U N I O N S
AFL-CIO Mobilizes Young Workers
Elizabeth Shuler and Daniel Marschall
he future of the American AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka labor movement depends told delegates at the federation’s 2009 on mobilizing young work- convention.1 “These men and women Ters and repositioning unions need a strong voice. But when they look so that they are more appeal- at unions, they don’t ing to young people across see themselves—only demographic groups and oc- “The labor movement a grainy, faded pic- cupations. The AFL-CIO sees ture from another Elizabeth Shuler and Daniel Marschall can’t ask the next youth outreach as imperative time. The labor to its future. The federation movement can’t ask AFL-CIO’s youth movement is embedding it in organizing the next generation strategies, issue campaigns, and of workers to change public policies that will revital- how they earn their voice. ize unions and widen the path- model of trade unionism. living to fit our mod- ways to collective action for all el of trade union- to attract, educate, involve, and empower No!” workers. Yet the task of reshap- ism. No! We have —Richard Trumka ing union structures and revis- to change our ap- ing traditions to be more rele- proach to organizing vant to the Millennial Generation, which and representation to better meet their includes those born between the early needs. And we will!” 1980s and early 2000s, is a challenging Unions and young workers need each one. Since 2009, the AFL-CIO has made other. Young people need the influence a concerted effort to take on this chal- and institutional power of unions to lenge, supporting counteract the many economic and social an ongoing initia- problems that challenge their generation. tive that is engag- Unions need young people to replace the ing and preparing members who are retiring and aging out young trade union- of the workforce, to contribute new ideas ists nationwide for and approaches, to engage in political leadership roles. action, and to become active in issue cam- “We need a paigns, such as raising wages. Without the unionism that influence of unions—the AFL-CIO alone Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO makes sense to the represents some 12.5 million workers in president next generation,” 56 international unions and its commu-
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The AFL-CIO initiative developed in ahead financially and were less likely two stages, starting with demonstrating to work in jobs in which they received the need for a program and building sup- health care benefits and paid leave. Con- port among affiliated unions. That phase ditions were especially precarious for was guided by the analysis of survey low-income minority workers, 70 per- results and the forward-looking activities cent of whom lacked sufficient savings of a state labor federation. Once the in- to cover two months of living expenses. stitutional pieces were in place, stage two Though these financial difficulties focused on building the capacity of young contributed to a drop in optimism about worker groups from the ground up. the future, other attitudes suggested that young people are open to the sort of col- Stage One: Identifying the Challenge lective action advocated by unions. Near- and Building Support ly 75 percent of young workers called A 2009 poll found that workers under for improvements on the job. A majority the age of 35 were struggling to get agreed that employees were more likely
nity affiliate, Working America —groups Timeline of AFL-CIO Young Worker Initiative of young workers face the prospect of Date Activity confronting corporate power as isolated individuals, rather than as a collective Young Workers: A Lost Decade force. The economic and social problems facing the Millennial Generation are well documented. Unemployment levels remain high among young workers. Dur- ing the 2009–2011 period, 56 percent of participants 22-year-old recent college graduates were underemployed, working jobs that do not require a college degree. 2 A Demos study found that 5.7 million workers between the ages of 18 and 34 were unemployed in 2012, with another 4.7 million underemployed (working part- time or dropping out of the labor force altogether). 3 High unemployment and the tendency for more young workers to be employed in low-wage jobs have led to greater numbers living with their par- ents and a delay in their ability to start their own households. Unemployment among the young is “hitting them at a time when it’s really important for them to step into adult- hood,” explains AFL-CIO Young Work- er Program Coordinator Tahir Duckett. “Not buying their first house, living at home with their parents—that’s a drag on the entire economy.” 4
