Next generation learns about California Labor

By Fabrizio Sasso
Executive Director, Sacramento CLC

Welcome to Labor Summer in California.

Across the University of California system, college interns from Labor programs are joining labor councils and unions for real-world experience in organizing and growing workers’ rights — including here in Sacramento.

The Sacramento Central Labor Council is part of this statewide initiative, and I’m proud to say we are helping place interns in paid roles throughout our region, a project that began in June and will continue in coming months.

These young Labor activists are our future, and it is so exciting to see their passion and hear their vision for the future of American workers.

I know I’m preaching to the choir, but unions protect more than jobs. They protect our civil rights, they nurture our communities and they fight to make sure that all people have access to basic rights such as housing and health care. Unionism is about class, but it is also about race, gender and inclusivity of all people. These young people coming from our universities are on the forefront of those fights, and with their leadership and knowledge, I am confident our movement is on the right path for a successful and strong future. The wave of organizing and unionism that has swept the country in recent years is continuing, and these young activists are its stewards.

The intern program is part of a larger push by the University of California system to increase its Labor offerings, growing out of a $13 million allocation in last year’s budget that is helping to fund five new Labor Centers such as the one at UC Berkeley that has been on the forefront of research for decades. One of those new Labor Centers is at UC Davis and we are already working closely with them to advance research and understanding of what workers and unions need to thrive in our region and across the Golden State.

The AFL-CIO has funded this Council with a solidarity grant for a pilot program that is helping us outreach as part of this effort to our local unions to better understand their needs.

With another round of critical elections on the horizon and so many union-backed pieces of legislation moving through our statehouse, these joint efforts are more important than ever. Our solidarity is always our greatest strength, and passing our knowledge on to younger generations is a critical piece of keeping unionism alive and powerful. From what I’ve seen so far, I can promise you can expect great things from these young working class warriors, who respect the history of Labor and are determined to continue the legacy.