Young Worker Group
Start-Up
Toolkit
CONTENTS
Letter from AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler
The AFL-CIO—History and Today
1
Sample Mission Statements
2
Sample Bylaws
3
Guide for Structuring Young Worker Groups
7
Sample Introduction Letter to Union Leaders
from Young Worker Group
11
Sample Letter to Union Leaders from Principal Officer
12
Sample Meeting Agenda
13
Sample Sign-up Sheet
14
Sample Committee Groups and Activities
15
Recruitment Methods and Strategies
17
Project Planning and Creating Work Plans
20
Work Plan Template
21
Sample Resolution on Young Worker Groups—State Federations
23
Sample Resolution on Young Worker Groups—Central Labor Councils
25
Greetings,
Thank you for taking the time, energy and effort to embark on the exciting challenge of
developing a young worker group that we hope will be a part of the AFL-CIO Next Up Young
Worker Program. The future of the American labor movement is dependent on consistently
educating, empowering and mobilizing the next generation of workers to advocate and stand up
for working families everywhere. Your work is incredibly valuable to the future of your union,
community and the labor movement as a whole.
This toolkit is a series of documents designed to support the development of newly formed
young worker groups and to provide guidance to existing groups. Like so much of the Next Up
Program, this toolkit was designed by young workers like yourself who shared their experiences,
best practices and insights to make this a useful tool to you and other young workers. You will
find information and examples of how to write a mission statement, recruit new members, decide
on an organizational structure and create a plan of action. In addition, we recommend that you
work closely with your local labor leaders in order to get their support and show them your
group is a valuable asset. A special thanks to the Young Worker Advisory Council, existing
young worker groups and countless young workers across the country for their help with this
toolkit.
Once again, thank you for being a part of the AFL-CIO Next Up Young Worker Program. I look
forward to working with you in the near future.
In Solidarity,
Liz Shuler
AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer
THE AFL-CIO—HISTORY AND TODAY
The AFL-CIO is a federation of 56 national and international unions that exists to represent
people who work. While the AFL-CIO represents 12.2 million working people who have the
benefits of union membership, we embrace all people who share the common bond of work. In
recent years, the unions of the AFL-CIO have pushed for the creation of good jobs, for an
increase in the minimum wage and extending unemployment insurance for the long-term
unemployed, for the DREAM Act and the rights of immigrant workers and for better job safety
and health laws. We have joined with unions around the world to ensure the rights of workers are
respected in trade agreements and international policy.
When working people came together to form the American Federation of Labor in 1886, passage
of the eight-hour day was one of the most pressing issues for America’s workers. The new AFL,
made up of the unions representing skilled craft workers such as cigar makers, construction
workers and machinists, quickly went on to win shorter working hours and fairer wages. By the
early decades of the 20th century, the federation had led the way to passage of workers’
compensation laws and laws against child labor. In 1935, the AFL worked with the Roosevelt
administration as it created the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the first nationwide labor
law protecting the rights of workers seeking to form unions.
With the growth of large industrial workplaces in the 1930s, several AFL leaders formed a
Committee on Industrial Organizing to reach out to these workers. From that committee, the
Congress of Industrial Organizations was created, and it separated from the AFL. In 1955, the
10-million-member AFL and the 5-million-member CIO merged to form the AFL-CIO.
Today, the AFL-CIO remains a democratic, voluntary federation with members including
teachers, firefighters, farm workers, bakers, engineers, actors, pilots, public employees, nurses
and many more. The AFL-CIO membership also includes 3.2 million members of our
community affiliate Working America, which represents people who do not have a union at
work. The AFL-CIO partners with groups of people whose work usually does not have the
protection of many labor laws and who often are mistreated on the job, including taxi workers,
carwash workers in Los Angeles, guest workers, nannies, housekeepers and in-home caretakers.
The AFL-CIO is governed by a quadrennial convention at which all AFL-CIO members are
represented by delegates elected by their fellow union members. These delegates set broad
policies and goals for the union movement, and every four years elect officers who govern the
day-to-day work of the AFL-CIO. In 2009, delegates to the 26th AFL-CIO Constitutional
Convention elected Richard Trumka as president, Elizabeth Shuler as secretary-treasurer and
Arlene Holt Baker as executive vice president. These three officers, along with 54 vice
presidents, make up the AFL-CIO Executive Council, which governs the AFL-CIO between
conventions. The AFL-CIO Constitution calls for diversity of gender, race, ethnicity and work
sector on our governing bodies.
In states and communities, the AFL-CIO amplifies the voices of working families through 51
AFL-CIO-chartered state federations (including Puerto Rico) and more than 500 chartered
central labor councils, led by officers and boards elected by local union delegates.
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SAMPLE MISSION STATEMENTS
A mission statement is an incredibly important component of your young worker group. A
mission statement describes what your young worker group is about, what you do and where you
see yourselves going. This statement is a foundation of the plan that lays out how you will
achieve your organization’s objectives. We have attached a few examples of mission statements
from other young worker groups across the country. Please feel free to adopt one as your own or
work to write a new one that reflects your young worker group and members.
