Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

 

Tefere Gebre’s American journey: From refugee camp to labor leader

Gebre was still a boy when he was forced to flee Ethiopia, a country that suffered political turmoil and famine during the 1980s.

Trump’s Power to Fire Federal Workers Curtailed by Judge

A federal district judge in Washington struck down most of the key provisions of three executive orders that

Executive Paywatch: The Gap Between CEO and Worker Compensation Continues to Grow

CEO pay for major companies in the United States rose nearly 6% in the past year, as income inequality and the outsourcing of good-paying American jobs have increased. According to the new AFL-CIO Executive Paywatch, the average CEO of an S&P 500 Index company made $13.94 million in 2017—361 times more money than the average U.S. rank-and-file worker.

‘We Are All Immigrants’

Tefere Gebre came to the United States in 1984 as a teenager. He and four friends had left their home in war-torn Ethiopia and walked nearly 500 miles across the desert to a refugee camp in Sudan.

Mortgages for Union Families

Union Plus Mortgage Company is owned by the AFL-CIO Union Privilege and a group of unions.

Read the Report

Death on the Job: The Toll of Neglect, 2018

PowerTools

A resource for union members and organizers.

Defend and Resist

A toolkit for organizers and advocates on workplace raids and audits.

Recent News

With Its Primary Opponents Voted Out, What's Next For Labor Unions?

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with the president of the AFL-CIO, Richard Trumka, about union strategies following the midterm elections.

MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Trumka: Record Labor Voter Mobilization Emphasizes Pocketbook Issues

Organized labor’s record voter mobilization efforts this year, which started earlier than ever before for a mid-term election, emphasized pocketbook issues and – says AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka – will produce huge “momentum at the ballot box” on Nov. 6.

It also produced a record number of unionists running for everything from city council and county commissioner to Congress and governor, Trumka and Julie Greene, the federation’s mobilizing – and politics – director said in an Oct. 30 telephone press conference.

Working-Class People are Underrepresented in Politics. The Problem Isn’t Voters.

The president is the billionaire head of a global business empire, and his mostly millionaire Cabinet may be the richest in American history. His opponent in the 2016 election was a millionaire. Most Supreme Court Justices are millionaires. Most members of Congress are millionaires (and probably have been for several years).

Trump Administration Taking On Overtime Pay, Franchise Liability

The Trump administration plans to tackle two important labor policy issues in the coming months: overtime pay and “joint employer” liability for companies in staffing and franchise relationships.

See all

AFL-CIO Blog

Take Action

Striking Marriott Workers Holding "One Job Should Be Enough" Signs

Stand with Marriott Workers

Thousands of hardworking Marriott workers are on strike because many of its full-time employees aren't able to earn enough to make ends meet. They're taking on one of the world’s most profitable and powerful companies. Stand with them.

Pledge Your Support
Lyndon Baines Johnson Signs the Medicare Bill

Strengthen Medicare and Medicaid

Tell Congress to repeal the tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations instead of cutting the vital programs that benefit nearly one-third of the U.S. population.

Sign the Petition