Strengthening Our Next Generation

CWA’s Next Generation initiative is developing the future leaders of the labor movement.

“Today’s young workers are part of the largest generation to enter the workforce since the baby boomers,” CWA Chief of Staff Ron Collins told delegates. “In the next five to 10 years, almost half of all current union members, approximately 5 to 7 million workers, will retire. Youth unionization rates are two and a half times lower than those of workers aged 40 to 65. This is why organizing young workers and developing young leaders is critical for the future of CWA. “

Over the past two years, young leaders assisted with organizing drives at T-Mobile, AT&T, Piedmont Airlines, and others, and also played key organizing roles in 2012 election cycle.

Jake Lake, a Verizon technician who represents CWA on the AFL-CIO Young Workers Advisory Council, shared his experiences at a Next Generation conference in Minneapolis. There, young workers attended organizing and political action trainings, as well as staged a “die-in” at Wells Fargo. http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/next_generation_activists_storm_minneapolis

CWA is now developing an even more comprehensive outreach program – designed to reach out directly to every CWA member who is 35 years of age or younger. The goal is to have 10,000 members by 2015.

Keep track of their work at www.facebook.com/cwanextgen. And sign up here http://www.cwa-union.org/issues/entry/c/next-generation#.UXliW7WG2So to join the Next Generation network.