The AFL-CIO has a unique record in educating, mobilizing and turning out working family voters to cast ballots for candidates who will work for them, not special interests. A major part of this work is equipping affiliates with powerful resources, from member file enhancement to an easy-to-use online tool for customizing and producing worksite member education leaflets.
Thanks to the AFL-CIO’s powerful political program, in 2004 union households represented an incredible 25 percent of the vote. Ninety-two percent of union members reported they had received information from their unions about important working family issues and where the candidates stood on them. More than 225,000 union volunteers took part in voter education and mobilization activities, knocking on 6 million doors, handing out 32 million worksite leaflets and making more than 100 million phone calls. In addition, the AFL-CIO mailed 30 million issues pamphlets to union members and AFL-CIO-affiliated unions sent millions more.
The AFL-CIO’s electoral political activities are paid for by voluntary donations from union members.
Many national unions, central labor councils and state federations—as well as the AFL-CIO—endorse candidates for office and let their members know why they believe the endorsed candidates would do the best job for working families. They AFL-CIO does not require a member union to endorse or withhold endorsement from any candidate. And we never tell union members how to vote—that's up to each individual.
Be part of America’s largest, most powerful and most effective organization for working families—the AFL-CIO. Call 1-877-90-UNITY (1-877-908-6489) or 202-639-6245, fax 202-637-5062 or e-mail unity@aflcio.org.
