May 01, 2022 - Joe Rodgers
The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO is comprised of over 100 local labor unions representing close to 200,000 working men and women in the public sector, private industry, and the building and construction trades. The mission of the Council is to bring social and economic justice to working people by giving them a voice on the jobs, in politics, and in the community.
The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO is committed to strengthening the union movement by education and motivating union members, supporting the right of workers to join unions, and creating a powerful political voice that speaks for workers.
Delegates representing every affiliate, including representatives form NALC Branch 157, meet monthly to share information and to direct the work of the Council. The Delegates elect the Council's three Executive Officers and 35 Vice Presidents from among the ranks to carry out the functions of the Council… including, among many things, political endorsements, legislative decisions, and solidarity actions. Delegates and Executive Board members represent the leadership of Philadelphia’s organized labor movement.
In 2010, the members gave permission for Branch 157 to join the Philadelphia Council. Since that time, the branch has made many friends from across the spectrum of laborers. They have supported letter carriers in every way possible from letter writing campaigns, attending our rallies, to logistics, to loaning us loudspeakers and collapsible stages for planned events. The Council has collaborated with us, assisted us, never saying "No" to our requests for help. I cannot thank them enough for all they do for us.
In turn, we are there to support them as well. I cannot remember the number of rallies I have attended for AFCME, IATSE, PFT, and the list goes on and on.
If you happen to read this article and you Branch is not a part of your local AFL-CIO, I highly recommend you join. Remember, there is strength in numbers. Branch 157 has 3200 members. But, when we sit at the table with our partners at the Philadelphia Council, our voice, our actions are formidable.
God Bless