News

Liz Shuler Elected AFL-CIO President

The AFL-CIO Executive Council today elected Liz Shuler, a visionary leader and longtime trade unionist, to serve as president of the federation of 56 unions and 12.5 million members. Shuler is the first woman to hold the office in the history of the labor federation. The Executive Council also elected United Steelworkers (USW) International Vice President Fred Redmond to succeed Shuler as secretary-treasurer, the first African American to hold the number two office. Tefere Gebre will continue as executive vice president, rounding out the most diverse team of officers ever to lead the AFL-CIO.

In Memoriam: Richard L. Trumka (1949-2021)

Our brother and leader Richard Trumka passed away on August 5, 2021, at the age of 72.

2017 Community Services School

To: All Unions

What: 66th Annual Michigan AFL-CIO Community Services School                                     
Where: Walter & May Reuther UAW Family Education Center
2000 Maxon Rd. 
Onaway, MI 49765

Trumka: Why the Presidential Debate Is Hillary's Moment

AFL-CIO president, Richard Trumka, published a new column on Huffington Post. He writes how Hillary roots for working people and why working people are championing her in tonight's presidential debate.

Union Women Aren't So Pro-Trump in Rust Belt

“Women are more activist than men,” said AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler, “and understand that Clinton supports collective bargaining, raising the minimum wage and paid time off for illness and family care.” This year the AFL-CIO is targeting women as an individual voting group for the first time in a presidential race. Earlier this month 15,000 women, three times as many as expected, joined a conference call Shuler led to discuss strategies for convincing coworkers and relatives to vote for Clinton. 

John Patrick Taylor for Kalamazoo County Clerk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
News from the South Central Michigan AFL-CIO Labor Council

September 6th, 2016
Contact: Jonathan Byrd, 269-962-9142

South Central Michigan Labor Council Endorses John Taylor for Kalamazoo County Clerk

KALAMAZOO – Today the South Central Michigan Central Labor endorsed John Taylor for Kalamazoo County Clerk. Taylor is currently Chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners, where he has served as a Commissioner for the past 13 years.

What It Means To Be an American

Tefere Gebre: Proud American

One night at his UPS job, Tefere Gebre's co-worker handed him some union material. 

“He told me that I’d get health care and vacation and other benefits by filling it out. I said, ‘Are you serious?’ I thought, ‘Hmm. Everyone should have that.’”

Tefere, the executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, has been a proud union member for most of his life, valuing the freedom of people to come together in union.

Today’s Photo ID Laws Are Yesterday’s Beans in a Jar

Kidney Beans, Brooms, and Voting Rights

Growing up in rural Kentucky, Augusta Thomas witnessed the extreme measures elected officials would take to prevent African-American men from voting.

How Unions Help Working Women

Culinary worker Brittany Bronson talks not only about the benefits of joining her union, but also about the opportunities being part of a unionized workforce offer women, particularly women who have long careers in the workforce.

On the 51st Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, Now Is the Time to Restore It to Its Full Power

Anniversaries can be celebratory or somber. Today we celebrate the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and it is the kind of anniversary in which we hail the success of the act, while also acknowledging the deficiencies in our democracy that make the full act necessary.