The Young Workers’ Task Force was charged with the mandate of educating, involving and reaching out to young workers.

This has not always been successful for a number of reasons, both financial and institutional.

The committee seeks to fulfil its mandate by running “Know Your Rights” workshops for local unions, organizing workplaces where young workers are predominant, encouraging the formation of young workers’ committees at the local level, encouraging the adoption of collective agreement language that addresses young workers’ issues, and advocating for young workers representation within the greater CUPE structure.

To this end, we have, in conjunction with the education department run five “Know Your Rights” workshops. If your local is interested in holding one of these workshops, please contact the education representative, Judi Armstrong.

Following the resolution at last year’s convention, with strong support from CUPE National, CUPE BC and Local 402, substantial efforts were made in the privatized recreation sector to pursue contracted out work predominately performed by young workers. Young workers from the Young Workers’ Task Force undertook this effort. Despite initial setbacks, the framework has been set for ongoing and future organizing. The Young Workers Task Force is actively seeking new opportunities to organize young workers.

We will hold more Young Leadership Courses at Naramata this year, for young activists. Fourteen candidates were trained two years ago at Parksville, but the week-long course wasn’t offered at last year’s spring or fall schools.

Due to demographic conditions particular to young workers, the work of the task force must be continual in order to address activist turnover since young workers don’t stay young forever, and because young workers are often auxiliary or part time workers. Ongoing training benefits the labour movement generally, because young workers carry the skills they learn here beyond the mandate of the committee. The Young Workers’ Task Force is constantly looking for new members. Locals with interested young activists should forward those names to the Executive Board.


Respectfully submitted:

Kevin Rose, Chair
Ken Hawkins
Hayley Hewson
Nicola Hill
Justin Schmid
Adrienne Smith
Jeff Takagi
Brad West
Tom McKenna, Staff Advisor

Recommendations:

1. Locals be encouraged to amend their by-laws to allow for young workers’ committees to be struck, and young workers’ positions be to created on local executives.
   
   
2. The “Know Your Rights” brochure be reprinted to reflect the latest changes to labour laws.
   
   
3. Ongoing training and educational opportunities aimed at encouraging young worker activists be offered on an ongoing basis.
   
   
4. That a Young Workers’ Conference be held in 2004.
   
   
   
   OPEIU-15