AFL-CIO

Many workers join groups to help each other.

These groups are called unions. Long ago, two big groups joined together. This happened in 1955. Now, many unions work as one big team. They help millions of people who work. They also help people who have retired. The group works to help workers in many ways. They even help people vote in big elections. This large team helps people in the United States.

The AFL-CIO is a very large group of unions. A union is a group that helps workers. This group is the biggest in the United States. It has 61 unions in its team. These unions represent nearly 15 million workers. Some workers are still working. Others have retired.

The AFL-CIO has a big office in Washington, DC.

This group was made in 1955. It happened when two older groups joined together. In 1979, union membership was at its highest point. Then, nearly twenty million people were members.

The AFL-CIO helps people with politics. They want laws that help workers. They help people get ready to vote. In 2010, they sent out millions of pieces of mail. They also sent 100,000 volunteers to knock on doors.

Members lead the group. They meet every four years at a big meeting. They pick leaders and talk about new rules. The group also works with many other groups. Some of these groups help veterans or women. They also help people from different backgrounds work together.

The AFL-CIO is a huge center for labor unions in the United States. A federation is a group made up of many smaller groups. This federation includes 61 different national and international unions. Together, these unions represent nearly 15 million active and retired workers. Some of the largest unions in this group are the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers. Other big members include the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. This large group helps workers have a voice in their jobs.

This group works in many different ways to help its members. It is a voluntary federation, which means it has limited power over its unions. It can only step in for very rare things like corruption. One way it helps is through political activism. The group works to support policies that help workers. They also help people get ready to vote in big elections. In 2010, they sent out 28.6 million pieces of mail to voters. They even sent 100,000 volunteers to knock on doors in 32 states.

The history of the AFL-CIO began with a big merger in 1955. Before that, two groups called the AFL and the CIO were separate. They had been apart for a long time before they finally joined. Union membership in the United States reached its highest point in 1979. At that time, the member unions had nearly twenty million members. From 1955 until 2005, these unions represented almost all union workers in the country. Later, in 2005, some large unions left to form a new group called the Change to Win Federation.

Members of the AFL-CIO help run the whole organization. They meet for a large convention every four years. During these meetings, delegates are elected to represent different groups. These delegates elect the officers and the vice presidents. They also debate new rules and decide on dues. The group also has special departments for different types of jobs. There are departments for maritime trades, metal trades, and transportation trades. There are also groups that focus on helping veterans or women in the workforce.

The AFL-CIO has also been part of important moments in American history. It has a long relationship with the fight for civil rights. In 1961, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to a convention of the group. He hoped that labor and civil rights could work together to help everyone. The group also supported the Civil Rights Act of 1964. However, there were times when the group and leaders like King did not agree. For example, the group supported the Vietnam War while King opposed it.

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, known as the AFL-CIO, is the largest federation of unions in the United States. A federation is a large organization made up of many smaller, independent groups. This specific federation consists of 61 national and international unions. As of January 2025, these member unions represent nearly 15 million active and retired workers. The AFL-CIO serves as a central hub for labor organizing and political activism. It primarily supports progressive and pro-labor policies through various methods.

The AFL-CIO operates as a voluntary federation. This means it has very little authority over its member unions. It can only intervene in extremely limited cases, such as expelling a union for corruption. It can also enforce resolutions regarding disagreements over jurisdiction or organizing. The organization is governed by its members through a convention held every four years. During these conventions, delegates are elected through proportional representation. These delegates elect officers and vice presidents, debate policy, and set dues. This structure ensures that the member unions have a direct voice in governance.

To manage different sectors of the economy, the AFL-CIO uses several specialized departments. Six departments are constitutionally mandated by the organization's rules. These include the Maritime Trades Department and the Metal Trades Department. Other departments focus on transportation trades and professional employees. There is also the North America's Building Trades Unions and the Union Label and Service Trades Department. Historically, the Industrial Union Department (IUD) was a major organizing force. It even provided financial support to the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) during a 1961 organizing drive. This help allowed the AFT to win an election and establish a large collective bargaining affiliate.

Beyond specialized departments, the AFL-CIO utilizes constituency groups to reach specific communities. These are nonprofit organizations funded by the federation to help with voter registration and mobilization. They conduct research, host training conferences, and issue reports. There are seven such groups, including the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance and the Coalition of Labor Union Women. Other groups represent veterans, Black trade unionists, and Latin American workers. These groups have the right to sit in on executive council meetings. They also hold voting rights at the large quadrennial conventions.

The history of the AFL-CIO is defined by a major merger in 1955. This occurred when the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations joined after a long period of estrangement. Before this merger, the two groups often disagreed on how to organize workers. For example, the CIO was more willing to include Black workers than the AFL. Union membership in the United States reached its peak in 1979. At that time, affiliated unions had nearly twenty million members. From 1955 until 2005, the AFL-CIO represented almost all unionized workers in the country. In 2005, some large unions left to form a rival group called the Change to Win Federation.

Political activity is a major part of the AFL-CIO's modern work. While it has lost some political clout since 1970, it remains a major player in liberal politics. The federation engages in lobbying, grassroots organizing, and fundraising. It also focuses heavily on "get-out-the-vote" (GOTV) campaigns during major elections. In the 2010 midterm elections, the AFL-CIO sent 28.6 million pieces of mail. They also sent 100,000 volunteers to go door-to-door in 32 states. These volunteers spoke to 13 million union voters to promote endorsed candidates.

The AFL-CIO has also been connected to significant civil rights struggles. In 1961, Martin Luther King Jr. spoke to an AFL-CIO convention in Bal Harbour, Florida. He argued that labor and civil rights should form a coalition to help the entire working class. However, King also criticized the movement for its past tolerance of unions that excluded Black workers. The relationship between the federation and civil rights leaders saw further tension in 1967. This happened because the AFL-CIO supported the Vietnam War while King opposed it. Despite these disagreements, the AFL-CIO did endorse the Civil Rights Act of 1964.