Participants in AFSCME’s 2009 Alternative Spring Break in Missouri.

Are you a college senior considering a career in social change and want to help make change happen in the world around you? Do you believe that a strong labor movement is vital to fighting back the attacks on working families, on health care, and the very fabric of what makes our communities vibrant? Then consider fighting for social and economic justice as a union organizer for one of the most progressive unions in today’s labor movement.

AFSCME’s Alternative Union Break has been critical to attracting undergraduate student activists to the labor movement since 2006. The 6-day training program can be best described as a crash course in labor organizing, where participants go through the rigorous pace of an actual organizing campaign while learning the basics of how to conduct a one-on-one conversation with a non-union worker.

The Alternative Break Program brings together talented activists who share a passion for social justice, but more importantly want to engage in work that speaks to bringing that idea to reality for public sector workers across the country.

“Like so many of my friends seeking to change the world right out of college, I spent sleepless nights perusing Idealist.org for that perfect opportunity to jump in and start a revolution. AFSCME’s Alternative Spring Break stood out because it offered me the opportunity to live and train like an organizer already part of the movement. I learned so much that week, mainly perspective!” said Denise Gilmore, University of Missouri ’09 and 2009 Alternative Spring Break participant.”

Denise is now a few months into her year-long Organizer-In-Training Program with AFSCME and reflects upon her experience:

“Whether it be through 1-on-1’s with workers or late night chats about revolution with my fellow participants, I knew walking out on the last day that real change could only happen through hard work, having a strategic plan, and acknowledging that the root of so many social justice issues lie in the ability for one person to provide for their family. I left ready to act, not just dream!”

Participants selected to the program will be provided with accommodations, travel during the week-long training, and a $150 stipend for food. Participants are responsible for their own travel to the training site.

Please visit www.unionbreak.org or contact Marlan Maralit at mmaralit@afscme.org for more information or to apply to the program. The deadline for applications is December 7, 2009.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka joined leaders from five major national non-profit groups at the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) in Washington, DC, Tuesday morning to announce a five-step robust plan to deal with the employment crisis.

In his remarks, Trumka highlighted the need for action to help state and local governments maintain vital public services and prevent layoffs of public employees:

“We have to boost aid to state and local governments to maintain vital services and prevent more layoffs. State and local governments and school districts are experiencing the worst fiscal crisis in decades – we have state budget shortfalls this year alone of $178 billion. Next year will be worse and the four-year estimate is nearly $600 billion. This is happening right as we need these vital services more than ever. Without additional funding, our public safety, our health needs and our children’s educations will suffer. The right thing and the smart thing is to take action to save services, save jobs and stop the hemorrhaging from choking off economic recovery.”

The leaders of EPI, Center for Community Change, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, NAACP, and National Council of La Raza issued a joint statement outlining what needs to be done to immediately address the need for job creation.

The jobs agenda being presented to Obama and Congress is based on five key points meant to give needed help to working families now while putting us in a better position for a long-term recovery:

1. Extend the lifeline for jobless workers.
2. Rebuild America’s schools, roads and energy systems.
3. Increase aid to state and local governments to maintain vital services.
4. Fund jobs in our communities.
5. Put TARP funds to work for Main Street.

Watch Pres. Trumka’s speech from the “Spotlight on the Jobs Crisis” event:

For more, read Trumka’s entry on the Huffington Post and visit the AFL-CIO website at http://www.aflcio.org/createjobs.

On Thursday, President Obama announced he will invite labor leaders, business executives, small business owners, economists and other financial experts to a special White House summit on jobs next month.

The summit announcement came as a new report showed there were 502,000 initial claims for unemployment benefits last week. Dire as that is, it’s lower than expected and is the smallest number of first-time claims since January.

And just this week, the AFL-CIO Executive Council met in Washington, D.C., to outline a national jobs creation strategy that AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka will announce Tuesday at a special Economic Policy Institute (EPI) jobs and economy panel and seminar. (Plan now to view the live webcast from 9-11:30 a.m. (ET), Tuesday, Nov. 17, at www.aflcio.org/createjobs.)

Read more at the AFL-CIO Now Blog.

The NewsHour on PBS dedicated a segment of their Tuesday broadcast to the new leader of the American labor movement with a profile of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka. The story highlighted Trumka’s start as a coal miner in Pennsylvania, his graduation from Villanova Law School, his rise to president of the Mine Workers and his key role in the tough battle against Pittston Coal Co. Included in the segment were clips from throughout Trumka’s career, including his emotional acceptance speech at the AFL-CIO convention in September.

As NewsHour pointed out, Trumka made his name “as a bulldog against corporate overreach” while he was AFL-CIO secretary-treasurer. The new AFL-CIO president made it clear he’s not about to let up now:

“I’ll stop demonizing big business just as soon as they put their country before their profits and they put their workers before their greed.”

Watch the full segment here:

At A Better Deal 2009, a conference taking place Oct. 15-16 in Washington, D.C., a broad coalition of youth and progressive organizations will look at the crisis facing today’s young people in an economy that just isn’t working for them. The free conference is hosted by Demos, an advocacy organization focused on building a fairer economy.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler will give the keynote address at the conference. As documented in the AFL-CIO report, “Young Workers: A Lost Decade,” young people are struggling to find good jobs that provide them with fair wages, health benefits, retirement security and decency on the job. The next generation could be on track to be the first in a century to be worse off than their parents, and that sets a dangerous standard for generations to come.

Attendees will discuss the details of a policy agenda that supports young workers. Workshops and plenary sessions will tackle issues like job creation, the high cost of a college education, our broken health care system and the abuses of the credit card and banking industries. In addition, the conference will focus on getting young people engaged in politics and civic action in their communities.

Learn more and sign up to attend on the conference website.

Richard Trumka was elected the new AFL-CIO President at the convention in Pittsburgh earlier this month along with Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Executive Vice President Arlene Holt Baker. The AFL-CIO is now led by a dynamic team ready to lead the union movement in the 21st century.

Watch this video to learn about President Trumka’s background, his values and beliefs, and vision for the future of the labor movement:

The last day of the AFL-CIO Convention opened with a big bang as newly elected AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka stood on stage with UNITE HERE President John Wilhelm to make the dramatic announcement that UNITE HERE is reaffiliating with the federation. The 250,000-member UNITE HERE was one of the unions that left the AFL-CIO in 2005 to form a new federation.

Trumka, who said he developed a special bond with Wilhelm around the struggle for Horse Shoe and Frontier Hotel workers in Las Vegas more than 15 years ago, hailed the reaffiliation, saying:

The solidarity of the American labor movement is about to grow.

It pained me personally when UNITE HERE left this federation four years ago—and I can’t think of a more uplifting way to begin this day than by welcoming UNITE HERE back to our union family as an affiliate of the AFL-CIO.

Trumka noted the importance of unity within the labor movement as workers are hit hard by a bad economy, the lack of freedom to form unions and Republican’s continual attack on working people.

A united labor movement will serve the interests of working people during this time of incredible opportunity and progress.

The AFL-CIO Executive Council met earlier today and approved the reaffiliation and using its authority under the AFL-CIO Constitution, expanded membership on the Executive Council and Executive Committee and named Wilhelm to those seats.

UNITE HERE represents more than 250,000 workers in the hospitality, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, laundry and airport industries.

More from the AFL-CIO Now blog.

Following this afternoon’s election of the AFL-CIO’s new leadership team at the AFL-CIO 2009 Convention in Pittsburgh, AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee released the following statement:

“We have a new leadership team that is committed to preserving the fundamental freedoms of America’s workers, including the right to form unions, the right to quality health care, the right to bargain collectively and the right to safe workplaces. They will organize and fight for a new generation of working Americans, building on the progress we have made in recent years.

“Since 1995, when he joined John Sweeney on the ticket committed to transforming the AFL-CIO, Rich Trumka has become a tireless advocate on issues of major importance to AFSCME members. Rich as been a leader on health care reform. He’s led the fight for the Employee Free Choice Act. And he’s worked with us to increase federal aid for the vital public services our members provide. Whenever AFSCME needed him, Rich was first in line to offer help.

“I’ve known Arlene Holt Baker for more than 30 years. She’s a member of the AFSCME family, and served as our area director in California. Her empathy for working people’s struggles, experiences, her tenacity and intellect, make Arlene an invaluable leader in revitalizing the labor movement.

“Liz Shuler is a remarkable new leader, who at the age of 39 will bring youthful dynamism and strong experience into her role as Secretary-Treasurer.

“Rich, Arlene and Liz know that the rank and file members are the heart and soul of our unions. Their voices keep us strong.

“AFSCME looks forward to working with Rich Trumka, Arlene Holt Baker and Liz Shuler to open the doors of opportunity to all working Americans in the years ahead.”

Newly-elected AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka shares a light moment with AFSCME President Gerald W. McEntee during a meeting of the AFSCME caucus at the 2009 AFL-CIO Convention. (Photo by Jason Cohn)

President Obama just ended his speech to the delegates at the AFL-CIO 2009 Convention in Pittsburgh, where he pledged to grow the middle class and strengthen the labor movement:

“When organized labor succeeds, that’s when our middle class succeeds. And when our middle class succeeds, that’s when the United States of America succeeds. That’s what we’re fighting for.”

Obama also reiterated his call for action on health insurance reform now — including a public option — “Because in the United States of America, nobody should go broke just because they got sick.”

Watch the full speech here:

For more coverage from the AFL-CIO Convention in Pittsburgh, visit the official convention site.

Today young workers are less likely to have health care or economic security than they were 10 years ago, and one-third live in their parents’ home, according to a new national survey released by the AFL-CIO.

• 31 percent of young workers report being uninsured, up from 24 percent 10 years ago, and 79 percent of those without health care coverage say it’s because they can’t afford it or their employer does not offer it.
• One in three young workers live at home with their parents.
• Only 31 percent say they make enough money to cover their bills and put some money aside — 22 percentage points fewer than in 1999.

Young workers are facing many new challenges on the job, especially during this recession. AFSCME joins the AFL-CIO in working with young union members to build the labor movement, revitalize the economy, and to pass health care reform and the Employee Free Choice Act.

That’s why AFSCME started a special program, the Next Wave, designed to reach out to young union members and to provide them with the tools and connections to get them ready for future union leadership. The Next Wave is bringing new ideas and energy in into AFSCME and advancing the labor movement.

More than 600 young labor activists came together in Chicago this summer for the inaugural Next Wave conference. “Next Wave is dedicated to showing members 35 and younger how critical the union is and how it is relevant to them today,” said Natasha Pranger, a Next Wave activist from Washington Council 28, Local 304. “We are AFSCME and we are much stronger working together than alone.”