Nobody understands the promise of good work better than a union member. As workers and neighbors, union members share a strong commitment to community economic development focused on good jobs with a future. When union workers serve on workforce investment boards (WIBs), they educate their fellow members - business representatives, social service providers, policymakers - on the importance of investing in workforce development that leads to long-term, sustainable benefits for both workers and the community.

What is a Workforce Investment Board (WIB)?

California’s State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB) was established in 1998 in response to the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA). The SWIB works with the state government in setting and guiding policy in the area of workforce development. That policy is carried out and funded through Local Workforce Invetsment Boards.

More about Workforce Investment Boards

Meet the California State WIB members

Find your Local WIB

About the Laws.....

An overview of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) from Wikipedia

• Read the full text of WIA here
• Read an in-depth labor analysis of WIA here (pdf)

The CA Workforce Traning Act of 2006 refined the law in CA and increased labor representation on California's WIBs to a minimum of 15%.

• ‘Increasing our Labor Seats:’ Letter from Art Pulaski to EDD Director Henning
• Directive from EDD Director Henning to local WIBs regarding the Workforce Training Act

HOW LABOR LEADS

Thanks to the CA Workforce Training Act, every local WIB in California must have a minimum on 15% of its seats filled by labor representatives. This gives labor a seat at the table when training programs are funded and when economic development priorities are set. Even though a labor rep may not chair the WIB, labor members can and do chair many of the committtees developing by-laws, policies, and doing sectoral analysis of the local economy.

Labor representatives lead their WIBs toward prudent policies that result in high-road jobs, jobs with good wages and a future. Learn more about good workforce development policy.

Get involved!

Want to serve in your local WIB? In CA, union representatives must be nominated to sit on their local WIB by the relevant central labor council or building trades council.

Email or call Martha Bader at 510-663-4082 at WED program to get more information.

RESOURCES For labor reps on WIBs

Organized Labor's Guiding Principles in workforce development

A wealth of fact sheets, analysis and training tools can be found on the AFL-CIO's Working for America Institute website

List of California Central Labor Councils

Join the labor rep WIB email listserv to keep up to date on what's happening in California's WFD system