Young Trade Unionists, Metropolitan Baltimore Council AFL-CIO
The Young Trade Unionists works to promote, empower and unite members and non-members
to participate in the labor movement through education, collaboration and active involvement to
foster solidarity.
Oregon AFL-CIO Young Emerging Labor Leaders
The Oregon AFL-CIO Young Emerging Labor Leaders (YELL) mobilizes young union
members to become leaders and activists for social change within their unions and communities
at large. YELL provides networking opportunities and resources for young union members to
engage in social gatherings, conferences and events. In doing so, YELL sisters and brothers work
to build lasting labor solidarity, advance issues of social justice and find more inclusive ways to
engage the current and future generations in the labor movement.
Greater Boston Labor Council Futures Committee
The mission of the Greater Boston Labor Council’s Futures committee is to empower young
union members to become more active in the labor movement. Our goal is to increase activism in
these members by developing their leadership skills, supporting emerging leaders and fostering
unity and activism among the next generation. The Greater Boston Labor Council Futures
Committee also seeks to reach out to progressive allies to advance the cause of economic justice.
Through these efforts we hope to ensure the strength and future of the Massachusetts labor
movement.
National AFL-CIO Next Up Young Worker Program
The mission of the young worker program within the AFL-CIO is to educate, empower and
mobilize the next generation of labor leaders. Our goal is to educate all young people on the
history and values of the labor movement, and to empower them to take an active role within
their communities for the benefit of all workers. Furthermore, the Young Worker Program seeks
to develop leaders, support youth initiatives, and foster solidarity and activism.
The Young Worker Program will lead a diverse and vibrant young labor movement that ensures
that all people have the opportunity to secure a better future. By engaging rank-and-file union
members, progressive allies, community groups and students, the Young Worker Program will
advance social and economic justice.
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SAMPLE BYLAWS
[Group Name]
BYLAWS
[Group Name]
[Parent Organization]
ARTICLE I – NAME
The organization shall be known as [Group Name].
ARTICLE II – MISSION
The Mission Statement for the [Group Name]: The [Group Name] works to promote, empower
and unite members and nonmembers to participate in the labor movement through education,
collaboration and active involvement to foster solidarity.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
The membership of the [Group Name] shall have the benefit of as much independent thought and
action as possible, without being in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the [Parent
Organization]. Any person participating in any [Group Name] meeting or event is considered a
member.
ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
There shall be no less than [number of meetings per year] meetings per year scheduled by the
[Group Name] Executive Board. The recording secretary shall provide sign-in sheets at these
meetings. These meetings will be held on [Day and time of meetings]. In the event of a
permanent time or location change, an announcement will be made and these bylaws will be
changed accordingly. Announcements may occur verbally at meetings or by the Web. If a month
is to be skipped, it must be announced at the monthly meeting prior. A [Group Name] meeting
that correlates with another event, concert or the like shall be counted as one of the eight
meetings as long as it is announced or promoted 30 days in advance or at the monthly meeting
prior to its occurrence. The January, February and March meetings cannot be canceled by
anything other than inclement weather.
ARTICLE V – OFFICERS
The [Group Name] shall have a chairperson, vice chairperson, recording secretary, financial
secretary, sergeant of arms and at least one member at large at the discretion of the chairperson.
The officers shall serve two-year terms. No more than two persons from the same international
union or organization are permitted to serve as officers. When there are three or more candidates
on the Executive Board ballot, the two nominees acquiring the most votes shall be chosen for
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office. Installation of officers shall occur in the March meeting following elections. In the event
an office becomes vacant, the chairperson may appoint a temporary officer until the next election
with two-thirds approval from the [Group Name] Executive Board.
All officers shall cooperate with the chairperson and vice chairperson and shall not work in
conflict with either. Failure to perform the duties of office is subject to suspension or dismissal
from office by a two-thirds majority vote of the [Group Name] Executive Board. Officers are
allowed three unexcused absences from scheduled meetings and events per term. Absences
involving injury, sickness or the officer’s employment will be excused with prior notice
provided. Once the third absence occurs, the officer can be released from duty and replaced by
two-thirds approval from the [Group Name] Executive Board.
The duties of officers are as follows:
A. The Chairperson shall be held responsible for the strict enforcement of these bylaws.
The Chairperson is empowered and shall do as follows:
1. Preside at all meetings of the [Group Name]. When deemed necessary to preserve
order, members may be appointed to aid in doing so and in carrying out all
rulings.
2. Any member who is intoxicated, causing a disturbance, failing to promptly abide
by an action or ruling, or not conducting themselves in an orderly way shall
promptly be removed.
3. All questions of order shall be determined by the Chairperson.
4. The Chairperson shall create all committees and see that their duties are
performed within a reasonable time.
5. The Chairperson shall answer to and is subject to discipline by the [Parent
Organization].
B. The Vice Chairperson shall perform the duties of the Chairperson in case of absence of
that officer and also shall discharge the duties of the Chairperson when called upon by
the Chairperson.
1. The Vice Chairperson shall cooperate with the Chairperson and shall not work in
conflict with the Chairperson.
