As anticipated, Richard Trumka’s slate, the sole contenders, were elected yesterday at the AFL-CIO’s August convention. Not too much new here. Trumka, and Arlene Holt-Baker (who spoke at CP’s July conference) have both been high up in the labor federation for a long time. But then there is 39 year old Liz Shuler, elected to Trumka’s old Secretary-Treasurer post, the second highest position in the AFL-CIO. Shuler is “the youngest person ever to become an officer of the AFL-CIO”, according to the federation’s blog and she seems to recognize that the labor movement desperately needs to initiate young workers into the fold.

Shuler hails from the archaically titled International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), where she had early success battling the late and unlamented Enron in their attempt to deregulate Oregon’s electricity markets. (This is what happened when Enron won in California).  Shuler, then 27, led the fight as political director for IBEW Local 125, allying with other community groups to battle the massive energy corporation that was pumping money into campaigns for its pet legislators.

Since her Oregon days, Shuler has risen rapidly through the ranks to become the highest ranking woman in the IBEW.  In her acceptance speech, she echoed Trumka's recent talking points, emphasizing the need to unify the movement and the importance of organizing young workers. In her words,

“We need to revitalize and unify labor at every level. We need to reach out to unorganized workers—especially those under 35—who, for whatever reason, don’t see us as the answer to the economic problems they face.

We know what young people are capable of—we worked side by side with them last year in a political campaign to make real change happen. We watched them organize and spread a message of hope to the American people, and we’ve got to build on those bonds of solidarity that were forged in the heat of the campaign.”

It is to be commended that the new regime is placing such a high rhetorical value on working with young people. The movement needs new blood badly, and the more high ranking officials who recognize that, the better. (For some concrete suggestions, read the last couple paragraphs of my recent piece on young workers, here.)