Our programs train and support working people in all stages of their career. We provide opportunities for union members, as well as future members to gain valuable skills to become leaders in their unions, advocate for workers’ rights and become forces of good for their communities.
¡Adelante! We Rise!
The AFL-CIO is opening the doors of our union halls to engage immigrant workers, whatever their status, and help them gain a voice on the job and advance toward full rights and equal protections.
Center for Strategic Research
The Center for Strategic Research, an arm of the AFL-CIO Organizing Department, provides strategic planning, corporate research, industry research and issue research to support AFL-CIO organizing and programs.
Common Sense Economics
Common Sense Economics is a training and education program, conducted by and for union members and progressive allies, to educate working people on how our economy works and how actions and policies impact our economy. For communities and working people across the country, it seems as if the economy is like the weather, something unpredictable that happens to us. But the economy isn’t like the weather—it doesn’t just happen. Politicians support policies that foster an economy that works for Wall Street and the privileged few instead of one that works for everyone. Together, we can change that.
Investment Trusts
The AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust (HIT) and the AFL-CIO Building Investment Trust (BIT) are investment vehicles for pension plans that create union construction jobs. The HIT invests in residential real estate loans, and the BIT invests in commercial real estate equity. Investment trusts are a win for everyone. Working people, through their pension funds, are investing in good-paying American jobs and infrastructure projects.
Labor in the Pulpit
The Labor in the Pulpit, on the Bimah and in the Minbar program places union leaders as guest speakers in faith congregations so that they can speak about the values of equity, racial and economic justice and the solidarity that labor shares with the faith community.
Labor Energy Partnership
The Labor Energy Partnership (LEP) is based on a shared commitment of the AFL-CIO and the Energy Futures Initiative to promote federal, regional and state energy policies that address the climate crisis while recognizing the imperatives of economic, racial and gender justice through quality jobs and the preservation of workers’ rights.
Read the report: Ohio River Valley Hydrogen and CCS Hub Market Formation
Next Up Young Worker Program
The AFL-CIO Next Up Young Worker Program program is made up of young people in unions, progressive allies, students and community groups who work to advance social and economic justice and ensure that all people have the opportunity to secure a better future.
Organizing Institute
The AFL-CIO Organizing Institute (OI) runs training programs for members and beginner and lead organizers, and recruits new organizers into the labor movement through the OI Apprenticeship program.
Sports Council
The AFL-CIO Sports Council was formed in 2022 at the 29th AFL-CIO Constitutional Convention to help professional athletes join together to form unions and strengthen their lives, livelihoods and working conditions.
Strategic Research Summer School
The AFL-CIO and the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations offer a weeklong “bootcamp” in June, conducted at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. It is geared toward training students and helping them get on unions’ hiring radar.
United Way
For 80 years, AFL-CIO and the United Way have worked together to create a society where we all have the chance to reach our potential.
Together, we strengthen our communities through coordinated volunteer efforts that improve our communities and provide services to working families facing personal and economic crises.
Women’s Global Leadership Program
The Women’s Global Leadership Program is a four-day program in New York City that brings together women union and labor movement leaders and activists from across the United States to learn about the global economy and strengthen organizing and advocacy skills.