2. The Vice Chairperson shall inspect the bank books or books of the financial
secretary as needed to insure that the monies turned over to the financial secretary
have been properly and promptly deposited or spent as allocated.
C. The Recording Secretary shall record the proceedings of the [Group Name], read all
communications and answer same if requested to do so.
D. The Financial Secretary shall keep accurate account of all receipts and expenditures and
make monthly reports to the [Group Name] Executive Board, and present the financial
books to the [Parent Organization] at their request for audit.
E. The Sergeant of Arms shall serve as the doorkeeper for [Group Name] meetings and
events. This officer is responsible for assisting the Chairperson in maintaining order and
may appoint members to aid in doing so and carrying out all rulings.
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F. The Member at Large shall represent the general membership on issues of interest or
concern, particularly those that arise outside of the standing committee structure.
Members at Large also may serve in other capacities such as social media consultant,
organizational liaisons and the like.
ARTICLE VI – NOMINATIONS of OFFICERS and ELECTIONS
A. Eligibility
1. Nominees must be 35 years of age or younger at the time of nomination for the
following positions: chairperson, vice chairperson, recording secretary, financial
secretary, sergeant of arms. Members at large have no age requirement. Proof of
age by federal- or state-issued documentation must be presented at the time of
nomination to the [Group Name] Executive Board.
2. Nominees must be present or provide a statement of willingness in writing by
representative at the January meeting.
3. All nominees must have attended six [Group Name] meetings prior to nomination.
4. All nominees will be given the floor for no more than three minutes to
demonstrate their qualifications for candidacy.
5. Nominations shall be held every other year beginning January 2013. No one
person may run for more than one office.
B. The Election Process
1. The membership of the January meeting shall choose an Election Judge by
random selection from among itself prior to nominations. The Election Judge may
then choose no less than five volunteers to serve as Tellers. The Election Judge
and the Tellers shall serve as the Election Board. Only the Election Board shall
collect and count all ballots during the election. No candidate for office shall be
eligible to serve on this Board. The Election Judge shall not be the same person in
two consecutive elections.
2. Thirty minutes prior to the start of the February meeting, ballots listing the names
of the candidates for office in alphabetical order by last name for each respective
office beginning with the Chairperson and continuing in the order presented in
Article V shall be made available to all members.
3. Selections shall be made and ballots will be collected by the Election Board in
accordance with the order of business or the agenda provided or announced at the
start of the meeting.
4. The Election Board shall count all ballots and certify the results in writing to the
[Group Name] Executive Board. The candidate receiving the most votes for each
respective office shall be declared the next holder of that office. Upon completion
of counting, the Election Judge shall immediately announce the elected officers to
the membership. All ballots will be preserved for 30 days after the election. Any
candidate may be present or have a representative present during the counting of
the ballots.
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ARTICLE VII – FINANCES
Activities and programs of the [Group Name] shall be financed by monies raised by the body.
ARTICLE VIII – COMMITEES
All committees shall be appointed by the Chairperson with approval of the [Group Name]
Executive Board. The elected officers of the [Group Name] constitute the Executive Board.
ARTICLE IX – AMENDMENTS
A. These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote at the following [Group Name]
Executive Board meeting, after a proposed amendment or addition has been submitted.
B. Any change in the Bylaws must be read at two consecutive [Group Name] Executive
Board meetings and approved by two-thirds of the members.
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TO STRUCTURE OR NOT TO STRUCTURE…
…That is the Question
As a group, you have to decide how you’re going to structure your new organization and how the
work will get done. How do actions get planned and executed? Who calls the shots? How do we
all work together so we don’t go insane? How well you answer these questions will be a result of
how you organize yourselves. Remember, there is no right or wrong way to organize your young
worker group; there is just the RIGHT way that works BEST for you and your members.
Deciding your structure does not have to happen immediately. Take some time to study different
models and talk with your peers around the country about what has worked well and what hasn’t,
as well as some of the pros and cons of each. Setting your structure in place too soon can make
flexibility difficult. Remember, you are building a new organization from scratch—having some
flexibility in the beginning will make the process run much smoother.
We have presented some distinct models to share with you. There are many different models to
use, but we felt these were good examples of what folks around the country are using.
Model 1: “Traditional”
What does this look like?
The traditional model is one that is reflective of the current labor structure. Although it still is
democratic in nature, it is defined by a hierarchal leadership structure, executive board and
working committees. For this kind of structure to work, you should have a strong set of bylaws
that outline the roles and responsibilities of your officers/leadership and for the overall governing
structure of your young worker group. Outlined below are some things to consider when
deciding to pursue this kind of leadership structure.
Officers, Bylaws, Executive Board, Working Committees
1. The Executive Board is composed of every elected officer, plus the chairs from each
committee. There also can be “at-large” E-board positions to include more opportunity
for stakeholders to have a leadership position.
2. Regular meetings for different leadership levels (ideally, once a month)
a. Executive Board meets monthly
b. General membership meets quarterly
c. Committees meet monthly
d. Committee structure to address anticipated needs—education/communications,
organizing and mobilization, political action, events and fundraising, etc.
