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    AFL-CIO

    From Ballotpedia - Reading time: 28 min
    AFL-CIO
    AFL-CIO.png
    Basic facts
    Location:Washington, D.C.
    Type:501(c)(5)
    Top official:Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer
    Year founded:1955
    Website:Official website
    Connections
    Workers' Voice
    AFL-CIO
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    Read more about the AFL-CIO:
    •Workers' Voice
    •AFL-CIO stance on immigration

    The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly known as the AFL-CIO, is a 501(c)(5), national trade union. The labor organization is the largest federation of unions in the United States.[1]

  • On June 16, 2016, the AFL-CIO officially announced their endorsement of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.[2]
  • In March 2016, the National Border Patrol Council, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, came out and supported Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
  • The AFL-CIO makes an average of $9 million-worth of political contributions during election years.[3][4]

    • Mission[edit]

    The mission of the AFL-CIO is as follows:[1]

    “

    We resolve to fulfill the yearning of the human spirit for liberty, justice and community; to advance individual and associational freedom; to vanquish ­oppression, privation and cruelty in all their forms; and to join with all persons, of whatever nationality or faith, who cherish the cause of democracy and the call of solidarity, to grace the planet with these achievements.

    We dedicate ourselves to improving the lives of working families, bringing fairness and dignity to the workplace and securing social equity in the Nation.[5]

    		”

    Background[edit]

    The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded in 1886. In 1903, the Women's Trade Union League was created at the AFL convention. The Committee for Industrial Organization (CIO) was created in 1935, as a part of the AFL.[6] The AFL-CIO was ultimately created as a joint union in 1955.[7]

    Governance[edit]

    While the national organization governs the union, localized unions operate in each state within the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Every four years, the AFL-CIO hosts a national convention, in which local representatives act as delegates to set policies and goals for the union. At the same time, officers are elected. The union is governed by an executive council, which includes the president, the secretary/treasurer, the executive vice president, and 55 vice presidents, who represent the local labor unions. The union operates based on a constitution which is amended as needed during the convention.[7]

    The union has 18 administrative departments, including accounting, campaigns, civil, human and women’s rights, digital strategies, facilities management, government affairs, human resources, information technology, international, meetings and travel, office of general counsel, office of investment, organizing, policy, political, public affairs, and support services. The AFL-CIO also includes six trade divisions, which are as follows: the building and construction trades department, the maritime trades department, the metal trades department, the department for professional employees, the transportation trades department, and the union label and service trades department.[7]

    Work[edit]

    Member services[edit]

    As a union, the AFL-CIO represents 12.5 million workers throughout the U.S.[8] The union offers a number of services and benefits to its members, which include the following:

    • Collective bargaining: The AFL-CIO helps workers seek better pay, benefits, hours, leave, safe workplace conditions, and retirement.[9]
    • Education: The AFL-CIO helps its members by offering educational opportunities through training and apprenticeships.[10]
    • Financial services: The union offers members services that include banking and other financial services.[11]
    • Scholarships: The AFL-CIO offers college scholarships to children of its members and has awarded $3.2 million since 1992 in scholarships.[12]
    • Discounts: The Union offers discounts to American-made union products to its members.[13]

    Focus areas[edit]

    The AFL-CIO focuses on the following issues:

