At my store im the store lead for the cultural council they are not allowed to force u to join they are suppose to ask u and if u want to join they are suppose to tell when and where it is also u do get payed for the time of the meeting
You get paid to sit on your ass and shoot the breeze for an hour. Being on cultural council is very rewarding for many reasons. Nominees are carefully chosen; it's an honor that you asked. Go for it!
Yes you do get paid, no they cant make you join it. The council should be an honor to join if your store is using it correctly. My store has a very strong council so everyone is always trying to get on it. If your store takes the council serious, it could greatly improve things in your store, and maybe even spread to other stores and higher.
This is your chance to voice concerns around the store and actually be heard. Just remember if your going to bring an issue to the table, think of a solution preemptively and you may be taken more seriously