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3. Dues Structure
Some young worker groups have implemented dues-paying structures. This is completely
up to you and your members to implement a dues-paying structure. The benefit to this is
that it can help to create a steady stream of funding to minimize the time spent
fundraising. However, the key to implementing this is accountability. We recommend
seeking guidance from a trusted mentor about best practices.
Model 2: “Nontraditional”
What does this look like?
The nontraditional Young Worker Group model is designed to fit the working and organization
structures that work best for you and your members. This structure is predicated on finding out
what your members are interested in and empowering them to take an active role on projects
related to their interests. This kind of structure requires more work in building consensus, but its
strength is based on everyone having a voice.
1. Leadership
a. Most young worker groups have some sort of leadership team, whether there is a
formal structure or not. Some groups have a steering committee that is made up of
representatives from the different local unions, community organizations, student
groups, etc., that participate in the young worker group. Some have co-directors,
and others govern everything by popular vote. The main thing to think about in a
nontraditional leadership structure is that there needs to be someone, or a small
group of people, that plans the work around a shared vision and ensures the work
gets carried out.
b. You might consider having a liaison to the state or area labor federation or central
labor council who has the bandwidth to keep everything connected and organized
and to help maintain momentum building. This could be a staff member from one
or more of those entities.
2. Committee work
a. Because there is a horizontal leadership structure, it is beneficial to break work
into committees in which interested parties can participate. This allows you to get
work done while keeping people accountable for a manageable amount of work.
b. Committees to consider may include, but are not limited to:
i. Communications: This group should be involved in informing members,
surrounding unions and community partners about the work they are
doing. This could include establishing a young worker Facebook fan page,
a Twitter account or just a Google group that informs people what’s going
on.
ii. Organizing and Mobilization: Groups need members—and without a
conscious effort, people will not show up to events, meetings or actions
unless you organize them.
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iii. Community Service: Union members are known for the work we do in
communities. It’s always important to get involved in community service
and building community allies.
iv. Political Action and Civic Engagement: It is important for young people
to get involved in their government, whether through electoral work,
lobbying efforts or just understanding the issues.
3. Regular meetings
a. Regular meetings are important to keep people engaged and to maintain
momentum. That being said, people will not continue to show up if meetings are
boring or perceived as a waste of time. Make sure your meetings are engaging
experiences where real decisions are being made and issues are being discussed.
Do not use your meetings as a place for updates only—they should include real
work so your leaders and members have a sense of ownership in the organization.
4. Dues structure
a. See above for dues structure advice.
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly—Each structure presents a unique set of opportunities as well
as challenges. We’ve done our best to distill these into the charts below:
Traditional Model
Advantages
Disadvantages
Clear definition of who is in charge of what
Freeloaders affect the group more severely
Easy to keep institutional knowledge through President sometimes turns into the taskmaster/
recordkeeping, note-taking, etc.
the bad cop
Can be a little easier to see where the holes in Centralized structure makes it tough to do
effectiveness are
regional outreach—if everyone is located in one
county, it’s harder to branch out to other areas
Theoretically, less work for everybody
Can lend itself to noninclusion… you see the
same 10 faces over and over again
Regular, visible schedule of events
Issues focused on can be limited to Executive
Board priorities
Capacity for long-term, strategic vision
More accountability for leadership to
Rigid, bureaucratic structure that makes change
membership
difficult and slow
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Nontraditional Model
Advantages
Inherently more inclusive
More flexible
No defined roles
Resource flexibility (more scrappy)
More ownership—members have more
opportunity to have meaningful roles in the
work they are interested in
Leadership accountability is more difficult to
maintain
Disadvantages
Can be harder to delegate work without official
titles
Lack of accountability (who’s in charge here?)
No defined roles
Longer-term goals/strategies hard to plan for
Redundancy in specialty—every project
requires a new communications team, outreach
effort, etc.
More flexible, friendly to change
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SAMPLE INTRODUCTION LETTER TO UNION LEADERS
FROM YOUNG WORKER GROUP
Dear Union Leader,
The [GROUP NAME] is finally here! We have set up a first meeting for [DATE AND TIME] at
[LOCATION].
Our focus for the [GROUP NAME] will be on education, networking, capacity building and
union solidarity. We are trying to come up with new and creative ways to reach out to young
members and get them interested and active in the local labor movement. We would love to
come to present to your executive board, stewards and members—just tell us when and where.
Our group is part of the Next Up AFL-CIO Young Worker Program, and we look forward to
working with you to carry out programs and initiatives that benefit young workers and our labor
movement.
But WE NEED YOUR HELP as well! We are asking you to do a few quick and easy things to
help us get the word out about this new group at the [NAME OF STATE OR AREA
FEDERATION OR LOCAL CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL]. It would be great to have your
young members younger than 35 at our meeting.
[INSERT LOGO OR GROUP NAME]
1. Hand out fliers at executive board meetings, stewards meetings,
apprentice trainings and membership meetings.
