Name:__Lindsey Pritchard and Paige Ingram_______________________________
Date:________December 6, 2013________ Per:__2______
Interest Group Project ~ AP US Government & Politics ~ Mr. Tumino
Complete a grid for your interest group.
Name of Interest Group:
American Federation of Labor- Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)
Mailing address
Website address
Phone number to contact
3250 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH
44115 (local AFL-CIO branch
location)
Summarize the group’s purpose.
The AFL-CIO, American Federation
of Labor and Congress of Industrial
Organization, aims to represent all
people who work. Stated in the
constitution, the AFL-CIO’s purpose
is to embody the ambitions and
goals of the working people of
America. It dedicates its efforts
towards improving the conditions of
current working families, ensuring
equality and fairness in the
workplace, providing a voice for
working people in government and
economy at the state and national
level, and promoting social and
economic justice worldwide.
What is the major piece of
legislation that concerns the group?
The AFL-CIO was a substantial
influence in the rejection of the
Postal Worker Rights amendment.
It opposed the formation of this
amendment because it would
weaken union representation in the
workplace and create excessive
costs for unions and their members.
By using its influence, lobbyists, and
contributions to specific democratic
candidates, the AFL-CIO was
successful in their pursuit to get the
Postal Workers Right Amendment
rejected.
http://www.aflcio.org/
In what ways does the group try to
influence the policy process?
(Money, Grassroots and/or
Litigation)
In states and communities, the AFLCIO allows the voices of working
families to be heard through 51 AFLCIO-chartered state federations and
more than 500 chartered central
labor councils. It seeks to improve
family-supportive jobs by investing
tax dollars in schools and other
public facilities. Union activists
encourage the enforcement of
legislation like the Buy America Act,
the Keep Jobs Act and the Fair
Chance for Employment Act. It has
enacted petitions to promote
citizenship for millions of aspiring
Americans and to raise minimum
wage in congress. It also has recently
encouraged its members to become
citizen lobbyists in promoting an
improved immigration policy to
Congress that respects workers’
rights and help initiate citizenship.
How closely aligned is the group
aligned with one particular
party/ideology?
The AFL-CIO tends to be affiliated
more with the Democrat party by
giving most of the contributions to
the party. From 1990 to 2012, they
have given 95% of their
contributions to the Democratic
party, and only 5% to the Republican
party.
216-881-7200
(Cleveland Location)
How is the group funded?
The AFL-CIO is funded from the
contributions made to their PAC by
individuals and organizations.
Funding also comes from dues paid
by union members.
What were the contributions to
and from this group in recent
years?
In 2012, the AFL-CIO made total
contributions of $22,241,592.
$784,725 of it went to candidates,
$17,000 went to PACs, $66,746 to
parties, $13,330,789 to committees
and $8,044,832 to other outside
spending groups. The AFL-CIO
received a total of $12,667,132 in
contributions from organizations
and the AFL-CIO Workers' Voices
PAC received $7,702,644 of
contributions from organizations
and $500 from individuals.
Names/politicians associated with
this group
Richard L. Trumka is the current
president of the AFL-CIO and
represents all people in unionized
labor throughout the United States.
He was the former AFL-CIO’s
Secretary-Treasurer for 15 years
before being selected as the
organization’s president. Currently
the AFL-CIO is known for supporting
democratic politicians, Elizabeth
Warren, Bob Casey, George Miller,
and Barack Obama, who all embody
the basic values and ideals of the
AFL-CIO. In the past, the AFL-CIO
has strongly stood by Democratic
candidates William Jennings Bryan
and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, both
supporting issues that would
improve conditions of working
families and promote economic and
social equality and justice.
Give one or two important contributions (judicial, legislative, etc.) from this
group.
 The AFL-CIO has formed partnerships with worker centers and
other groups of working people who do not have the legal right to
collective bargaining.
 Supported Fair Share Tax Rates Legislation, which would require
citizens who have an income over $1 million to pay at least 30% in
taxes. The AFL-CIO believed that if passed, this act would bring
fairness in society and economics to the community.
 In 2002, the AFL-CIO helped unions sue the supporters of the
campaign finance reform bill, declaring that the restrictions put in
place by the bill were unconstitutional and violated the basic right
to freedom of speech.
 Support legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to obtain
citizenship (“Road Map to Citizenship” petition). The AFL-CIO
believes that if the petition is advanced, it would bring to light the
issue of illegal immigrants and protect the rights of all workers.
Spend time on OpenSecrets.org reading through your interest group’s financial records. What important
information did you learn?
 The AFL-CIO receives a large majority of its contributions from organizations rather than individuals.
 The AFL-CIO’s PAC donates a substantial amount of money and other contributions to predominantly
Democratic candidates. The amount of contributions made by the AFL-CIO’s PAC is statistically twenty
times larger than the overall contributions made by individuals