Press Release

AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler Tapped to Join U.S.–EU Trade and Technology Council Talent for Growth Task Force

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo today announced that AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler is one of seven leaders she asked to serve on the U.S. Section of the U.S.–EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC) Talent for Growth Task Force. This critically important task force will serve as an incubator for ideas and collaboration between the United States and the European Union (EU) to encourage major initiatives that will train and develop workers on new and existing technologies with the potential to spur economic growth and create shared prosperity.

The individuals serving on the task force, which include experts in technology and job training from labor, business and academia, will collaborate with the EU members to offer recommendations directly to the TTC co-chairs on how to create and expand new models of training and talent development in the United States and the European Union. Shuler brings a deep background and knowledge on the intersection between technology, job training and the workplace of the future to the task force, with decades of experience in worker organizing and innovative apprenticeship programs, along with championing the AFL-CIO Commission on the Future of Work and Unions and spurring the creation, in 2021, of the federation’s Technology Institute. 

“It’s an honor and privilege to serve on this task force with distinguished leaders and thinkers on how we best develop and train working people for the future opportunities technological advancement will create,” said Shuler. “I’m proud to be a voice for working people alongside Sara Steffens of the Communications Workers of America. Technology will never lead to progress if workers are left behind. We intend to ensure the Talent for Growth Task Force makes the necessary recommendations to prepare future generations for good union jobs that will lead to greater equality and economic opportunity for all workers across continents. I look forward to working with my counterparts, including the European Trade Union Confederation, on these important issues.” 

In addition to Secretary Raimondo, the other TTC co-chairs include Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, European Commission Executive Vice-President and EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, and European Commission Executive Vice-President and EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis.

U.S. Section of the Talent for Growth Task Force

  • Liz Shuler, President, AFL-CIO
  • Sara Steffens, Secretary-Treasurer, Communications Workers of America
  • Co-Chair and U.S. Section Chair: Zoë Baird, Senior Counselor for Technology and Economic Growth to Secretary Raimondo, Department of Commerce
  • Gregory Adam Haile, President, Broward College, Florida
  • Sal Khan, Founder and CEO, Khan Academy 
  • Michael Lynton, Chair, Snap Inc.
  • Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO, Cisco

 

For more information about the announcement of the Talent for Growth Task Force, please read the December 2022 press release

For more information on the Talent for Growth Task Force, please read this fact sheet.

Contact: Steve Smith, 202-637-5018