Good Jobs & Worker Power

Written by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler

We just wrapped our 30th AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention, a gathering of our 65 affiliated unions and state and local labor federations across the country. It showcased the power of our fighting labor movement in this moment, and provided the opportunity for us to chart a path forward.

This moment and that mission were reflected in our theme—With You: It’s Better in a Union—because it’s going to take all of us joining together to build a better future. And it was reflected by our hosts, the Twin Cities labor movement, who have shown the country where the community has shown all of us what it means to come together as a community to defend your neighbors and co-workers against attacks on our rights and freedoms.

The convention is also where our Federation elects its leadership, and I was honored to be re-elected as AFL-CIO President, alongside Fred Redmond as Secretary-Treasurer. In my acceptance speech I told the story of my dad and how landing a good union job changed everything for our family. We went from living paycheck to paycheck to living the union difference. Better wages. Benefits. Stability. A future. That’s what a union makes possible. And that’s what we are fighting like hell to win for every working person in this country.

THE NEXT BATTLEGROUND: CORPORATE GREED AND AI

Our economy is at the most significant crossroads since the industrial revolution—and it’s because of AI. In my remarks, I laid out the challenges workers face from greedy tech CEOs rushing out development and implementation of AI without even thinking about workers. We know this first-hand: from workers’ stories across industries, from how corporations talk about their plans, and even from a moment I sat in Congress with a bigtech billionaire crew, who not only never once mentioned workers, but as soon as I talked about the impact on working people, Elon Musk started making origami.

AI is in every workplace from algorithmic grocery pricing we heard about from UFCW President Jones, to Hollywood film sets SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree spoke about, to transportation.

But what happens with AI and workers is not inevitable, it is a choice. And we are laying down a marker for business and politicians that working people will not pay the price for a technology revolution they aren’t included in. We are going to fight for worker-centered AI guardrails and collective bargaining over AI deployment.

GOOD UNION JOBS

Whether you’re an auto worker in the south, a barista at Starbucks, a video game worker, or just thinking about organizing your workplace for the first time, everyone deserves a good union job.

AFT President Randi Weingarten helped open the convention with a rousing speech introducing labor’s vision for the next four years that lifts up all workers.

SEIU President April Verrett reminded us: it’s not enough to just survive. We are building a movement that demands workers can thrive. Not scraping by. Not working two jobs to afford groceries. Thriving. That is the standard we are fighting for.

And as North America’s Building Trades Unions President Sean McGarvey said, the government’s job is to lift workers into the middle class, not push them down. Good jobs, union wages and apprenticeships build real careers. That is what working people deserve and what we will demand.

This includes, as President Downey of the Operating Engineers spoke about, that investments in our nation’s energy infrastructure empowers working people.

Actors Equity Association President Brooke Shields reminded us that no matter what industry we work in, we all deserve to be able to go home safe at the end of our shift, sharing her story of having to work through injuries on set.

FRONTLINE SOLIDARITY

But a good job can’t protect us, our families, or our coworkers from being targets of the Trump administration.

The Machinists showed us what solidarity looks like when they rallied to defend their member Maximo Londonio after ICE took him from his family for months. Because that’s what a union does. That’s what solidarity is: it shows up for its members and their families when they need it. As LIUNA President Brent Booker explained, “An attack on immigrant workers is an attack on all workers.”

ORGANIZING

None of this can happen if we don’t organize. In Minnesota, we were reminded that Prince knew the power of a strike—and the power of collective bargaining and SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin inspired us with a keynote address on the power of solidarity, service and collective action.

One of the first things the Trump administration did was to attack federal workers and AFGE President Everett Kelley proudly told the convention that in the face of the biggest act of union busting in American history not only did they survive but they grew to the largest membership they ever had!

As UAW President Shawn Fain says, “Density is destiny.” The more workers who join together, the more power we have.

And UNITE-HERE President Gwen Mills reminded us that non-union workers are watching. They see what we’re building. They want in. And it is on us to make sure they can.

We also heard from our AFL-CIO Sports Council about new leagues that are unionizing and a historic new collective bargaining agreement with the WNBA. And how when the Metrodome in Minneapolis collapsed it was rebuilt with a diverse union workforce and is operated by union members as well.

At our 2022 convention, we set a goal to organize 1 million new workers in 10 years, but we did it in three. So we’re doubling that goal and cutting the time in half to organize 2 million more workers over the next 5 years.

CIVIL RIGHTS AND THE FIGHT AHEAD

Despite this progress, there are still new attacks happening every day and more fights ahead. As Secretary-Treasurer Fred Redmond made clear, the gains workers have made are indelibly linked to the fight for civil rights. And when diversity, equity, and inclusion are attacked by the Trump administration, they are coming after every worker.

The Voting Rights Act and other civil rights laws came out of a triumph of organizing. It was a victory the people of the civil rights movement fought and died for over decades. Now, it’s under attack. But as America’s unions did then, we stand with them in the fight to preserve it. We won’t back down.

Union P.O.W.E.R.

To keep the fight going and the wins coming, we launched our 2026 political program, Union P.O.W.E.R at the convention.

PROTECT: Protect the vote and ensure every member can safely cast their ballot.

ORGANIZE: Organize new labor strongholds led by workers.

WIN: Win crucial races that determine the future of workers’ rights.

ENGAGE: Engage our base through authentic peer-to-peer contact.

RIGHT NOW: Mobilize Right Now. Action today creates victory tomorrow.

We are going to mobilize 2 million more union voters than the last midterm elections and are recruiting 50,000 Union Peacekeeper volunteers to protect every vote.

We also sent a warning to politicians that abandon working people with a resolution condemning Governor Spanburger’s veto of collective bargaining legislation that would have helped people join AFSCME, AFT, CWA, IAFF, NEA, SEIU, UNITE HERE and UFCW.

With You: It’s Better in a Union—because none of this works if we’re not all in it together. I am looking forward to continuing to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Meidas Mighty as we take our country back.