    • Jobs and Economy
    Excerpt: "A good job that pays wages to support our families and a strong economy that enables everyone to attain and maintain a middle-class life are the foundations for a healthy nation and fundamental for America’s working families."[14]
    • Healthcare
    Excerpt: "Health care is a basic human right. America’s labor movement has worked for more than a century for guaranteed high-quality health care for everyone. The Affordable Care Act is a historic milestone on this journey, but we still have a long way to go."[15]
    • Retirement Security
    Excerpt: "Social Security insurance is essential for millions of retirees. Nearly two-thirds of retirees count on Social Security for half or more of their retirement income and for more than three in 10, Social Security is 90 percent or more of their income. It is a safety net that keeps retirees out of poverty."[16]
    • Work and Family
    Excerpt: "Although the “traditional” family—a father who works outside the home and financially supports the children and a mother whose work is keeping the house and raising the children—has been disappearing for more than a generation, our workplaces and government policies have not kept pace with America’s new reality."[17]
    • Trade
    Excerpt: "For too long, our nation’s trade and investment policies have reflected the influence of powerful corporate interests. They protect what’s important to corporate America but do little or nothing to safeguard the rights of workers and the environment here and around the world."[18]
    • Education
    Excerpt: "Few issues strike home for working families as much as education for their children. To be equipped for life, every child needs and deserves high-quality education that is available to all—from early childhood through college. For schools to work, educators must have the support and resources they need to succeed and school buildings must be well-equipped and well-maintained."[19]
    • Civil and Workplace Rights
    Excerpt: "Working for the freedom from employment discrimination and the right of working families to fair pay, job safety, secure retirements and affordable health care have been goals fundamental to the union movement, which has long partnered with the civil rights and women’s movements and, more recently, with the LGBTQ community."[20]
    • Immigration
    See also: AFL-CIO stance on immigration
    Excerpt: "The U.S. immigration system is broken—and U.S.-born workers as well as aspiring citizens are paying a heavy price. America needs to create an immigration process that works for working people—not a system that benefits corporate employers at the expense of everyone else."[21]
    • Job Safety
    Excerpt: "Following passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, safety and health conditions in our nation's workplaces have improved. Workers' lives have been saved and injury and illness rates have dropped in many industry sectors of the economy. However, too many employers continue to cut corners and violate the law, putting workers in serious danger and costing lives."[22]

    Political activity[edit]

    Lobbying[edit]

    2014[edit]

    The following is a list of bills on which the AFL-CIO was actively lobbying.

    2012[edit]

    The following is a list of bills on which the AFL-CIO was actively lobbying.

    2010[edit]

    The following is a list of bills on which the AFL-CIO was actively lobbying.

    Elections[edit]

    Elections spending overview[edit]

    The following table is a breakdown of AFL-CIO political contributions for the 2012 and 2014 election cycles:

    AFL-CIO Contributions breakdown
    Year Candidate spending Leadership PACs Parties 527 groups Satellite spending (e.g. Super PACs) Total
    2012 $790,750 $17,000 $69,171 $333,777 $8,127,435 $9,338,133[3]
    2014 $576,786 $3,250 $67,791 $28,160 $8,073,447 $8,749,434[4]

    2016 election[edit]

    Endorsed candidates[edit]
    See also: Presidential candidates, 2016

    As of March 30, 2016, the AFL-CIO had not yet announced which presidential candidate it would endorse.[24] The Philadelphia news outlet, The Inquirer, reported that Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders gave a talk at the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO convention in Philadelphia in the first week of April 2016. It was reported that 700 labor unions and delegates were present.[25]

    A U.S. border patrol union, National Border Patrol Council, which is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, came out publicly on March 30, 2016, and endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. The group is composed of 16,500 members and has had a "longstanding practice" of not endorsing political candidates in primaries.[24] In response, activist groups, such as #Not1More, circulated a petition to have the National Border Patrol Council removed as a member of the AFL-CIO. The AFL-CIO has not yet commented on the National Border Patrol Council's endorsement.[26]

    On April 6, 2016, AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, gave a speech before 700 Pennsylvania AFL-CIO labor union leaders attacking Trump and extolling Sanders and Clinton. Trumka described Trump by stating, "[h]e's dangerous. He's delusional. He's a demagogue. He's a racist, he's misogynist. He's anti-union. Any single one of them disqualifies him to be president."[27] In contrast, Trumka described the Democratic race as "one of the most uplifting . . . campaigns of my lifetime. I would say the contest has largely conducted with a degree of civility and dignity."[27] The AFL-CIO has yet to endorse a presidential candidate as of April 12, 2016.

