The AFL-CIO is a federation of more than 50 affiliated unions. The federation has several distinct sections and sponsors many programs, all aimed at advancing social and economic justice for U.S. workers through a voice on the job, as well as in their own government and communities.
In 1956, with the merger of the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations, editorial staff of the CIO News brought their Washington Newspaper Guild contract with them when they moved into AF of L headquarters. They soon had organized other staff at the federation.
Currently, about 100 AFL-CIO headquarters and field staff are members of the Washington-Baltimore News Guild.