AFL-CIO

 

The AFL and CIO merged into a single unit in 1955

 

The merger was the work of  the new generation of labor leaders such as George Meany of the AFL and Walter Reuther of the CIO

 

They believed that by unifying the labor movement:

            labor’s political economic power would be increased

            would bring harmony to the formerly competing union movements

 

The AFL-CIO currently has 65 affiliated unions, about 13 million workers

 

Controlled by an executive council  (made up of  a president, secretary general, and several vice presidents)

 

Gets finances by taxing each affiliated union a small amount

 

1995 John J. Sweeney became the third president of the AFL-CIO

 

Other Independent Unions:

            National Education Association (NEA) (2 million teachers)

            The AFT (other teachers union)  is affiliated (900,000 members) with AFL-CIO

            United Mine Workers (240,000 members)

            United Transportation Union (the largest railroad union) which withdrew from

                        the AFL-CIO in 1986