2. Add an article about [GROUP NAME] in your union’s newsletter.
3. Support us with resources. We are looking for small donations to be
able to give this group a solid jumping-off point (see attached
donation sheet). However, we also need in-kind donations of things
such as meeting space, pizza and drinks, copies, etc.
Thank you!
Thank you for your help in making this organization a success. Your support and participation
can help strengthen our local labor movement by having a more active and educated young
demographic.
In Solidarity,
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SAMPLE LETTER TO UNION LEADERS
FROM PRINCIPAL OFFICER
Date
President of Local Union
Union
Address
Dear President,
In September 2010 the [NAME] Labor Council’s delegate body passed a resolution in support of
organizing young workers and union members. That effort has been started by a new group
called [NAME OF GROUP], and I am writing to ask for your assistance.
[NAME OF GROUP] is an organization for young union members and workers ages 18–35. It
focuses on educating young workers on current issues and the importance of unions, mobilizing
them for political action, connecting labor and community groups, and providing youth with
training to become effective activists and leaders. In 2012 the group host monthly meetings and
happy hours, turn out to support union and community actions, and organize educational events,
including a one-day organizing/leadership training. Please visit [FACEBOOK PAGE OR
WEBSITE] for more information.
Engaging young workers is critical for the success of the labor movement, and we need your
help to reach the young members of your union. I strongly encourage you to invite [NAME OF
GROUP] to make a brief presentation at your next membership meeting. It also would be
helpful to include an announcement about the organization in your newsletter (sample
included) or make a donation. A member of the [NAME OF GROUP] Organizing Committee
will contact you shortly to follow up.
Please feel free to contact [YOUNG WORKER GROUP LEADER] at [PHONE] or [E-MAIL
ADDRESS] with any questions or comments. As always, thank you for your support and all you
do.
In solidarity,
[NAME OF PRINCIPAL OFFICER]
[TITLE]
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SAMPLE MEETING AGENDA
With a Young Worker Group in place, it is important to schedule when and how often you will
meet. When setting a meeting, ensure you have a clear purpose to meet and an agenda that
details what the purpose of the meeting is and what will be discussed. The agenda should be sent
out to committee members prior to the meeting so they have a chance to prepare and make
suggestions for changes. It is important to follow the agenda, to ensure meetings stay focused
and time is well spent. A sample agenda is below, to be customized for each meeting.
Young Worker Group Meeting
[DATE]
[TIME]
[LOCATION]
Meeting Chair: [NAME]
Agenda
Task
Person
Time
1. Welcome and Introductions
Chris
10 minutes
a. May want to incorporate an icebreaker
2. Review Minutes from Previous Meeting
Ana
5 minutes
3. Review the Agenda
Chris
5 minutes
4. Old Business
20 minutes
a. Fundraiser for Back to School:
Discuss proposal to help out on local fundraising drive for school supplies for
public school.
Outcome: Decision on level of involvement, date of event, volunteers, should we
agree to participate.
5. Committee Reports
Committee Chairs
20 minutes
6. New Business
20 minutes
a. Labor Day Parade:
Discussion on participation
All members to bring ideas/suggestions for float to next meeting
b. Quick roundtable assessing members’ needs for workplace safety education
c. Discussion regarding inviting a guest speaker to lead forum on young worker
safety
7. Other Items
10 minutes
8. Next Meeting—Date, Time, Place
9. Social Time
Note: Committees can make recommendations, not motions. Motions can only be made at local
union meetings.
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Young Worker Group Sign-up Sheet
Name __________________________
Union:
I’d like to:
I’d like to:
I’d like to:
I’d like to:
Phone __________________________
E-mail _________________________________
Phone __________________________
□ Attend the next chapter meeting □ Volunteer with this Young Worker Group □ Attend a Young Worker Group Event
Name __________________________
Union:
E-mail _________________________________
□ Attend the next chapter meeting □ Volunteer with this Young Worker Group □ Attend a Young Worker Group Event
Name __________________________
Union:
Phone __________________________
□ Attend the next chapter meeting □ Volunteer with this Young Worker Group □ Attend a Young Worker Group Event
Name __________________________
Union:
E-mail _________________________________
E-mail _________________________________
Phone __________________________
□ Attend the next chapter meeting □ Volunteer with this Young Worker Group □ Attend a Young Worker Group Event
http://www.facebook.com/aflcionextup
@AFLCIONxtUP
Text YW to AFLCIO (235246) to get text message alerts (data and message rates may apply).
SAMPLE COMMITTEE GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES
COMMITTEES: GETTING ACTIVE
Now that you have a Young Worker Group started and the support of your local leadership, what
comes next? There are a wide range of activities your group can become engaged in.
It is critical the activities of your young worker group are inclusive of all members and of
interest to you. Some activities you may want to get involved in might already be taking place
within your local labor movement, so try to communicate and collaborate when possible. One of
the great things about your young worker group is that you bring new and creative ideas and
perspectives.
Ideas for Committee Activities:
Mentorship Program—Work with local union leadership to develop a Mentorship Program for
young or new members with their peers or experienced members. The Mentorship Program
could be as simple as assigning an experienced member to sit with a new member at a union
meeting, or something more structured that exists over a longer period of time.
Training and Education—As a committee, figure out what areas of the labor movement or other
issues you would like to know more about and work with local leadership to determine whether
there already is training in place or how to get it. The labor movement and its allies have a
wealth of resources, so ask what is available or request training you think is important. Young
workers also should take the opportunity to develop and do peer training or presentations to
leadership and other groups.
Community Outreach and Involvement—Team up with a community or charity group to help out at
an event or in a campaign. This will do well to build solidarity among your committee, give back
to the community, and increase recognition and a positive perception of the labor movement and
its members.
Organize a Social Event—Organize a social event that reflects your interests, like a sporting event
or movie night. Organize an informal gathering like “Labor Cheers” at a local pub once a month
for members and nonmembers.
Link with Other Standing Committees—Likely, your local labor council has other committees
already hard at work. Connect with them to see what they are working on and how you can help
or add another layer of engagement with younger members.
Make links with a local high school and arrange to talk to students about their rights at work or
your career as a union member.
Develop/Update Communication Outlets—Create or update the local union’s Facebook page, blog
or website. Write an article for your local union newsletter or create a YouTube video that shows
off what you do or an event you’re hosting. Start a Flickr account where all your members can
share photos.
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Marketing—Develop materials to promote the benefits of joining the union and highlight the
positive aspects of the labor movement. This could include demonstrating the money and
lifestyle benefits, a list of the “Top Five Reasons to Join a Union,” showing the types of work
opportunities available or the coolest jobs worked on by your local union.
Develop materials to promote the work of your young worker group. Include highlights of events
that already have taken place as well as upcoming events. Always include contact information so
people know how to get more information.
Political Action—Getting involved in political action is very important in every aspect of our lives.
Volunteer on political campaigns, and educate fellow members on campaign issues or encourage
them to come out and vote. Learn more about the labor movement and political action by having
a presentation at your next meeting.
Organizing—Organizing starts at the local level, and could be one focus for a young worker
committee. Peer-to-peer conversations when organizing often are more effective, giving young
workers an advantage when trying to organize other young workers. Get trained on how to
organize, identify targets and help grow the labor movement.
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RECRUITMENT METHODS AND STRATEGIES
This document is meant to provide tips and guidance for starting and building a successful
Young Worker Group (YWG). This document is for any new, developing and well-established
chapters that will be recruiting union members and engaging community activists and will focus
on how to gain support and buy-in within the state and area labor federations (ALF) and central
labor councils (CLC). These tips also can be applied to starting a young worker group at a local
union or council.
Recruitment Objectives:
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•
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To start, build or develop a chapter;
Build membership in your YWG; and
Create personal and working relationships with your members to instill chapter
motivation and stability.
1. Before You Start
As a new or developing YWG, it is important to inform and engage existing leadership about
your young worker program. Existing leadership means principal officers of your state fed, ALF
or CLC, and/or principal officers of “key” local unions (i.e., the largest locals in your area, as
well as locals you will be targeting for recruitment). Having a good idea as to what the Young
Worker Program is all about and especially what it means to you can be very helpful. It is
important to remember that no two YWGs are alike. They are reflections on what your members
are passionate about and where you live and work, so what works in New York City might not
work in San Diego. If you don’t have your goals and objectives laid out yet, you can talk about
why you think it’s important for the labor movement in your area to engage young workers.
2. Recruiting New Members
Recruitment is a fundamental element of building and sustaining a strong YWG. When starting
your YWG, it is important to establish a strong leadership team. This team can be one or two
people for small or new YWGs or as big as an entire Executive Board for an established YWG.
Regardless of who or how many people are associated with this development team, it is
important they are dedicated to the Young Worker Program and want to see your YWG grow
and flourish. Remember, with most volunteer organizations, recruitment requires a commitment
of time, energy and sometimes resources.
3. Recruitment Strategies No One Can Refuse
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Establish a YWG Rap. No, we are not asking you to be the next Jay-Z, but it is beneficial
to have a clear, concise and relevant pitch for your YWG. Make sure the rest of your
leadership team knows and can communicate this message. This will help you build
recognition for the program and help with recruitment.
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Recruit for events. Meetings are important, but social events are great for sharing what
the group is about and what you want to do. Start by hosting happy hours, potlucks or
game nights and get people out to local actions.
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Develop a listserv for your YWG through sign-ups and e-mail blasts. You want to build a
list that informs your members about activities and meetings. Be conscious not to abuse
this list—a Google group is a good way to get started.
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Use social media in a smart and effective way. Start a Young Worker Group fan page on
Facebook, and encourage members to join the page as well as the national AFL-CIO
Next Up Young Workers page. Post relevant information and events.
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Meet with local union leadership, officers and business managers to see whether they
would be willing to let you speak or send information to their members. Target the largest
unions in your community or unions you think might have a large number of young
workers. (See the Sample Introduction Letter to Union Leaders, page 11 in this toolkit.)
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Speak to other organizations, constituency groups, campus organizations and local
community organizations. Invite them to your events and work to attend their activities as
well.
4. Develop a Game Plan
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Determine strategic targets for recruiting and developing your YWG.
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Develop a target or “‘hit” list of people who might be interested in supporting or joining
your YWG.
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Determine a recruitment goal for regular meetings and overall membership.
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Talk to friends who are interested in getting more involved in issues that affect young
union members.
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Talk to specific people in your work place, within your union, apprentice program or
community.
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Ask leaders if they know of any hard-working and dynamic young people who might be
interested in getting involved in your YWG.
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See whether you can meet with new hires at your workplace to recruit them to join your
YWG.
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Have one-on-one conversations with others about the Young Worker Program, invite
them to a meeting/event and follow up with them. Have members of your leadership team
meet and talk with every new member who joins the group.
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Do not limit yourself to just a single recruitment strategy. Always continue to evolve and
find new and creative ways to engage young workers.
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Make sure you are available to people as a contact and provide multiple ways for people
to get in touch with you.
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Host a variety of events—not only should your meetings and events be worth coming to,
they should be topically diverse to in turn diversify the interests of your members. Don’t
be afraid to embrace something different or new, or issues that fall outside of “union
work.”
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Develop an ask—a standardized pitch for getting people to try out your YWG.
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Have a consistent message and branding strategy. Think about what separates you from
other groups or programs within your union. Use this to your advantage to draw union
members into the importance of supporting the Young Worker Program.
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Communicate success. People want to be a part of something that is actually getting
things done.
Note: No matter how you decide to use these strategies, approaches and methods, just remember
a person’s initial interest must be matched by your ability to motivate them and establish a sense
of personal camaraderie. But remember, this is a long-term project. Almost all young worker
groups take some time to develop. Set realistic expectations and expect some frustration, but be
patient and flexible. Most importantly, have fun.
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PROJECT PLANNING AND CREATING WORK PLANS
Principles of Work Planning
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Work plans can be individual, team-based or organizational.
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Good work plans are tied closely to the goals of the organization.
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Work plans can be short-, mid- or long-term.
o Plans can be developed for the week, the month, the quarter or the year.
Sometimes it is useful to do planning at all these levels.
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Work plans adjust to changing circumstances.
o Work planning is a never-ending activity, because work plans are affected by
inevitable delays, changing circumstances and crises. Consequently, work plans
should be regarded as tools rather than final documents, and adjustments should
be made as necessary. Work plans must be reviewed regularly to ensure their
relevance.
Work plans can be used to monitor progress.
o Good work plans are flexible, as is the process of developing them. They need to
be able to accommodate the many factors within and without the program that
affect how successfully the activities are carried out. Work plans allow you to
compare what you planned to do with what you actually did, to examine the
reasons for the difference, to see whether the activity actually brought the desired
result, and to decide what changes should be made to the work plan as a result. In
this way, you and your team can use work plans to monitor your progress each
month.
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Steps to Create a Work Plan
Work with others in your organization to determine the components of your campaign, then
parse out the work you each are responsible for, and include the following details in your plan:
• Agree on the goals and success measures; if the project is a large one, identify
intermediate success measures—benchmarks—for interim evaluation.
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Identify the activities that will be necessary to carry out the project: What specific tasks
will need to be carried out to complete the project?
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Assign relationships among the activities: What needs to happen first? Which activities
can happen simultaneously?
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Enter activities into a chart or spreadsheet, in order.
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Add deadline dates for each activity.
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Identify resources that will be needed at each step.
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Include a field in which to record your progress on a periodic basis, measuring
accomplishments against benchmarks and success measures.
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Workplan for the Month of ______________, 20 ____
Name: _________________________ Position: _________________________________________
Goal
(quantifiable)
Activities
Resources Needed
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Deadline
Progress Notes
Workplan for the Month of ______________, 20 ____
Goal
(quantifiable)
Activities
Resources Needed
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Progress Notes
Deadline
Sample Resolution on Young Worker Groups—State Federations Whereas, the AFL-­‐CIO adopted Resolution 19 at its 2013 Quadrennial Convention, which called for State Federations and Central Labor Councils to work with the Young Worker Advisory Council to triple the number of young worker groups by 2017; Whereas, the millennial generation is expected to comprise roughly 50% of the American workforce by 2020, and the development of activism, leadership, and organizational skills of young workers is critical to the strength, success, and growth of the labor movement; Whereas, because young workers are active members of their communities and are engaged in many other civic organizations they are uniquely positioned to connect organized labor to our communities; Whereas, young workers and the State Federation will benefit from a close strategic and structural partnership; Whereas, the State Federation seeks to encourage young workers to increase their involvement in and connection to the labor movement; Whereas, the State Federation already has tax-­‐exempt status and has capacity to deal with the day-­‐to-­‐
