United Way and Labor

 

 

How Labor Lives United!

• Organized labor and United Way have enjoyed a strong partnership for more than 60 years.
  Union members have contributed greatly to the success of the annual United Way Campaign with contributions and volunteer support.
• Organized labor is part of the decision-making process at United Way of America and United Way of Inner Wisconsin. Currently, there are five AFL-CIO representatives serving on United Way of America's Board of Governors, two of them on the executive committee, and a labor leader is currently serving as the chair of United Way International.
• At United Way of Inner Wisconsin, there are two union members serving on the Board of
  Directors, with one member representing the Wood County and Vicinity Central Labor Council and one serving on the executive committee.

 

AFL-CIO Community Services

• A basic principle of the AFL-CIO Community Services Program is that the union member is first and foremost a citizen of the community who works with fellow citizens in making the community a good place in which to live, work, and raise children. The union member is concerned about welfare and recreational services for the entire community.
• From this basic principle, organized labor developed a working relationship with United Way of America that has lasted more than 60 years.
• This program provides emergency assistance through community resources to union members in need as a result of layoffs, strikes, or disasters, both natural and man-made. It helps develop better community relations through public service programs and a better relationship between organized labor and organized social welfare. It also helps organize direct service, free or at a lower rate, for its members, their families and others.
• The Wood County and Vicinity Central Labor Council, in cooperation with United Way of Inner Wisconsin, provides a part-time AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison to assist local labor unions in the following areas:
  
  • Wood County & Vicinity Central Labor Council Education Conferences.
  • Wood County & Vicinity Central Labor Council administrative responsibilities.
  • Community Services project with local unions and Central Labor Council.
  • Information and referral for union members and their families.
  • Labor Leadership Program.

Local Involvement

• The AFL-CIO Community Services Program key areas of responsibility are:
  • Implement the AFL-CIO Community Services Program including: union member education, assistance to working families experiencing layoffs or strikes, help for the unemployed, information and referral, disaster services.
  • Increase labor participation in the United Way campaign.
  • Cultivate AFL-CIO/United Way relationships.
  • Provide information and referral to working families.
  • Carry out AFL-CIO Community Services projects.
  • Expand labor’s knowledge and use of community resources.
  • Fulfill administrative responsibilities.
  • Help organize the Labor Day Celebration.

Outcomes

• Through Financial Information and Service Center’s financial counseling services 323 dislocated workers were able to learn how to reduce their financial debts.
• AFSCME 1075 collected a truckload of food and hygiene products for North Central Community Action Program’s Family Resource Center to improve the lives individuals and families in need.
• Provided community information and referral resources to 261 dislocated workers during Dislocated Informational meetings to assist them in navigating needed services during this life transition.
• Basic computer skills training for 19 dislocated workers so they could attend college or prepare for new employment.
• To strengthen working families, 124 union members attended an educational opportunity on: community resources, workers safety, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, union activism, capacity building and self improvement.
• NALC food drive collected 24,100 pounds of food for four area food pantries to improve their ability to provide nutritional foods for single or family households.
  
• Share and Care distributed food baskets and Christmas gifts for minor children to 72 dislocated or terminally ill working families.