As an Employee Representative, it is important for you to understand how APEA/AFT fits into the broader world. This section includes information about the national organizations APEA/AFT is affiliated with; the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).

he American Federation of Teachers is an 852,000 member union of public and professional employees that exists on three levels: Local Unions, State Federations, and the National Office.

We’ve already discussed Chapters, Locals, and the State Federation in the section on APEA/AFT. At the national level, AFT is involved in a variety of activities designed to represent the members’ needs. AFT is involved in lobbying the U.S. Congress and takes part in political action through its Committee on Political Education (COPE). In addition, AFT provides research and technical support, leadership development and training, publications, public relations, and legal defense. AFT also takes a leadership role in professional and workplace issues, human rights, and International relations.

Internally, AFT is structured into five divisions; the federation of public employees (FPE), paraprofessionals and school related personnel (PSRP), teachers, higher education faculty and professionals, and the federation of nurses and health professionals (FNHP). Each of these divisions has a staff liaison at the national office who coordinates activities of its program and policy councils, plans special division meetings and conferences, and works with headquarters departments to make sure that the division’s priorities are addressed in their day-to-day activities.

he American Federation of Labor – Committee for Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO) was established in 1955. The newly formed organization was a merging of two well established labor organizations the AFL and the CIO. By

combining forces, the new organization was able to achieve greater accomplishments. Today, the majority of unionized employees in the United States are affiliated with the AFL-CIO.

The AFL-CIO is not a union but an organization of unions. It has no authority to set policy for its affiliates; instead it serves as a resource for its affiliates. The AFL-CIO focuses on lobbying, political action and research – three areas where combined effort can pay off handsomely.

Through the AFL-CIO, international unions, including AFT, join to influence Congress and state legislatures on issues that affect all working people. Collective bargaining rights, child labor, tax equity for workers and funding for public services are just a few issues on which the AFL-CIO has had a major impact.

The AFL-CIO has two substructures – the state AFL-CIO and the AFL-CIO central body (often known as a central labor council). The state AFL-CIO is a federation of labor union in the state. They are concerned with mainly political action and legislation.

The Central Labor Council is a voluntary federation of all the labor union in a particular region. It is an arm of the AFL-CIO and is usually most concerned with politics and community services and with offering assistance and support to locals in need.

An organization chart of the AFL-CIO is included in the back of this section.

s an Employee Representative, it is helpful to have a general knowledge of labor history. When a member asks you, "what good are unions anyway," some background of how we got to be where we are today is helpful.

Most working conditions people take for granted today are the result of long and sometimes bloody struggles in the labor movement. The push for an eight hour day, now protected by law for most employees, was the cause of riots and bloodshed in the early 1800s. At the beginning of the industrial revolution forced child labor was common and working conditions were often fatally unsafe. Union members took to the streets to protest and bring to light the inhumane working conditions people were exposed to on a daily basis. As a result, public awareness grew and legislation followed to offer workers protection.

In the back of this section is a brochure on labor history published by the AFL-CIO and some background information about various laws affecting collective bargaining and workers rights.