About
Shortly after the American Federation of Labor (AFL) was established in 1886, the Ohio Federation of Labor was born to collectively advance the interests of trade unionists and working families.
The Ohio AFL-CIO was formed in 1958 to battle a right-to-work campaign in support of Ohio’s workers. Since then, the Ohio AFL-CIO has been at the forefront of struggles for political power and economic and social justice for working families. Our strength derives from 600,000 union men and women who are affiliated with the Ohio AFL-CIO through 41 international unions and 1,500 local unions. Along with hundreds of thousands of union retirees and members of our community affiliate Working America, these are people who embody the collective power of the Ohio AFL-CIO.
Timeline
1886
The founding Convention of the American Federation of Labor was hosted in Columbus. Led by Samuel Gompers, President of the International Union of Cigar Makers, the AFL was intent on improving the economic conditions of the Federation’s skilled craft workers.
1911
William Green, former officer of the United Mine Workers, and Ohio Senate president pro tem, pushed through the state legislature a measure that resulted in Ohio’s first workers’ compensation law.
1924
William Green succeeds Samuel Gompers as the American Federation of Labor president.
1935
Created by John L. Lewis, President, United Mine Workers, the Committee for Industrial Organization, was formed within the American Federation of Labor to encourage organizing workers in mass production industries along industrial union lines
1938
The Committee for Industrial Organizations broke away from the American Federation of Labor, and was renamed the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) with John L. Lewis serving as its first president.
1955
The American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged, serving as a national trade union center and the largest federation of unions in the United States.
1958
The Ohio AFL-CIO is formally established. The Ohio AFL-CIO led the effort to defeat a business-backed “right-to-work” constitutional amendment by a 2-1 margin.
1983
The Ohio AFL-CIO works to obtain passage of Ohio’s collective bargaining law for public employees.
1997
The Ohio AFL-CIO leads the push for a ballot referendum to overturn SB45, which sought to deny injured workers their protected benefits. The citizen veto was supported overwhelmingly and SB45 was aborted before it could be put into effect.
2006
The Ohio AFL-CIO leads a coalition-backed effort to amend the Ohio Constitution to raise Ohio’s minimum wage and adjust it annually to inflation.
2011
The state federation is instrumental in overturning SB5 by statewide referendum by a 2-1 margin. SB5 sought to decimate the state’s collective bargaining law.