December 5
LET’S GET ORGANIZED DAY
The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was the first national association of craft unions in the United States to represent the practical economic interests of its members (dating back to the 1880s).
The CIO (originally known as the Committee for Industrial Organization) represented workers in the mass-production industries, such as the automobile industry, and was a part of the AFL. After the AFL decided to expel the group in 1938, the CIO reorganized as the Congress of Industrial Organizations and operated on its own.
On this day in 1955, after many years of rivalry, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged to become the AFL-CIO. Not all national unions belong to the AFL-CIO. The Teamsters Union was kicked out in 1957 and the United Auto Workers pulled out in 1968.
The AFL-CIO has five major activities (in addition to keeping itself organized): 1) To work for laws favorable to labor and general welfare; 2) To help organize workers who are not in labor unions; 3) To settle disputes and encourage friendly relations among member unions; 4) To take part in the world labor movement through the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, an association of unions from all parts of the free world; and 5) To help educate union members and the general public about the aims of organized labor.
The organization of organizations celebrates its birthday today. Walk a picket line in their honor.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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