At the 2013 AFL-CIO quadrennial convention, the Civil and Human Rights Committee, the Committee on Women Workers, and the Executive Council submitted Resolution 19 for consideration at the full convention and it was adopted on the convention floor.
Resolution 19 recognizes the critical importance of young workers to the future of the labor movement; the necessity of building young worker engagement at all levels of the federation, including state and local activism; and affirmed the AFL-CIO’s Next Up program will “lead a diverse and vibrant young labor movement … [to] advance social and economic justice and ensure that all people have the opportunity to secure a better future.”
Resolution 19 resolved three things:
- First, the “Young Worker Advisory Council [YWAC] will partner with the AFL-CIO State Federation and CLC Advisory Committee to fold young worker development into state federation and CLC strategic plans, with the goal of tripling the number of local young worker organizations over the next four years.”
- Second, the YWAC “shall be the representative of all young workers on the General Board and shall be charged with advising the Executive Council on the education, empowerment, organizing and mobilization of the next generation of union members and young workers.”
- And, finally, before a young worker representative can assume a seat on the General Board, the YWAC was tasked, in consultation with affiliates, with developing “a new process for electing young workers to the [YWAC] by February 2014.”
For the past several months, the AFL-CIO’s NextUp program and Young Worker Advisory Council have been working in earnest to develop a plan and institutional capacity to scale up the quality and number of local Young Worker Groups connected to State Federation and Central Labor Councils. In addition, pursuant to the directive in Resolution 19, the YWAC, in consultation with affiliates and the Secretary-Treasurer’s office, has developed a new process for appointments and elections to the Young Worker Advisory Council (YWAC).
The goals of the new YWAC process include:
- Increasing affiliate engagement in the YWAC to ensure the AFL-CIO’s NextUp program is sharing best practices, building on innovative programming, and doing its best to leverage young worker activism across the federation.
- Connecting the YWAC to core AFL-CIO programming, including Resolution 19’s requirement to triple the number of Young Worker Groups in State Feds and CLCs and other core federation functions such as politics, organizing, and policy advocacy.
- Building in accountability mechanisms and formalizing the role of the YWAC, given the new responsibility of representation on the General Board.
The YWAC representation process will include the following components.
1. YWAC Membership: Affiliate Appointments and Young Worker Group Elections
- Any affiliate may appoint a representative to the YWAC, taking into consideration the role of YWAC members and recommended qualifications.
- Young Worker Groups recognized by State Federations, Area Labor Federations, and Central Labor Councils may elect one representative for each of the 5 regions. The AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer’s office will run the Young Worker Group election process in collaboration with the State Feds/CLCs through an online ballot mechanism.
- Working America may appoint one representative to the YWAC; the Constituency Groups may appoint one representative on behalf of all of the constituency groups; and the State Fed/CLC Advisory Committee may appoint two representatives (for the state and local level).
2. Recommended YWAC qualifications and responsibilities of membership:
- YWAC members should have some experience in young worker programming through their union, sponsoring organization, or in their community.
- Affiliates, Young Worker Groups, and other organizations should select YWAC nominees from a diverse pool that includes rank and file members.
- YWAC roles and responsibilities include serving as advisors to the AFL-CIO “Next Up” program, assisting in mentoring and leadership training for young workers and Young Worker Groups; and advising the AFL-CIO on young worker programming.
- YWAC members play a critical role in providing feedback and guidance on the federation’s young worker programming and membership requires personal time and commitment.
- YWAC members serve a three year term and sponsoring unions and organizations cover travel costs for YWAC meetings (twice a year), Next Up Summits (every two years), and the AFL-CIO quadrennial convention. Vacancies will be filled pursuant to the same appointment and election procedures.
3. Young Worker General Board Representation:
- Pursuant to the YWAC’s rules and procedures, the YWAC will elect one of its members to sit on the General Board.