AFL-CIO Convention in Minneapolis

From healthcare, education and mining workers to professional athletes, actors and production staff, labor power took center stage in Minneapolis last week as delegates, alternates, and guests gathered from June 6-10 for the 30th AFL-CIO Convention.

During a challenging political climate, the convention focused heavily on grassroots worker power and organizing. National AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler opened the event by celebrating an incredible milestone: the federation met its 10-year goal of organizing one million new workers in just three years. Shuler also committed to organizing another 2 million workers across the federation within the next five years.

Leadership & Key Structural Changes
In a strong show trust, Liz Shuler and Fred Redmond were unanimously re-elected as President and Secretary-Treasurer.

Delegates also passed a constitutional amendment to hold the next convention in five years (2031). This adjustment moves future AFL-CIO conventions to opposite years of individual labor union conventions and the national midterms, ensuring unions can keep their full focus and resources on political organizing during critical election cycles.

Key Resolutions Passed
Delegates voted on and adopted resolutions to guide the labor movement:

•  Artificial Intelligence & Worker Protections: Establishing strict guardrails against AI being used by employers for surveillance, exploitation, and corporate profit.
• "We Refuse to Be Divided": Committing our federation to stand up for immigrant workers, protect due process, and fight back against political attempts to use immigration to divide the working class.
• Civil Rights are Workers' Rights: Reaffirming labor's core partnership with the civil rights movement, specifically pledging to mobilize and defend voting rights against recent federal attacks.
• Corporate Accountability: Combating anti-competitive corporate practices, corporate megamergers that diminish worker power, and the rise of predatory corporate "surveillance pricing."
• Read the rest of the resolutions here.

For AFSCME Council 65, the convention was a powerful reminder that we are part of a massive, resilient movement. Thank you to our staff delegates and volunteers for stepping up and representing Council 65 with pride!