Submitted by Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Amended by the Constitution and Governance Committee
WHEREAS, the continued strength and vitality of the labor movement depends heavily on the ability of younger union members to develop into strong and effective labor leaders; and
WHEREAS, a powerful labor movement can be built only through recognition and inclusion of the full diversity of the labor force, including workers of all ages; and
WHEREAS, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO has developed a successful “Futures” Program, which has introduced hundreds of younger union members, from all sectors and industries, to the broader labor movement in the commonwealth of Massachusetts; and
WHEREAS, the Massachusetts AFL-CIO has provided young union members a voice by establishing a designated seat on the Executive Council for a Futures Representative, approximately age 35 or younger, elected by his or her fellow delegates at an annual Massachusetts AFL-CIO Futures Convention; and
WHEREAS, the establishment of the Futures Program at the Massachusetts AFL-CIO has been successful in getting younger union members more involved in their local unions, the state and national labor movement and charitable causes;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the AFL-CIO actively develop initiatives and programs aimed at bringing young workers into the labor movement at the national, state and local levels, and dedicated to the leadership development of younger union members throughout the country, and that the Executive Council be regularly updated on the status and progress of these programs.