RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

WHEREAS, more than 45 percent of the public sector workforce will be eligible for retirement over the next five years. This generation of public employee professionals includes some of the most experienced and well-trained experts in their respective fields. The mass departure of these employees represents a serious potential crisis for government at the federal, state and local level; and

WHEREAS, to address this unfolding crisis, government leaders must do more to keep and attract top-quality professionals. Quality government services are required to build stronger communities throughout the nation and to address the needs of the poor, those less fortunate and those less able in our society. Education, social services, law enforcement, the justice system, environmental quality, economic development, medical services and healthcare, public utilities, food inspection, licensing and virtually every aspect of our lives requires well-trained professionals to administer and carry out government programs; and

WHEREAS, compensation, healthcare coverage, pension benefits, working conditions and work schedules must keep pace with changes in our society and the demands of the new workforce. When the attractions of the private sector force public employees to leave their jobs, quality public services face the strain. Budget cuts and deficits throughout government exacerbate these conditions and make it more difficult to provide the kind of services from government that the public has grown to expect; and

WHEREAS, politicians, government administrators and public employee unions must all become more aware of future government workforce requirements and prepare to meet those needs. Differences in the training and orientation of the different generations, those currently in the public employee workforce and prospective employees, require different approaches, incentives and attractions to bring them into the public sector workforce and keep them there; and

WHEREAS, public employee unions also must be aware of the needs and interests of the new generations of employees that will be coming into the ranks of our membership. New member expectations of union programs will be different from that of previous generations. The leadership of our union, at all levels, must take these attitudes into consideration if we are to continue our growth and expand our influence over workplace issues:

RESOLVED, that the AFT work with politicians, government administrators and local union leaders in an effort to get a better understanding of future public sector workforce needs. We will work to insure that the government is considered an employer of choice. Such an effort will require research and planning as well as appropriate resources. The result of this understanding will yield better preparation for the future needs of our government and for a more effective union; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT, at all levels, work to exchange information and best practices on how public employers are dealing with workforce changes and recruiting challenges. We will exchange information on successful efforts and tools that attract a new generation of members and union leaders; and

RESOLVED, that the AFT monitor developments in compensation, benefits and working conditions to make sure that our union addresses the changing conditions facing our members at home and at work. Through these efforts, we can play an important role in advancing the professional interests of our members, and we can strengthen the institutions where our members work. We can strive to make sure the public understands that quality public services come from quality public employees.