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The Labor Movement

When working people come together in a union, it enables workers to negotiate for higher wages and benefits and improve conditions in the workplace. In the same way, our unions come together in the larger labor movement to improve working conditions and build worker solidarity. Being part of the labor movement means being part of a much larger labor universe than just your local or even your union.

Your Union: The AFT

Your union, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is the national union headquartered in Washington D.C., while AFT Washington refers to the state federation located in Washington state. AFT advocates at the national level for educational, economic, and health related issues impacting members. AFT Washington supports similar causes at the state level that impact members in constituencies, including preK-12 teachers and classified staff, and higher education professional staff, classified staff, and faculty. In addition to advocacy work, AFT Washington’s constituency-based boards and councils promote solidarity and information sharing between locals, while the AFT Washington committees, including COPE and the Human Rights Committee, provide avenues for specific advocacy work.

Central Labor Councils

In the labor movement, we consider geographic factors as they relate to jobs. Each county or, in some cases, multi-county region, has a Central Labor Council that is an opportunity for multiple unions and locals come together on issues of relevance to that region. In Washington state, we have:

The Central Labor Councils are part of the Washington State Labor Council (WSLC), which is the AFL-CIO's voice in Washington state. The WSLC is the broadest voice of labor in the state (though not all unions are members) and its work is often a guide for unions and locals. The WSLC also publishes The Stand, Washington state's labor newsletter.

The AFL-CIO

Outside of the labor groups created by geography, the AFT is a part of the AFL-CIO, a broad coalition of labor unions with connections across the country and internationally. The AFL-CIO does national-level advocacy work for labor unions in the broadest sense, where AFT does national-level advocacy work for educators and healthcare workers more specifically.

The AFL-CIO also has a number of constituency groups, set up to address challenges faced by workers from diverse backgrounds. They include:

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