SHORT-TERM TEMPORARY WORKERS

WHEREAS, the use of and reliance on short-term temporary workers by employers in lieu of full-time employees have dramatically increased; and

WHEREAS, replacing full-time qualified and dedicated employees with long-term commitments to the institution with short-term temporary workers can lead to instability in the workplace and threaten the institution's ability to carry out its mission and provide consistent high-quality service; and

WHEREAS, recent studies have shown that only 20 percent of temporary workers receive specific skills training related to their work and the employee turnover rate among these workers is substantially higher than that among full-time employees; and

WHEREAS, lack of training and high employee turnover can lead to problems with safety, security, theft, reliable job performance and inhibit the employers ability to provide quality service; and

WHEREAS, the widespread use of short-term temporary workers is frequently an effort by the employer to undermine the union and the collective bargaining process;

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers and its affiliates oppose the indiscriminate and widespread use of short-term temporary workers by all means available including collective bargaining, legislation, legal challenges and political action;

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers monitor trends and track research and studies on the use of short-term temporary workers; and

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers continue public relations efforts to emphasize the important contributions full-time qualified and dedicated AFT members make to the institutions in which they work.