    On June 16, 2016, the AFL-CIO announced its support of Clinton in an official press release.[2] Trumka stated "Hillary Clinton is a proven leader who shares our values. Throughout the campaign, she has demonstrated a strong commitment to the issues that matter to working people, and our members have taken notice. The activism of working people has already been a major force in this election and is now poised to elect Hillary Clinton and move America forward."[2] The union expressed its intent to begin campaigning for Clinton and other AFL-CIO endorsed candidates. Trumka also noted that "Senator Bernie Sanders has brought an important voice to this election, and has elevated critical issues and strengthened the foundation of our movement. His impact on American politics cannot be overstated."[2]

    Criticism of Trump[edit]

    On May 20, 2016, Roll Call reported that the AFL-CIO had released an anti-Donald Trump ad, in which the union stated that Trump was "no friend of the working man." The ad was meant to counter Trump's appeal to "white, blue-collar voters."[28]

    On June 2, 2016, Philadelphia's The Inquirer reported that the AFL-CIO had begun to prepare to challenge Trump in Pennsylvania and in other states considered to be battleground states. The union planned to distribute fliers noting Trump's stance on outsourcing, union restrictions, and his opposition to equal pay for women. The union is also targeting Ohio, Nevada, and Florida with ads attacking Trump.[29]

    Nevada and other battleground state operations[edit]

    On August 13, 2016, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that the AFL-CIO initiated the "largest" election effort the group has undertaken. They will focus on battle ground states including Nevada, Florida, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.[30] The AFL-CIO sent out mailers about state and national elections, which was coupled with door-to-door efforts. The group hoped to conduct "Nearly 1 million of these [door-to-door] conversations will be with swing voters in what are considered battleground states."[31]

    In addition to supporting Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, the AFL-CIO supported Nevada's U.S. Senate Democratic candidate Catherine Cortez Masto, the former Nevada attorney general. Trumka stated that "The state [Nevada] is a priority for us because it’s important to get Hillary Clinton elected and Catherine Cortez Masto elected so we have a Senate that we can work with. We’ve been walking in this state since around May and we will continue to beef up the walks."[30]

    The Nevada ground operation was coordinated with the AFL-CIO's Working America Coalition, which had about 100,000 people working across country. The group intended to make more than 200,000 direct-to-voter connections in Nevada alone, not including phone calls. Trumka stated that the ground effort in Nevada had 6,000 volunteers. The AFL-CIO's super PAC, For Our Future, contacted non-union members. The Culinary Union, a member of the AFL-CIO, sought to register 10,000 new voters while Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, a AFL-CIO partner, tried to get 2,000 immigrants to apply for citizenship, so they could register to vote.[30]

    2014[edit]

    According to OpenSecrets.org, the AFL-CIO spent $8,743,414 in the 2014 election cycle.[32]

    Endorsed candidates[edit]

    In the 2014 election cycle, the AFL-CIO supported the following candidates:[32]

    Expenditures[edit]

    2012[edit]

    According to OpenSecrets.org, the AFL-CIO spent $22,241,592 in the 2012 election cycle.[33]

    Endorsed candidates[edit]

    In the 2012 election cycle, the AFL-CIO supported the following candidates:[33]

    Expenditures[edit]

    Ballot measures[edit]

    The following are ballot measures supported or opposed by the AFL-CIO covered on Ballotpedia:

    2014 state ballot activity[edit]

    2010 state ballot activity[edit]

    2008 state ballot activity[edit]

    2006 state ballot activity[edit]

    2004 state ballot activity[edit]

    Leadership[edit]

    Below is the list of the AFL-CIO leadership:[46][47]

    • Vacant, President
    • Liz Shuler, Secretary-Treasurer/Acting President
    • Tefere Gebre, Executive Vice President

    Finances[edit]

    The following is a breakdown of the AFL-CIO's revenue from membership dues, total revenue, and expenses for 2011-2014 fiscal years, as reported to the IRS. (Note: the AFL-CIO's fiscal year is July to June).

    Annual membership dues, total revenue and expenses for the AFL-CIO, 2011-2014
    Tax Year Membership dues Total annual revenue Expenses
    2013/2014[48] $84,733,788 $158,967,205 $157,489,514
    2012/2013[49] $71,283,546 $158,033,223 $167,398,506
    2011/2012[50] $74,512,364 $164,339,352 $156,191,336
    2010/2011[50] $66,693,787 $168,123,814 $161,783,941

    Noteworthy events[edit]

    2016 Supreme Court appointee[edit]

    See also: Process to fill the vacated seat of Justice Antonin Scalia

    In March 2016, the AFL-CIO announced its support of President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland. Richard Trumka, in a press release, described Garland thusly:[51]