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to get workplace problems solved when immigration reform that appeal to young Some of the most compelling dis- they approach employers as a group activists. cussions, she said, emerged from the rather than as isolated individuals.5 Attendees expressed their commit- event’s “Unconference” feature that al- Other polls during the 2007–2009 ment to going home and recruiting other lowed participants to propose workshop period concluded that Millennials tended young people. Activists from Oregon, sessions on the fly and determine which to view unions as important institutions for example, left the Next Up conference attracted the greatest shared interest by that are necessary to protect workers and to form Young Emerging Labor Leaders voting. Participants supported the mes- help them obtain their fair share of gains (YELL), which brought together activ- sage of Occupy Wall Street, marched in in productivity.6 ists from fourteen unions at their own solidarity with local public transit work- In Massachusetts, labor leaders had convention that year. Since then, YELL ers, and explored growing ties between been active in Frontlash, a 1980s AFL- has participated in workers’ rights hear- the labor and environmental movements. CIO youth group, and recognized the ings, volunteered in election campaigns, The California delegation alone com- need to convene young activists and defended public employee rights, demon- prised fifty young activists from at least cultivate aspiring leaders. State officials strated against anti-union corporations, ten unions who agreed to establish a proposed a youth outreach program to and created space for young union mem- statewide young workers program.8 build an engaged community of young bers to hone their leadership skills. With two national summits, an of- unionists. During its inaugural Futures ficial advisory body, a comprehensive Convention in early 2008, participants toolkit to guide local groups, and the from across Massachusetts heard stories continued support by the AFL-CIO’s top about how seasoned leaders had become officers, the initiative had established committed to trade unionism, listened to the infrastructure necessary for young speeches from elected officials, planned worker groups to blossom. More than social activities, and elected a young forty young worker groups now are unionist to sit on the Massachusetts active in twenty-four states across the AFL-CIO Executive Council. Futures country, according to the AFL-CIO’s Ta- Conventions have continued annually hir Duckett. While the groups align their since then. work on issues with national AFL-CIO Drawing upon the enthusiasm and priorities, they are also immersed in lo- A report on the first summit was pre- interest generated by their Futures Com- cal struggles and devising creative ways sented to the AFL-CIO Executive Coun- mittee, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO pro- to attract young unionists. Washington’s cil, which agreed that year to host anoth- posed a resolution at the 2009 AFL-CIO YELL holds paintball fights for members. er summit, establish a National Young convention to train young leaders and Chicago’s Young Workers sponsors a la- Workers Advisory Council (YWAC), “actively develop initiatives and pro- bor history pub crawl. Baltimore’s Young prepare a toolkit to guide young worker grams aimed at bringing young workers Trade Unionists holds a career day for groups, and engage in other media and into the labor movement” at all levels. high school students and sponsors an an- organizing activities that would spread Delegates embraced the resolution. nual stewards and awards dinner. the groups to multiple locations.7 To kick off the national young work- And by building community and a When the YWAC convened, its mem- er program, the AFL-CIO sponsored a sense of purpose, some young work- bers learned about the formation of number of regional listening sessions in er groups already have contributed to young worker groups in several areas spring 2010, building momentum for the impressive victories. In Boston, young and began to plan the second Next Up first Next Up Young Workers Summit workers played an important role in the Summit, which drew some 800 union that summer. That gathering attracted election of Elizabeth Warren to the U.S. activists to Minneapolis. Sara Steffens of 400 participants, who began a conversa- Senate. They targeted young workers for Communication Workers of America Dis- tion about how to involve young people persuasion and turnout while using the trict 9 reported that this meeting “didn’t in the labor movement and drew up a election period to build their organiza- feel like your average union conference,” game plan for training the next gen- tion and establish partnerships. By elec- with alternative music blaring between eration of leaders. Attendees offered a tion day, they had mobilized 135 young speeches, a smartphone app supplement- variety of proposals, from pushing for workers, contacted more than 3,000 vot- ing the paper agenda, and participants live college tuition reduction and health care ers in neighborhoods, and communicated tweeting their reactions to speakers. portability to focusing on causes such as with more than 1,700 by phone.
