New York State AFL-CIO

The tradition of the state federations in New York State is a tradition of leadership.
New York State has always been the largest and strongest of any state labor movement and, with its current 2.5 million members remains, so today.

The New York State AFL-CIO has a rich and proud history, which is deeply embedded
in labor’s continuous struggle for dignity and economic and social justice.
The organization of labor at the state level evolved through a series of stages
culminating in the merger of the New York State AFL and the New York State CIO Council in 1958 creating the New York State AFL-CIO.

The New York State AFL-CIO is an expression of the hopes and aspirations of
the working people of New York State.

We resolve to fulfill the yearning of the human spirit for liberty, justice and
community; to advance individual and associational freedom; to vanquish
oppression, privation and cruelty in all their forms; and to join with all persons,
of whatever nationality, faith, race and sexual orientation, who cherish the cause
of democracy and the call of solidarity.

We dedicate ourselves to improving the lives of working families, bringing
fairness and dignity to the workplace and securing social equity in the State.
We will prevail by building a strong, free and democratic labor movement.

We will organize workers into unions allied by common purposes and mutual
reliance. We will recruit generations of organizers, amass resources to sustain
their efforts and inspire workers to achieve dignity and security through
organization and collective bargaining. We will generate broad understanding
of the necessity of organizing among our members, our leaders and all
unorganized workers.

We will give political voice to workers in the State. We will fight for an agenda
for working families at all ends of government. We will assemble a broad 
progressive
coalition for social and economic justice. We will create a political 
force within the labor
movement that will speak forcefully and persuasively on
public issues that affect our lives.

We will help establish unions as active forces in our communities. We will make
the voices of working families heard in our neighborhoods. We will help create
vibrant local labor councils. We will strengthen the ties of labor with our allies.
We will speak out effectively on behalf of all working New Yorkers.

Join us in our fight to help working families achieve a better life!