    “

    Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit brings impeccable credentials and deep experience to this nomination to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Garland’s career shows a deep commitment to public service and to the rule of law. These qualities are why he was confirmed to the D.C. Circuit 18 years ago by a bipartisan majority and with the strong support of then-Judiciary Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch. Judge Garland is a superbly qualified nominee who deserves prompt consideration and confirmation by the U.S. Senate. Working people deserve and expect no less.[5]

    		”

    Trans-Pacific Partnership[edit]

    See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: An overview

    In early March, the AFL-CIO and President Trumka, voiced their opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)—the TPP seeks to promote trade and strengthen the relationships between the U.S. and 11 other nations by reducing and eliminating tariffs, fostering competition, and creating greater opportunities for businesses—arguing that the TPP would cut U.S. jobs. Moreover, the union argued that prior trade deals need to be reexamined, citing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).[52]

    Affiliated programs[edit]

    Workers' Voice[edit]

    See also: Workers' Voice

    Workers' Voice is the Super PAC run by the AFL-CIO and was established in 2012. The super PAC, according to their website, represents "all working families, union and non-union, in political and legislative campaigns. It is funded by large and small dollar donors and our resources are directed by activists participating in a field program to elect progressive candidates and pass legislation to improve the lives of working families."[53]

    In the 2012 election cycle, the Workers' Voice PAC spent a grand total of $6,331,541: $3,230,012 for Democrats, $6,466 against Democrats, $602 for Republicans, and $3,094,461 against Republicans.[54] Of those funds, 76.02 percent achieved the desired result, based on Sunlight Foundation analysis.[55]

    During the 2016 election cycle, as of March 31, 2016, the Workers' Voice has received nearly $4.7 and spent $4.9 million.[56]

    2016 super PAC[edit]

    On May 11, 2016, Politico reported that several of the country's unions (the AFL-CIO, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, and the National Education Association), along with Tom Steyer, planned to create a new super PAC focused on opposing Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Senate candidates in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Nevada. The super PAC is seeking to take back "pro-worker" rhetoric from Trump by raising and spending $50 million, with the unions contributing around $1 million each. According to Politico, this would be the first super PAC funded by labor unions.[57][58] The committee will be run by Paul Tewes, a political operative, who has worked both with unions and the Democratic party. Tewes is a former political director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and was a senior director of President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign.[57]

    On May 16, 2016, The Washington Post reported that the AFL-CIO had received criticism regarding the super PAC from eight building trade unions affiliated with the AFL-CIO: North America’s Building Trades Unions; the Laborers’ International Union of North America; the International Union of Operating Engineers; the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers; the United Association Union of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders, and Service Technicians; the Operative Plasterers’ and Cement Masons’ International Association; the International Union of Elevator Constructors; and the United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, & Allied Workers. In a letter sent to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, union leaders attacked the proposed alliance with Tom Steyer because of his opposition to the Keystone XL Pipeline, which would have provided union jobs if it had been approved.[59]

    The letter stated that "[t]he AFL-CIO has now officially become infiltrated by financial and political interests that work in direct conflict to many of our members’—and yes, AFL-CIO dues paying members’ lives. This is a disturbing development and one that requires a further explanation." In a separate letter, president of the Laborers' union Terry O'Sullivan declared, "[w]ith your blessing and support, Tom Steyer has purchased the backing, prestige, and control of the AFL-CIO, and will now use it to advance his own agenda, promote his own views, and further his own political ambitions. This scheme if the logical outcome of an obsession with, and a desire to throw open the doors of labor to, outside organizations that are completely out of touch with the needs and concerns of ordinary, blue-collar working Americans."[59]

    Media[edit]

    Recent news[edit]

    The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms AFL-CIO. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

    AFL-CIO - Google News

    See also[edit]

    External links[edit]

    Footnotes[edit]

