This is a Huffington Post piece by AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler.

As the newly elected secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO, I traveled the country this fall, talking with workers and hearing their concerns. The economic crisis is causing a lot of pain. So many people have no jobs, no health care--and many are losing their homes. And as I looked into the faces of young workers, the reality hit home that these young people are part of the first generation in recent history likely to be worse off than their parents.

This is a tragedy.

The AFL-CIO and our community affiliate, Working America, recently surveyed young workers--and I'm not talking about 17- and 18-year-olds. I'm talking about 18- to 34-year-olds. In the past 10 years, young workers have suffered disproportionately from the downturn in the economy:

   
• One in three young workers is worried about being able to find a job--let alone a full-time job with benefits.

   
• Only 31 percent make enough money to cover their bills and put some aside--that is 22 percentage points worse than it was 10 years ago.

   
• Nearly half worry about having more debt than they can handle.

   
• One in three still lives at home with parents.

There's more...

Tomorrow, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler will give the keynote address at the A Better Deal 2009 conference here in Washington, D.C.

The conference, which runs tomorrow and Friday, is hosted by Demos, an advocacy organization focused on building a fairer economy, and a variety of sponsor organizations focused on youth and the economy.

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The spirit of trade unionism is in full stride in Pittsburgh as the city hosts the AFL-CIO's 26th Constitutional Convention September 13 - 17. Highlighting the summit is the election of a new slate of officers - including the International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker's Liz Shuler - to helm the 11 million-member federation.

There's more...