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Turning Ideas Into Action:
The Importance of Federation Affiliation

(This article first appeared in the November/December 2006 issue of The American Postal Worker magazine.)

I believe that worker solidarity is more important today than ever before. Rising healthcare costs are consuming declining incomes; pensions are in the crosshairs; and state and local governments and communities are footing the bill for the questionable priorities of national leaders. These are concerns not only for APWU members, but for working people across the country. We can’t go it alone: We need the strength of the labor movement.

A good way for the American labor movement to gain strength is through building up the state federations and Central Labor Councils.

The AFL-CIO still provides the movement with its main strength. And now more than ever the movement needs our support.

America's labor movement is only as strong as its impact in every town, city, and state. How can we help the movement gain more power at these levels? By building power in our state federations and Central Labor Councils (CLC).

We have long known that unions working together to support each other in a common strategy is the best way to gain the power needed to raise worker wages, secure their benefits, and make a better life for their children. In addition, working through state feds and CLCs, we build organizing strength, advance social justice, protect workplace rights, and win legislative battles.

Affiliating with the state federations and Central Labor Councils can’t be merely a “good idea” that we salute by paying dues — we should be active participants who commit time and energy to building the labor movement. Wherever our members live and work, each APWU affiliate needs to be an active participant — a real member — of the local labor councils and state federations.

The National Level

The APWU National Executive Board shows our support for the labor movement by fully participating with the AFL-CIO in Washington and by encouraging support for state federations and CLCs.

The APWU currently pays national “per capita dues” for 100 percent of our members to the national AFL-CIO. And in an effort to help more APWU locals and states to affiliate with state federations, as well as ease the financial burden, the NEB unanimously passed a resolution at the 18th Biennial National Convention that reads: The National APWU will refund to APWU affiliates 50 percent of the per capita tax paid to a state AFL-CIO Federation by all APWU affiliates that are affiliated with their AFL-CIO State Federation. [Click here to download the State Federation Dues Rebate Request Instructions and Form - PDF]

The State Federation affiliation rate among all locals affiliated with international unions in the AFL-CIO is 70 percent. The APWU local affiliation rate is only 25 percent.

The Solidarity ’06 Affiliation Campaign has set a goal to raise affiliation by 10 percent in 2006 and encourage full, active participation as a commitment to assist in a long-term rebuilding of the labor movement. It is time for all APWU local and state organizations to stand up and pledge a commitment to the labor movement by becoming active members of the state federations and Central Labor Councils. [Click here to view a PowerPoint presentation provided by the Solidarity ’06 Affiliation Campaign.]

I think that we can do better than a 10 percent increase in our rate. I would like to see it increase by 20 percent by the end of 2006. I will be tracking our rate of affiliation and posting updates on these Web pages, so you can be aware of the commitment pledged by your APWU brothers and sisters.

For more information and to become a member of your state federation or Central Labor Council, visit www.afl-cio.org/aboutus/unioncities. Or call the AFL-CIO Office of State and Local Affiliates at 202- 637-5280.

Together we can make a difference and provide a better future for labor in this country.

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