What Does the AFL-CIO Union Stand For?

The AFL-CIO union stands for a variety of things. Let’s look at what it stands for today. Freedom, Justice, Solidarity, Community, and Equality are fundamental values the union defends. But what about a more comprehensive list of values? And what about the marriage itself? How do these values relate to other associations? What are the differences between the AFL and a broader league?

Freedom

Consider its mission if you’re interested in what the AFL-CIO union stands for. The AFL-CIO is a progressive union that supports worker rights and social justice issues. Its constituent groups include the Alliance for Retired Americans, which aims to protect older workers’ civil rights, American Rights at Work, which educates Americans about their rights at work, and the International Labor Communications Association, which represents professional labor communicators in North America.

In the 1930s, the AFL helped save many Jewish trade unionists from Nazi persecution. In the early 1940s, it joined forces with the Freedom House to protect black trade union leaders from oppression. Many of its founders, including Matthew Woll, were immigrants. A. Philip Randolph, a Roman Catholic from Belgium, and George Meany, a member of an older Irish family, gained a large share of support for the African trade union leadership.

After the fall of communism, American labor began to withdraw from global politics. Their diminished participation has had negative consequences for democracy promotion. The leadership of the AFL-CIO unions changed, and more pro-Americans were pushed aside. Among these changes was a shift away from the ardent internationalists who had led the AFL for decades. John Sweeney, who had won the AFL-CIO presidency on a platform of domestic organizing, decided to concentrate on this focus. Despite this change, international work is still a large part of AFL-CIO politics, and Sweeney served as president of the federation until 1979.

The AFL-CIO union has two central trade departments. The Trades Department and the Maritime Trades Department represent important sectors of the American workforce. The Department for Professional Employees was formed in 1977 and advocates for millions of professional and technical workers. The Maritime Trades Department was founded in 1946 and provided grassroots support for maritime programs. The Maritime Trades Department advocates for the domestic maritime industry and aims to ensure it continues to play a vital role in the United States.

The AFL-CIO played an essential role in Europe’s democratic transitions of the 1970s and 1980s. It promoted antifascist and anti-militarist trade unions throughout the continent. The AFL-CIO supported democratic trade unions in Portugal and Spain after Franco’s death. However, in the 1970s, the US labor movement was accused of acting as an agent of the CIA and imperialism.

Justice

The AFL-CIO is the largest union in the United States. The organization actively promotes offered workers’ rights and has a long history of standing up for justice and labor standards. Its members and federation bodies lobby the federal and state governments on various issues. AFL-CIO has adopted a Code of Conduct that sets out its expectations for members and federation bodies and makes them mandatory to read it before every meeting.

The AFL-CIO is the world’s largest federation of independent unions, representing more than 55 national and international unions. Its unique structure allows many associations to speak with one voice in political and economic matters. They can also negotiate collectively on behalf of their members and pass pro-worker legislation. In addition, the union is committed to providing a safe and secure work environment for all workers.

The AFL-CIO also partners with various progressive organizations in the United States and Mexico. It supports the Alliance for Retired Americans, which protects the civil rights of older American workers. In addition, it works with other organizations, including American Rights at Work, which educates people about their rights at work. The International Labor Communications Association, or ILCTA, represents the professional labor communicators in North America.

The AFL-CIO’s trade departments represent working people in the same industries as its own. These departments include unions in several critical sectors of the American workforce. The Department of Professional Employees, for example, was created in 1977 to protect the rights of millions of professional and technical workers. Meanwhile, the Department of Maritime Trades was established in 1946 and provided grassroots support for maritime programs and works to ensure that the domestic marine industry plays a vital role in American society.

Solidarity

The AFL-CIO Union stands for solidarity in its fight for workers’ rights everywhere. It has supported the rights of workers around the world by working to raise standards in the labor movement. The Solidarity Center combines grassroots organizing with global solidarity to support workers in Ukraine. The organization has helped the USW build networks and the CWA fight for better contracts. Read the AFL-CIO’s statement on solidarity with workers in Ukraine.

In 2005, the AFL-CIO Executive Council enacted the Solidarity Charter program to help local unions that had disaffiliated from the national AFL-CIO. The Solidarity Charter program enables disaffiliated unions to become affiliates of the AFL-CIO at the state federation and area level. This provides a stronger unified labor movement at the local level. As of December 2006, over 2,700 local unions have received Solidarity Charters.

In addition to unions, the AFL-CIO also aligns with progressive organizations. The Union supports social justice causes and worker solidarity. The Alliance for Retired Americans ensures that older Americans have civil rights and the American Rights at Work campaign educates workers about their rights at work. The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) represents professional labor communicators across North America. In Wisconsin, Stephanie Bloomingdale is the State AFL-CIO’s President.

Community

The AFL-CIO Union stands for community service. Its work is directed by a national committee of full-time community service representatives. Local unions must develop committees to carry out community services. The association must cooperate with the Department and National Committee. AFL-CIO community service representatives research community services and report to the AFL-CIO Board of Directors on these projects. This committee also develops guidelines for union participation in government programs and civil defense operations.

The AFL-CIO supports various programs and causes that benefit community and workers. It aligns itself with progressive organizations to advance social justice and worker solidarity. For example, it supports the Alliance for Retired Americans, which protects older workers’ civil rights. It also works to educate American workers about their rights at work, while the International Labor Communications Association represents professional labor communicators across North America.

AFL-CIO Community Services was founded to offer a range of services to the community. The United Way previously offered provided benefits, but now they are operated by the AFL-CIO as a separate agency. Its delegates elect the president for a four-year term. AFL-CIO Community Services is also responsible for organizing city-level labor councils. While these organizations do not qualify as labor unions, they conduct campaigns to advance the union’s agenda.

In addition to advocating for workers, the AFL-CIO has trade departments representing essential segments of the American workforce. For instance, the Department for Professional Employees means millions of professionals and technical workers. The Department for Maritime Trades, formed in 1946, provides grassroots support to maritime programs and works to ensure that the domestic marine industry continues to play a vital role. This list is not exhaustive; further reading may be helpful.

AFL-CIO’s political culture changed dramatically after the 1968 teachers’ strike. The heavily Jewish teaching corps opposed the African American community control advocates. The AFL-CIO political culture became increasingly neo-conservative. AFL-CIO membership remained at around 13 million in the early twenty-first century. And in the mid-1960s, the AFL-CIO’s membership dropped from 33 percent of the wage earners to fourteen percent in the early twenty-first century.