Fox Valley Area Labor Council Community Services Liaison Program

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, to work, and to raise children. The union member is concerned about welfare and recreational services for the entire community.

From the basic principle, organized labor developed a working relationship with United Way of America that has lasted more than 60 years. Across the nation, the AFL-CIO Community Services Program provides services through public and voluntary agencies to individual union members and to other members of the communities which address many problems that are not covered by the union contract or State and Federal work laws.

It provides emergency assistance through community resources to union members in need as 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 social welfare. It also helps organize direct service, free or at a lower rate, for its members, their families and others.

The AFL-CIO Community Services Program helps bind our communities together by encouraging everyone to work together for a better community.

The Fox Valley Area Labor Council Community Services Program, in cooperation with United Way Fox Cities provides a full-time AFL-CIO Community Services Liaison to assist Local Labor Unions. This program is designed to maximize the active support of United Way from members of organized labor.

Overview of Programs:

Union Counseling:
The Union Counseling Program trains rank and file union members in providing information to brothers and sisters in need and in referring them to appropriate services in their community. The AFL-CIO Department of Community Services developed the Union Counseling Program, which is conducted nationwide under the auspices of state and local AFL-CIO central labor bodies and in cooperation with United Ways. For more than 60 years, Union Counseling has been an effective social outreach program for organized labor.

Here in the Fox Valley, the Union Counselor Program consists of 20 classroom hours conducted by local human service providers. This program is conducted over an eight week period, but can be adapted to fit scheduling needs of its students. Each student receives a Counselor Training Manual and a United Way Human Services directory.

Board Leadership Program:
The purpose of this program is to provide Board Membership and Leadership Training to representatives of organized labor and other interested citizens to enable them to enjoy being effective, productive members of Union Boards, Community Boards and Committees.

Retirement:
Seminars are held for people planning to retire or who have recently retired. At these seminars, participants discuss how to cope with their new way of life by exploring such topics as financial planning, consumer information, leisure activities and housing arrangements. They also learn about volunteer opportunities that allow them to make good use of their skills, including service on volunteer boards and committees of health, welfare and human service organizations. Retired union members may also join the Fox Valley Labor Council Retirees Club.

Unemployment:
Local AFL-CIO Community Service Liaisons conduct seminars on services to the unemployed. These seminars offer information on available resources, location of services and program eligibility.

Community Service Committees in Local Unions:
AFL-CIO Community Services Liaisons assist local unions in developing their own Community Services Committees.

For information contact Hugh Sloan, AFL-CIO Liaison at 954-7210 or via email at hugh.sloan@unitedway.org.