day legal requirements involved in running a non-­‐profit organization, including campaign reporting, 990 filings, annual audits and other necessary aspects of running an organization; Therefore, the State Federation establishes a Young Workers Group for the purpose of engaging young workers in political, legislative, and organizing campaigns and to support the identification and development of new activists. The relationship between the Young Workers Group and the State Federation is subject to the following provisions: 1) The Young Workers Group is a nonformal committee within the State Federation. The Young Workers Group representation and involvement in State Federation affairs is determined by the State Federation and as allowed for under the Rules Governing State Federations. 2) The Young Workers Group is responsible for developing and executing its own programmatic agenda, and day-­‐to-­‐day activity. It determines its own membership rules and may elect to include members of the general public as well as members of any union affiliated with State Federation. The State Federation provides administrative support where necessary and the use of State Federation’s facilities and equipment. State Federation may provide additional forms of support to all Young Workers Group to carry out its mission. 3) Any money raised by the Young Workers Group is held by the State Federation, and listed as a separate and distinct budget line item by the State Federation. Expenditure of this money is solely determined by the Young Workers Group, subject to review by the State Federation President to ensure that the expenditure is consistent with the State Federation’s legal restrictions and with the Young Workers Group’s mission. The Young Workers Group only raises money from individuals, community organizations, or labor unions that do not contribute in their capacity as an employer. 23
4) The Young Workers Group develops its policy agenda in concert with the State Federation. The Young Workers Group does not take public positions on policy or political endorsements that undermine those taken by the State Federation. 5) The Young Workers Group does not endorse political candidates that have not been endorsed by the State Federation or the State Federation. Any political activity undertaken by the Young Workers Group shall support the electoral campaign plan of the AFL-­‐CIO, the state federation and the State Federation, and any affiliates or allied organizations. The Young Workers Group does not conduct political activities independent of the electoral campaign plan of the groups named above. The Young Workers Group does not establish a sister organization for the purposes of conducting the political activities named above. 6) The Young Workers Group does not incorporate or undertake any activities to seek independent legal status from that of the State Federation. 7) The Young Workers Group is not treated as an affiliate by the State Federation, and the State Federation does not collect per capita tax from the Young Workers Group. 8) Formal representation and affiliation of Young Workers Group is as determined by the Executive Council of the AFL-­‐CIO. 24
Sample Resolution on Young Worker Groups—Central Labor Councils Whereas, the AFL-­‐CIO adopted Resolution 19 at its 2013 Quadrennial Convention, which called for State Federations and Central Labor Councils to work with the Young Worker Advisory Council to triple the number of young worker groups by 2017; Whereas, the millennial generation is expected to comprise roughly 50% of the American workforce by 2020, and the development of activism, leadership, and organizational skills of young workers is critical to the strength, success, and growth of the labor movement; Whereas, because young workers are active members of their communities and are engaged in many other civic organizations they are uniquely positioned to connect organized labor to our communities; Whereas, young workers and the Central Labor Council (“CLC”) will benefit from a close strategic and structural partnership; Whereas, the CLC seeks to encourage young workers to increase their involvement in and connection to the labor movement; Whereas, the CLC already has tax-­‐exempt status and has capacity to deal with the day-­‐to-­‐day legal requirements involved in running a non-­‐profit organization, including campaign reporting, 990 filings, annual audits and other necessary aspects of running an organization; Therefore, the CLC establishes a Young Workers Group for the purpose of engaging young workers in political, legislative, and organizing campaigns and to support the identification and development of new activists. The relationship between the Young Workers Group and the CLC is subject to the following provisions: 1) The Young Workers Group is a nonformal committee within the CLC. The Young Workers Group representation and involvement in CLC affairs is determined by the CLC and as allowed for under the Rules Governing Area Labor Councils and Central Labor Councils. 2) The Young Workers Group is responsible for developing and executing its own programmatic agenda, and day-­‐to-­‐day activity. It determines its own membership rules and may elect to include members of the general public as well as members of any union affiliated with CLC. The CLC provides administrative support where necessary and the use of CLC’s facilities and equipment. CLC may provide additional forms of support to all Young Workers Group to carry out its mission. 3) Any money raised by the Young Workers Group is held by the CLC, and listed as a separate and distinct budget line item by the CLC. Expenditure of this money is solely determined by the Young Workers Group, subject to review by the CLC President to ensure that the expenditure is consistent with the CLC’s legal restrictions and with the Young Workers Group’s mission. The Young Workers Group only raises money from individuals, community organizations, or labor unions that do not contribute in their capacity as an employer. 25
4) The Young Workers Group develops its policy agenda in concert with the CLC. The Young Workers Group does not take public positions on policy or political endorsements that undermine those taken by the CLC. 5) The Young Workers Group does not endorse political candidates that have not been endorsed by the State Federation or the CLC. Any political activity undertaken by the Young Workers Group shall support the electoral campaign plan of the AFL-­‐CIO, the state federation and the CLC, and any affiliates or allied organizations. The Young Workers Group does not conduct political activities independent of the electoral campaign plan of the groups named above. The Young Workers Group does not establish a sister organization for the purposes of conducting the political activities named above. 6) The Young Workers Group does not incorporate or undertake any activities to seek independent legal status from that of the CLC. 7) The Young Workers Group is not treated as an affiliate by the CLC, and the CLC does not collect per capita tax from the Young Workers Group. 8) Formal representation and affiliation of Young Workers Group is as determined by the Executive Council of the AFL-­‐CIO. 26