Jobs and Economy

Years after the official end of the recent recession, America is still in a jobs crisis. Although job growth is slowly picking up steam--with steady private sector job creation--we still have a long way to go. Job losses came on top of decades of inadequate job growth, wage stagnation and growing inequality. The U.S. economy is increasingly imbalanced, with the top 1 percent holding more than 40 percent of the nation’s wealth.

The AFL-CIO is ready to work with anyone—business, government, investors—who wants to create good jobs and help restore America's middle class and challenge policies that stand in the way of giving America the chance to go back to work. The union movement is partnering with such organizations as the Clinton Global Initiative to find innovative ways to create good jobs that support workers and their families.

More about this issue:

Mar 12, 2021 | News Story

This week, ahead of the release of the Assembly and Senate one-house budget bills, the Professional Staff Congress, the union representing 30,000 CUNY faculty and staff, launched an ad campaign calling on state legislators to increase funding for CUNY and pass New Deal for CUNY legislation.

Mar 12, 2021 | News Story

Musicians marked a grim anniversary this week: it's been a year since the NYC music industry shut down, leaving most musicians without pay and benefits for the past 12 months, including the musicians of the Metropolitan Opera, New York Philharmonic, NYC Ballet, all of Broadway.

Mar 25

Join us on Thursday, March 25, 6pm as we commemorate the lives lost during the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire of 1911. #TriangleFire #WeRemember

Mar 5, 2021 | News Story

On Sunday, President Biden made perhaps the strongest public statement in support of the right of workers to organize that any American President has made in memory, denouncing

Mar 5, 2021 | News Story

Three weeks ago, CUNY Chancellor Matos Rodríguez decided to ignore the PSC-CUNY contract and refuse to pay equity increases to 2,500 workers in lower-paid full-time staff and faculty positions.

Mar 5, 2021 | News Story

On Monday, workers at Make the Road New York (MRNY) announced that an overwhelming majority have organized to form a union with the National Organization of Legal Services Workers/UAW 2320 in order to continue to organize and provide essential services to immigrant and working class communities o

Mar 5, 2021 | News Story

School Safety Agents are the frontline in keeping NYC students and the school community safe. They routinely confiscate weapons and keep those who could harm students outside the school doors. They nurture and maintain the safe environment necessary for our kids to learn and thrive.

Mar 5, 2021 | News Story

Actors' Equity Association, representing actors and stage managers in live theatre, asked that New York State begin vaccinating arts workers following Governor Andrew Cuomo's announcement that venues, including theaters, would open up to 33% capacity for indoor performances in April.

Feb 26, 2021 | News Story

Yesterday, Graduate Workers of Columbia-UAW Local 2110 held in-person and virtual rallies to mark two years of bargaining for a contract, saying that Columbia University's persistent stonewalling for these two years leaves th