Our

ORGANIZATION

MISSION

As an official state affiliate of the national AFL-CIO, the PA AFL-CIO acts as a unified voice for hundreds of thousands of working men and women across various trades, public service sectors, and industries in legislative, political, and community advocacy.  

HISTORY

Since 1960, the PA AFL-CIO has been improving the lives of workers and their families by fighting for affordable healthcare, high-quality public education, job safety, and family-sustaining wages.

1960

The Pennsylvania American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (PA AFL-CIO) was formed in 1960 as a merger of the Pennsylvania Federation of Labor and the Pennsylvania Industrial Union Council.

 

1960

The PA AFL-CIO had 1 million members in 1960.

Joseph F. Burke

Joseph F. Burke, a Philadelphia leader in the building trades, and Harry Boyer, a steelworker union leader from Reading, served as co-presidents for the first two years.

1962

In 1962, Boyer became PA AFL-CIO president, a title he held until his retirement in 1978.  

1982-2022

Other presidents include Julius Uehlein (1982-1990), William M. George (1990-2010), and Richard Bloomingdale (2010-2022).

1982-2022

In 2022, Angela Ferritto was elected as secretary-treasurer and then appointed to serve as the organization’s first female president.

Angela Ferritto was unanimously reelected as president in 2024 and 2026.

As the state’s largest federation of labor unions, the PA AFL-CIO is dedicated to protecting the safety and rights of workers, the environment, and Pennsylvania’s communities.

BUILD
YOUR

UNION

Gain a voice at your workplace. With the union advantage, you can have a say in pay, benefits, and working conditions. Learn how you can ensure your voice is heard by becoming one of the many people taking steps to form unions at their jobs.

BUILD YOUR UNION

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