WHEREAS:
Delegates to the 2006 AFSCME International Convention passed Resolution 78 calling on AFSCME to create the labor movement’s premier Leadership Institute in order to equip activists, leaders and staff with tools to successfully lead the union at every level and to be effective advocates, to organize new members and to elect politicians and hold them accountable; and

WHEREAS:
Resolution 78 directed that the Leadership Academy use a variety of methods to provide top notch programs, including online, classroom and field training; and

WHEREAS:
The AFSCME Leadership Academy was launched in 2007 with four different tracks to meet the needs of many different groups within the union; and

WHEREAS:
The Web Track of the AFSCME Leadership Academy offers free online workshops to any AFSCME member or staff person and was created to increase access to basic union skills and knowledge on a variety of topics ranging from PEOPLE to the AFSCME Financial Standards Code; and 

WHEREAS:
The Local Union Leadership Academy is a two-day program for the leadership teams of local unions to give them the knowledge and tools needed to build strong, active, effective local unions and is being piloted in major AFSCME affiliates across the country; and

WHEREAS:
The Staff Track of the AFSCME Leadership Academy was launched with a series of regional conferences for staff representatives of major affiliates that included more than 600 participants in total; and

WHEREAS:
The Major Affiliate Track was piloted with three AFSCME affiliates who took part in a series of intensive retreats to help the top leadership teams of those affiliates think strategically, increase their effectiveness and build their organizational capacity.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That the International Union should continue to administer and expand the AFSCME Leadership Academy to meet the needs of AFSCME leaders, activists and staff; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That each council and local that maintains a website will promote the Web Track of the AFSCME Leadership Academy through that website and will seek other ways to promote the Web Track; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That delegates to the 2008 AFSCME Convention will preview the offerings of the AFSCME Web Track and inform other members about the availability of online workshops; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That each council and large unaffiliated local will launch the Local Union Leadership Academy to build local union capacity, in partnership with the AFSCME Department of Education and Leadership Training; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will give preference to web vendors who employ American and unionized workers.
 
SUBMITTED BY: Albert Garrett, President and Delegate
AFSCME Council 25
Michigan