly, our economy will not return to the 1950s. The global economy is here to stay. You’re not going to have the economy your parents and grandparents knew. You’re not going to get a job and retire from it 30 years later. Heck, you probably don’t want to.

Maybe the economy has changed beneath us, but we’ve got to find sure footing. Our charge—your charge—is to build a new foundation. To rebuild power for America’s workers.

And whatever the job, whatever the problem, this we know: There is no better way to face it; there is no better way to solve it, than together, with a collective voice.

In an instant electronic poll, summit participants were asked which of five options were the most important effective way cut through corporate and media clutter about unions and reach out to workers not in unions, and energize union workers who are sitting on the sidelines.

Better education, both in schools and within unions themselves, about what the union movement does from wages and benefit to social activism was the top choice at 36.7 percent. It was followed by creating a better image of unions (22.1 percent), better mentoring of young union members, organizing non-traditional industries (9.4) and greater reliance on social media to communicate (7 percent).

Alan Oder, an online commenter, wrote:

We must reeducate people about labor unions and what they do for workers’ rights, fair labor practices, contracts, health insurance. We need an education power push, because of all the anti-union labor ads, the millions have been spent on by companies and large corporations…[union members] need to get involved become an activist, labor organizer, steward and make a stronger union labor workforce once again.

A member of Jobs with Justice said hat new media, such as Twitter, Facebook and texting, are certainly useful tools, but “you still need to go face-to-face and put in the time.” Her point was echoed by another instant poll in which 78 percent of the conferees said a combination of social media, traditional media and personal contact is the best way to communicate.

Shuler told the young workers, “I firmly believe that there is no better way to make America’s economy work for us individually and for all people who work for a living than with a union.”

I believe there is no better way to build a powerful voice for your values and for your generation than through unions. I know it. You know it. But there are a lot of young people out there who don’t know it. And are we OK with that? That’s why we’re here—what are YOU going to do to change it? Get ready, Next Up—it’s time to make it happen.

The Next Up Young Workers Summit wraps up Sunday morning as the young workers and union leaders discuss and adopt the essential elements the summit will develop for “A Blueprint for Our Future.”

For more information, click here. Don’t forget to go to the Next Up Facebook page to connect with other young union members and activists and join the conversation. And join the AFL-CIO’s text message network by texting AFLCIO to 225568 (data and message rates may apply).

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