    1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 AFL-CIO, "Our Mission and Vision," accessed May 9, 2016
    2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 AFL-CIO, "AFL-CIO Votes to Endorse Hillary Clinton for President," June 16, 2016
    3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Open Secrets, "AFL-CIO, 2012," accessed May 16, 2016
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Open Secrets, "AFL-CIO, 2014," accessed May 16, 2016
    5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    6. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Labor History Timeline," accessed May 9, 2016
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 AFL-CIO, "What the AFL-CIO does," accessed May 9, 2016
    8. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named about
    9. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Collective Bargaining," accessed May 16, 2016
    10. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Training and Apprenticeships," accessed May 16, 2016
    11. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Member Benefits," accessed May 16, 2016
    12. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Scholarships," accessed May 16, 2016
    13. ↑ AFL-CIO, "The Union Shop," accessed May 16, 2016
    14. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Health Care," accessed May 9, 2016
    15. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Health Care," accessed May 9, 2016
    16. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Retirement Security," accessed May 9, 2016
    17. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Work and Family," accessed May 9, 2016
    18. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Trade," accessed May 9, 2016
    19. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Education," accessed May 9, 2016
    20. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Civil and Workplace Rights," accessed May 9, 2016
    21. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Immigration," accessed May 9, 2016
    22. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Job Safety," accessed May 9, 2016
    23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 Open Secrets, "Bills Lobbied, 2014," accessed May 9, 2016 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "opensecrets" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "opensecrets" defined multiple times with different content
    24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 Politico, "National Border Patrol Council endorses Trump," March 30, 2016
    25. ↑ The Inquirer, "Hillary and Bernie to address AFL-CIO this week in Phila.," April 4, 2016
    26. ↑ NBC News, "AFL-CIO Urged to Dump Border Patrol Union for Trump Endorsement," April 1, 2016
    27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 The Inquirer, "AFL-CIO leader warns against Trump," April 6, 2016
    28. ↑ Roll Call, "AFL-CIO to Working Class: Trump is Not Your Friend," May 20, 2016
    29. ↑ The Inquirer, "AFL-CIO takes on Trump in Pa, other swing states," June 2, 2016
    30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Unions planning massive Nevada campaign leading to election," August 13, 2016
    31. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Our Ground Game: How Working People Win in November," July 29, 2016
    32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 OpenSecrets, "AFL-CIO," accessed May 13, 2015
    33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 OpenSecrets, "AFL-CIO," accessed December 12, 2013
    34. ↑ The Colorado branch of the AFL-CIO is part of Protect Colorado's Future
    35. ↑ The Colorado branch of the AFL-CIO is part of Protect Colorado's Future
    36. ↑ Rocky Mountain News: "Initiative's foes raise $1.5 million," May 1, 2008
    37. ↑ The Colorado branch of the AFL-CIO is part of Protect Colorado's Future
    38. ↑ This initiative was removed from the ballot following a lawsuit. Michigan AFL-CIO president Mark Gaffney acknowledged that "a number of our unions" helped to fund the initiative. Source: MIRS Capitol Capsule July 14, 2008, "AFL-CIO Unions Helped Bankroll RMGN"
    39. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    40. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    41. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    42. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    43. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    44. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    45. ↑ The AFL-CIO is helping fund Defend Oregon, to which it has donated $100,000.
    46. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Leadership," accessed Aug. 5, 2021
    47. ↑ Politico, "AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka dead at 72," Aug. 5, 2021
    48. ↑ ‘’Guidestar’’, "AFL-CIO, IRS Form 990 (2013/2014)," accessed May 9, 2016
    49. ↑ ‘’Guidestar’’, "AFL-CIO, IRS Form 990 (2012/2013)," accessed May 9, 2016
    50. ↑ 50.0 50.1 ‘’Guidestar’’, "AFL-CIO, IRS Form 990 (2011/2012)," accessed May 9, 2016
    51. ↑ AFL-CIO, "Senate Should Schedule Hearing and Vote on Supreme Court Nominee Merrick Garland," March 16, 2016
    52. ↑ USA Today, "AFL-CIO: Bad trade deals kill American jobs," March 9, 2016
    53. ↑ Workers' Voice, "FAQ," accessed May 9, 2016
    54. ↑ Open Secrets, "AFL-CIO Workers' Voice PAC Recipients, 2012," accessed July 8, 2013
    55. ↑ Sunlight Foundation, "Outside spenders' return on investment," November 14, 2012
    56. ↑ Open Secrets, "AFL-CIO Workers' Voices PAC," accessed May 9, 2016
    57. ↑ 57.0 57.1 Politico, "Unions prepare super PAC to take down Trump," May 11, 2016
    58. ↑ Politico, "McLarty for Kurds," May 12, 2016
    59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 The Washington Post, "Building trade unions denounce labor partnership with billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer," May 16, 2016
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