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In Minnesota, the young worker munity health clinic. Young that began to build a plat- group has partnered with students, a form to guide further action.10 workers also participated in worker center, and other activist organi- Nearly fifty influential young an activist art project, paint- zations to fight back against aggressive policy leaders met in May ing cardboard cutouts of foreclosing of homes in their community, 2013 and identified major workers and then joining a demonstrating to compel banks such challenges, including the rising multi-generational effort to as Wells Fargo to meet with affected cost of post-secondary educa- deposit about 150 of these homeowners. Young labor activists have tion, the difficulties faced by reaffirmed their cutouts in prominent public helped to organize home care work- young people in finding jobs, places. ers and adjunct faculty members, for and the prevalence of contin- commitment to Convention delegates re- example, to participate in the Raise the gent and precarious work that affirmed their commitment Wage Minnesota campaign. When the makes young workers vulner- to youth outreach, passing 2014 legislative session closed, young able to workplace exploitation. The fo- a resolution of recognition workers celebrated the first raise in the rum concluded that government poli- and support for “youth-oriented strate- state minimum wage in ten years. cies need to be oriented toward raising gic initiatives and partnerships developed And in San Jose, California, young wages, strengthening social protection nationally, in workplaces, on campuses, workers partnered with community al- programs, and ensuring that affordable and in concert with a broad array of lies, student groups, and the central labor higher education is accessible to workers like-minded student, youth, advocacy, council to push for a ballot measure to at all stages of their lives. and community organizations.” The con- raise the minimum wage—a measure vention recognized the YWAC as the they eventually won with 59 percent of AFL-CIO’s Young Worker Organization, the vote. a representative of which would assume To follow up the national summit a seat on the General Board. The resolu- meetings, YWAC organized the first of tion established the goal of tripling the two Young Worker Leadership Institutes number of young worker groups by (YWLI) in Washington, D.C. Sixty-two 2017.11 participants in the August 2012 work- The standing of young worker groups shop received hands-on training in orga- has ebbed and flowed since that 2013 nizing and developed a strategic plan to convention. Many have flourished, become involved in issue and organizing strengthening their relationship with state campaigns. labor federations and central labor coun- For Daniella Castro, an engineer and cils, becoming the chief mechanism for activist in Next Generation Bay Area, establishing alliances with other youth attending the YWLI was her first ex- groups and fueling issue campaigns for perience with unionism. “The young Stage Two: Spreading Young Worker fair wages and a sustainable economy workers at the YWLI were really in- Groups with shared prosperity. Others have ex- spiring,” she told Rebecca Band of the The enthusiasm of young worker activ- perienced challenges as leadership has California Labor Federation. “Somehow ists was incorporated into the 2013 AFL- transitioned into more responsibility at these young men and women manage to CIO convention, held in Los Angeles, work or at home. A Cornell University work hard, play hard, and still find time where the YWAC sponsored a Young study found that the future of the young to raise a family. I believe this group of Workers Speak Up! action session that worker groups would depend on wheth- young people has the potential to rock included an open dialogue about how er they were able to craft a sustainable this labor movement … and I learned to adapt union strategies to youth con- model, navigate the complex relation- that the people up top at the AFL-CIO cerns and “utilize creative organizing ships endemic to a turbulent labor move- want this change, and they will support strategies to bridge the generation gap.” ment, and develop greater clarity about us in working towards it.”9 The YWAC hosted a Hunt for Justice their strategic vision so that their activi- To elevate the concerns of young that took young union members onto ties could be scaled up and influence the workers in policy circles, the AFL-CIO the streets of L.A. to support car wash direction of the entire labor movement. 12 and youth organizations sponsored a workers’ organizing efforts and learn With a sharper vision for the direc- Youth Economic Policy Forum (YEPF) about their collaboration with a com- tion of the program, the second YWLI Continued on page 103
