Read more at LaborPains.org| Basic Facts | |
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| Total Assets: | $ 96,044,910 |
| Members: | 9,875,234 |
| Employees: | 551 |
| Employees earning over $75,000: | 204 |
National Headquarters
815 16TH STREET NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20006
The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO -- an umbrella organization that represented the vast majority of America's unionized workers, until 2005. Saying that "the American labor movement at the level of the AFL-CIO has lost its way" and that it has "lost its hope," several large unions quit the AFL-CIO to form the Change to Win coalition. As a result of these defections, the number of workers represented by the AFL-CIO has fallen from thirteen million to nine million.
Some facts you should know about the AFL-CIO:
- Richard Trumka, Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO and second in command under President John Sweeney, has held his office for more than a decade despite multiple ethical clouds swirling above his head. Trumka was implicated in an illegal scheme to fund Teamsters President Ron Carey's reelection campaign with union dues. Rather than give an accounting of his involvement, Trumka repeatedly pled the Fifth. When he invoked his Fifth Amendment rights to avoid appearing at a Congressional hearing in 1998, the Congressional report noted: "Trumka remains the second highest ranking official at the AFL-CIO despite an AFL-CIO Ethical Code provision holding that officials who assert their Fifth Amendment rights are deemed 'unfit to hold union office.'" The New York Times editorialized: "Refusing to testify on grounds of self-incrimination may be acceptable in a criminal trial, but it hardly instills confidence in his leadership of the AFL-CIO."
- Prior to becoming Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO, Trumka served as International President of the United Mine Workers of America from 1982 to 1995. In 1993, while Trumka was president, a man named Eddie York was shot and killed by a striking mineworker when he tried to drive past a picket line. A little over two months later Trumka demonstrated his remorse when he told the Associated Press: "[I]f you strike a match and you put your finger in it, you're likely to get burned."
- It seems that any time a major company announces layoffs, the AFL-CIO issues a comment condemning the move. Companies, the AFL-CIO insists, should have a greater commitment to job security -- regardless of competitive challenges. So it was ironic when the AFL-CIO announced in May 2005 that more than a third of its own staff positions were being eliminated to make the organization more competitive and increase its chances of survival. And despite its customary calls for businesses to avoid buying any new plants or equipment when faced with tough times, the union acknowledged that a steep decline in its assets during recent years was due to a $25 million mortgage it took out to upgrade its headquarters overlooking the White House.
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Membership Total Membership: 9,875,234 |
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| Source: Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards LM filings | ||||||||
Financial Disbursements
| Representational Activities ( 41.1%) | $ 31,450,801 |  |
| Political Activities & Lobbying ( 38.6%) | $ 29,585,661 | |
| Contributions, Gifts & Grants ( 2.3%) | $ 1,769,882 | |
| General Overhead ( 27.1%) | $ 20,785,384 | |
| Union Administration ( 12.1%) | $ 9,241,144 | |
| Total Compensation ( 31.1%) | $ 23,792,614 | |
| Per Capita Tax ( 4.8%) | $ 3,640,599 |
Locals & Other Affiliated Organizations
Top 10 Locals (by Members)
| Local | Members |
AFLCIO Directly Affiliated Local Union 3039 (Florence, KY) |
11 |
| [show all locals & affiliates] | |
Leadership
Top 10 International AFLCIO Leaders & Staff (by Salary)
Source: Department of Labor, Office of Labor Management Standards LM filings
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