Fired Up Young Workers Organize Our Future in Boston

AFL-CIO News blog 
February 29, 2012

http://blog.aflcio.org/2012/02/28/fired-up-young-workers-organize-our-future-in-boston/

Some 85 union members, community activists and students
age 35 and younger took part in the 2nd Annual
"Organizing Our Future" conference hosted by the
Greater Boston Labor Council Futures Committee at the
Boston Teachers Union Hall.  The goal of the conference
on Sunday was to empower, educate and connect young
union members around Boston to be more knowledgeable
and active in their local unions, in their communities
and the Greater Boston Labor Council Futures Committee.

Liz Shuler, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer, who came to
address the young workers in Boston, said the young
leaders at the conference were inspiring.

    They are exactly what the AFL-CIO young worker
    program is all about - young leaders taking an
    active role in strengthening and building our
    unions and connecting with their broader community.
    I applaud them and their visionary leaders who
    support them.

Shuler has been a champion of the AFL-CIO Next Up Young
Worker Program across the nation. She realizes the
importance of training our younger members to be future
leaders in order to strengthen and maintain the labor
movement.

Tyrek Lee, the youngest vice president of the
Massachusetts AFL-CIO, and a vice president in his own
union, 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, told
his union story to the young workers at `Organizing our
Future.'

    Ten years ago when I was working at Boston Medical
    Center, I was anti-union, but my union leadership
    mentored me and kept developing my leadership so
    that just a few short years later, I am an elected
    leader in our union. I am excited to be part of the
    Greater Boston Labor Council Futures Committee
    because I realize that healthcare workers cannot
    this fight alone. We stand in solidarity with our
    brothers and sisters in this movement for social
    and economic justice. An injury to one is an injury
    to all.

"As young workers, we are learning from the successes
of those who came before us to build a transformative
new labor movement for a 21st century economy and
workforce. Young workers were inspiring each other and
learning from one another -we all felt the energy
building up throughout the day. Whether it was about
labor's vision and values; political issues that affect
working families; using your story to organize; or
creating a flash mob; young workers are engaging with
our labor movement and being developed into the leaders
of the future" said Allison Doherty, chair of the
Greater Boston Labor Council Futures Committee, and one
of the key organizers of the conference.

Massachusetts AFL-CIO President Steve Tolman, and
Greater Boston Labor Council President Lou Mandarini,
and Greater Boston Labor Council Executive Secretary
Treasurer Richard Rogers also addressed the young
workers.

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