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convened in June 2014 and trained and the value of the worker starts with nial-Driven Economy.” AFL-CIO Now (May 9, 2013). (http://bit.ly/1u2t0sg) young workers on how to better lead our generation joining a union.” 13 organizations that can drive a youth eco- To that end, the AFL-CIO plans to con- 11. AFL-CIO. Resolution 19: “Investing in Our Future: Young Workers and Youth nomic agenda in their communities. Par- tinue to focus on developing young work- Engagement.” (http://bit.ly/1u2t8Im) ticipants received training on leadership ers to lead organizations that can drive a 12. M. Bielski Boris, D. Reynolds, T. Dick- skills, from power analysis and strategic youth economic agenda by supporting af- ey, J. Grabelsky, and K. Margolies. planning to communications and navi- filiate organizing campaigns and pushing 2012. AFL-CIO Young Workers Re- search Project. Washington, DC: AFL- gating labor’s political landscape. political, legislative, and issue campaigns CIO. (http://bit.ly/UhNHQP) Kevin Lux, an IBEW member from that matter to young workers. 13. C. Berkley. 2012 (Apr. 29) “Will Mil- Oregon, called the training “easily the lennials Come Back to Labor?” Huff- most inspiring event I have ever been NOTES ington Post (http://huff.to/UhCyPC). a part of.” The forty participants, rep- 1. Berger Marks Foundation. 2009 (Oct. resenting thirteen international unions, 9). “Trumka Calls for Stepped-Up Or- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS returned home paired up in peer coach- ganizing.” (http://bit.ly/1n3u0XT) ing relationships and armed with work 2. J.R. Abel, R. Dietz, and Y. Su. 2014. The authors thank Katie Corrigan, Tahir plans designed to help them maintain “Are Recent College Graduates Find- Duckett, Charlie Fanning, and Sarah ing Good Jobs?” Current Issues in Lewis for their contributions to this their network and support structure as Economics and Finance, Vol. 20, no. 1, they build agenda-driving organizations pp. 1–8. article. on the ground. These leaders will also re- 3. C. Ruetschlin and T. Draut. 2013. ceive ongoing support from both the Na- Stuck: Young America’s Persistent Jobs Crisis. New York: Demos. (http://bit. tional Young Worker Coordinator and ly/1nWa89Y ) Elizabeth Shuler the Young Worker Advisory Council. 4. A. Greenblatt. “Youth Unemploy- Elizabeth Shuler is the current secretary-treasurer/chief financial ment.” 2014. CQ Researcher, Vol. 24, Will the Millennials Come Back to officer of the AFL-CIO and the first-ever woman elected to the no. 11, p. 243. position. Coming from Portland, Oregon, she has been at the Organized Labor? 5. Peter D. Hart Research Associates. forefront of progressive labor initiatives such as green jobs Carmen Berkley, former executive di- 2009. Young Workers: A Lost Decade . programs and the fight for workers’ rights. Before her election Washington, DC: AFL-CIO and Work- rector of the Generational Alliance and as secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, she worked her way up ing America. now head of the AFL-CIO Civil, Hu- through the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. 6. D. Madland and R. Teixeira. 2009. man and Women’s Rights Department, is New Progressive America: The Mil- Today, she chairs the AFL-CIO Executive Council Committee on hopeful but cognizant of the difficulties lennial Generation. Washington, DC: Finance, oversees the federation’s internal operations, and leads involved in making labor truly relevant Center for American Progress. the federation’s young worker and women’s initiatives and its to contemporary youth. The Millennial 7. AFL-CIO. 2010. “Young Workers: A repositioning efforts. Lost Decade: One Year Later.” (http:// Generation has been raised to turn their bit.ly/UhNHQP) backs on labor unions, she says. “If our 8. S. Steffens. 2011 (Oct. 4). “Next Up: generation stands together and demands Young Workers Unite for a Brighter Daniel Marschall fair working practices, we would not Tomorrow.” Labor’s Edge (http://bit. Daniel Marschall is policy specialist for workforce issues at the only be setting ourselves up for future ly/1rq5T9i) AFL-CIO. His involvement in the nation’s employment and training economic success, but we would [also] 9. R. Band. 2012 (Aug. 24). “Building a New Labor Movement for a New system goes back to the 1980s, when he was the head of the be setting up success for future genera- Generation.” Labor’s Edge . (http://bit. Dislocated Worker Program for the state of Ohio. At the AFL-CIO, tions,” she argues. ly/1oEgYm1) he handles legislation and policy related to federal workforce “Let’s not get it twisted. Labor needs 10. Partner organizations included Cam- development, trade adjustment assistance, layoff aversion, unem- us as much as we need them. As the labor pus Progress, Generational Alliance, ployment insurance, and approaches to worker adjustment. He is movement clings to [its] aging mem- the Young Invincibles, the Roosevelt the author of a 2012 Temple University Press book, The Company Institute Campus Network, and Jobs We Keep: Occupational Community in the High-Tech Network bership, they know they have a lot to with Justice. For a forum description, change. … Transformation of the econ- see R.T. Barden, “AFL-CIO’s Youth Society, which is based on his research in the occupational com- omy starts with the value of the worker, Economic Forum Envisions a Millen- munity of software developers.
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