Labor & Employment Law

AFL-CIO Shifts Young Worker Outreach Into High Gear

By James Parks

A  new survey shows young workers are worse off this year than they were last year. And the AFL-CIO is ratcheting up its outreach program to connect with the next generation of workers.   

The survey, commissioned by the AFL-CIO to update a 2009 study, shows young workers are more likely to be working part time, if at all, and have fewer resources to fall back on than they did just last year.  

Only 52 percent of young workers surveyed said that they have enough savings to cover their living expenses for two months or more, compared with 60 percent in 2009. Sixty percent report being concerned about their futures, compared with 41 percent last year. Many also are concerned they will fare worse than previous generations when they reach retirement age. Read the updated survey report, ?Young Workers: A Lost Decade, One Year Later,? here.

This survey follows other reports that show global youth unemployment has reached record levels, prompting the international union movement to call on world leaders to make jobs the highest policy priority.

In these tough economic times, young workers need more than ever to know the value of collective action and be connected with unions, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told a telephone press conference this afternoon. Shuler is spearheading the AFL-CIO?s outreach to young workers. She told reporters:   

I strongly believe the young worker outreach is the key to labor?s potential and we have to be creative and deliberate. With the economy being what it is, young workers feel disenfranchised and it?s up to us to take on this work and move it forward.  

Based on recommendations developed during the first-ever Next Up Youth Summit in June (see video above), the AFL-CIO will establish a National Young Worker Advisory Council to advise the federation’s Executive Council on the short-term and long-term goals of the young workers? outreach program.

Shuler says one of the points that came through loud and clear at the summit, is that ”young workers really want to be a part of the structure and have a meaningful role in their unions.”

The advisory council is one of 10 steps the federation will take to expand the outreach program, Shuler said. Other steps include developing a mentoring model for bringing experienced union leaders and young workers together to learn from each other. The young leaders also will be involved in the Labor 2010 mobilization, participating in and even leading some local activities, Shuler said.

Working with AFT and other unions, the federation will develop new ways to include curricula about unions in clasrooms around the country and to build a stronger presence on college campuses, Shuler said. 

Check out all the planned steps here.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on October 13, 2010 (boomark / email).