Posts Tagged: AFL-CIO Young Workers Committee

UFCW Local 1059 member Erica Clemmons was elected co-chair of the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Advisory Council (YWAC).

Last week, UFCW Local 1059 member Erica Clemmons was elected co-chair of the AFL-CIO’s Young Workers Advisory Council (YWAC).

YWAC is comprised of 30 young workers from various AFL-CIO affiliate unions across the United States. The purpose of YWAC is to foster dialogue among young workers who are active in the labor movement, with the hope of creating resources and programs that make it easier for other young workers to become involved.

Two weeks ago, Clemmons completed the inaugural GOLD internship program. She worked on the action project in Chicago which delivered 25,000 signatures in support of paid sick leave to Mayor Emanuel.

As co-chair, she hopes to foster more communication between established young worker programs so that the best and most effective ideas can be easily shared. At home in Ohio, she plans to build a young workers group that both her local union and her community can turn to.

“I’m excited to begin,” Clemmons said. “Through GOLD and my week in D.C. with YWAC I realized that a lot of young members want to be more involved, but don’t always know how to be. My goal is to change that.”

UFCW members attended the Young Workers Committee hosted by the New Jersey chapter of the AFL-CIO to learn how to help young members become more active in the labor movement.

This month, members from UFCW Locals 464A, 1360 and UFCW/RWDSU Local 108 attended the New Jersey State AFL-CIO Young Workers Committee. The New Jersey state program is part of a larger national program committed to strengthen young worker involvement in the labor movement. Young workers from across the state attended the AFL-CIO’s statewide conference where they met labor leaders including AFL-CIO secretary treasurer Elizabeth Shuler.  They discussed ways to all support each other in their efforts to activate younger rank and file members in the labor movement. UFCW members were excited  to meet other AFL-CIO members who together, will support ongoing efforts to build a stronger labor movement with more involvement of younger workers.