WNYLaborToday.com has posted a new video in our Young Unionists Section, which focuses on the growing Baltimore, Maryland-based Young Trade Unionists group.

According to information posted on its website, during late March the Young Trade Unionists organization was contacted by the International Union of Electrical Workers (IBEW), which was interested in learning more about the group.  

The next month the IBEW attended one of the Young Trade Unionists’ general meetings to make it aware of the Union’s interest in producing a video that would be shown across the United States as a way to “instill Unionism throughout as many youth as possible.”

Subsequently a video was filmed and produced and is currently airing it nationally, including right here on WNYLaborToday.com.  It’s located on the upper left-hand corner of this page.  

“The Young Trade Unionists is very grateful to have the unending support of our Local Labor Leaders and Unions throughout the State of Maryland, but it is one of the greatest feelings to know that our International Unions want to do everything possible to see ‘The Future of the Labor Movement’ succeed,” said Young Trades Unionists President Cory McCray.

It is the hope of WNYLaborToday.com that this video inspires Young Unionists across Western New York and that a Young Unionists group will be created by the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation and its member Central Labor Councils.

The movement to involve more and more Young Unionists in the Labor Movement has been spearheaded by National AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Schuler (who is featured in the second video posted on our Young Unionist page, entitled: If I Were In Charge…), who has done a tremendous job in not only getting the effort up and off the ground, but growing it. 

In mid-June, the National AFL-CIO held its first-ever Young Workers Summit in Washington, D.C. – which was an immense success, attracting more than 400 Young Unionists, who participated in a variety of give-and-take sessions. 

Shuler told the young activists and leaders: "This is not just a three-day meeting with a couple of receptions and some speakers. This is the birth of change and you are the 'change makers.'  We're going to be picking your brains and working together for three days."

The young workers participated in a number of breakout groups with policy experts, Labor Leaders, student activists, community allies and a couple of political comedians and professional athletes.  The workshops are focused on topics identified by young workers across the country, such as communications, organizing and mobilizing, issues facing this generation and integrating young workers into the Union Movement.

Shuler, meanwhile, identified several key areas where the Labor Movement must develop effective and relevant strategies to reach younger workers and build the movement.

"We need to communicate in new ways-using cutting edge technology and messages that appeal to younger people.  We need to open up leadership opportunities and provide more mentoring.  We need to do a better job of educating the public about the Labor Movement - who we are and what we do, especially in the schools.  We need to adapt our structure and be more open to organizing unconventional industries," she said.