The staff of the AFL-CIO Working for America Institute is available to provide technical assistance to High Road Network members.  Some of the most frequent requests for technical assistance are in the categories, below.  But if you have a unique question, do not hesitate to ask.  You can always reach us at highroadnetwork@aflcio.org.

Past technical assistance includes:

A number of State Federations and Central Labor Councils have asked for assistance in issues related to the nomination process for WIB Labor Representatives.  Recent inquiries have included providing both statutory and regulator language regarding the “two or more” requirement for labor representatives on boards, the regulatory definition of a labor federation, and how to handle when a labor representative moves to the management side of his/her company.

Workforce Investment Boards themselves often ask us for assistance in the nomination process.  Help recruiting labor representatives is one of the benefits of WIB membership in the Network.

Advocacy

Labor representatives, and their allies on workforce boards, frequently request assistance on how to advocate for high road policies in their communities.  Recent requests for technical assistance included how to locate a research partner to conduct a community audit and how to advocate for a higher self-sufficiency standard.  In one instance we were asked to recommend someone that a state official could speak to about the state’s ability to promote the use of higher self-sufficiency standards and were able to recommend a state with an exemplary approach to follow.
 
We have also been asked to help a labor representative evaluate a state’s proposed performance criteria for workforce boards and to ensure that the performance criteria promoted activities designed to focus boards on better-paying jobs in the state/region – and not give “undue credit” for activity with employers who pay minimum wage with no benefits.

Boards and unions have asked for assistance locating model practices of sector-based labor management partnerships that address workforce issues, and learning how they might replicate those efforts in their communities.