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.

AFL-CIO Unveils Executive Paywatch Report

2020’s growth in pay inequity between workers and CEOs confirms the “executive base salary reductions” touted during the COVID-19 crisis were just lip service, per this year’s AFL-CIO Executive Pay

Unions Are Essential to Racial Justice

As the president of the Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE), I lead a coalition of 24 national unions representing more than four million professionals. Through bargaining for pay, benefits, and working conditions, our affiliates’ members have created sustainable, family-supporting careers in their industries. While these workplace improvements have raised standards for all professionals, employees of color tend to see some of the greatest gains from union membership.

The U.S. CDC's Mask Guidance Ignores the Risks Workers Face Every Day

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) announcement last week that fully vaccinated people no longer have to wear masks or socially distance came as a great relief to millions of people who have been vaccinated. But it has also led to confusion and chaos in workplaces and other locations where vaccinated and unvaccinated people mix.

Shuler, Levin: PRO Act Would Have Stopped Amazon's Tactics at Bessemer

In a stark illustration of how current U.S. labor law is tilted against workers, two experts on changing it—AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler and Rep. Andy Levin, D-Mich., a former top union organizer—say the Protect The Right To Organize (Pro) Act would have basically outlawed Amazon’s high-pressure tactics that defeated the union organizing drive at its big warehouse in Bessemer, Ala.

The Senate Cannot Be the Graveyard for Labor Law Reform Again

For months, the eyes of our nation were transfixed on a small suburb near Birmingham, Ala. Warehouse workers authorized the largest union election overseen by the National Labor Relations Board since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The name of their employer is on over 5 billion packages sent annually: Amazon.

'This Is a Huge Step for Law Enforcement.' Police Unions Shift Stance on Protecting Bad Officers

In response to the police killing George Floyd, 15 unions that represent law enforcement officers across the US have endorsed a blueprint for policing that includes an unprecedented shift in the way unions protect bad police officers, according to a copy of the plan obtained by CNN ahead of its release this week.

Weingarten Calls for a Rebirth of America’s Public Schools

This morning, American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten delivered an impassioned address calling for a rebirth of our American public schools this fall. She offered a plan for a safe and equitable return to in-person learning that was filled with solid proposals such as offering enriched summer school programs. “I truly believe we have a rare chance to see a renaissance in America.

AFSCME Member Finds His Commuter Tool

Anthony Ngo, an AFSCME Local 2620 member, travels a long way to and from work but wouldn’t change it. He works at Valley State Prison in Chowchilla, California, where he provides psychological counseling and group therapy to inmates. “It’s a great job—great pay and benefits, and I love the staff. And my union helps us out a lot,” said Ngo.

AFL-CIO and Others Announce Filing of First USMCA ‘Rapid Response Mechanism’ Labor Case

The AFL-CIO, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the Sindicato Nacional Independiente de Trabajadores de Industrias y de Servicios Movimiento 20/32 (SNITIS) and Public Citizen announced Monday that they have filed the first complaint under the Rapid Response Mechanism of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) against Tridonex, an auto parts factory located in Matamoros in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico.