2010 Census: Stand Up and Be Counted

The United States Constitution requires the U.S. Census Bureau to conduct a count of the population every 10 years. Although the 2010 Census will not get underway until mid-March of next year, the International Union, together with the AFL-CIO and its affiliates, has already committed to reaching out to BAC Local Unions and members directly to urge their full cooperation with this historic undertaking.

Why is the Census so important? First, it’s used to allocate more than $300 billion in federal and state funding. Second, Census data determine how many seats a state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives and in drawing boundaries for federal state and local legislative districts. Third, it is important for the protection of the civil rights of all Americans that no group is undercounted, as they were in 2000 and 1990.

“We encourage all members to fully cooperate in the count in 2010,” says IU President John J. Flynn, “to ensure the most representative data for funding and apportionment decisions. The Census will create hundreds of thousands of jobs for the period of the count, and a successful Census will mean more jobs for more workers.”