American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

▪ American organization

      American union representing a wide variety of public- and private-sector employees including local and state government workers, hospital workers, university employees, teachers, and other public school workers. Almost all levels of blue- and white-collar jobs are represented by AFSCME bargaining units.

      Begun by 30 local governmental unions in Wisconsin, AFSCME was first chartered by the American Federation of Labor (American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations) in 1936. In 1978 AFSCME merged with the Civil Service Employees Association of New York. At a time when enrollments in most American unions were declining, AFSCME became one of the fastest-growing unions in the country, with membership increasing from 100,000 in 1955 to more than 1,000,000 in the early 21st century. Its growth is attributed to an aggressive organizing strategy and to laws that have given state and local government workers new collective bargaining rights. The union is affiliated with the American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations.

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