Political and social circumstances that led this union to being formed:
From the American colonies, when apprentice laborers in Charleston, S.C., went on strike for better pay in the 1700s, to the first formal union of workers in 1829 who sought to reduce their time on the job to 60 hours a week, their nation’s working people have recognized that joining together is the most effective means of improving their lives on and off the job. their 21st century workplace rights and protections like the eight hour day and laws covering safety and health on the job have been won by the struggles and sacrifices of working women and men who were empowered by the strength of solidarity and whose actions embodied the America dream of fairness and an opportunity for all to succeed.
How many members are there in the union today?
There are 12.5 members.
What is the mission/purpose of this union? WHat does it do for its members?
..."joining together, working women and men gain strength in numbers so they can have a voice at work about what they care about. They negotiate a contract with their employer for things like a fair and safe workplace, better wages, a secure retirement and family-friendly policies such as paid sick leave and scheduling hours. They have a voice in how their jobs get done, creating a more stable, productive workforce that provides better services and products. Always adapting to the challenges of our nation’s evolving workforce, unions are meeting the needs of workers in today’s flexible and nontraditional work environments. Because no matter what type of job workers are in, by building power in unions, they can speak out for fairness for all working people in their communities and create better standards and a strong middle class across the country."
Current news dealing with this union: Report Shows Need for Action on Unemployment "In addition to the many other benefits we've spotlighted about raising the minimum wage, a new report released by the AFL-CIO today finds that raising the minimum wage would help millions of African American families. The report, which is based on Economic Policy Institute data, shows that African Americans often live in a state of economic insecurity and that raising the minimum wage would be an effective way to counter that insecurity for some 4 million African Americans."
What We Can Learn from the Trade Agreement that Shipped 700,000 U.S. Jobs Overseas
"Twenty years later and what have we learned from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)? Nearly 700,000 U.S. jobs have been lost or displaced, union density in the United States, Mexico and Canada fell and income inequality has increased. The AFL-CIO's new report, NAFTA at 20, discusses how current U.S. trade policy has failed to raise wages, improve social standards or address inequality—and what needs to change to ensure that future trade agreements actually work for working people."