Working America
Encyclopedia
Working America is an allied organization of the AFL-CIO
which works to build alliances among non-union
working people. Working America is a nonpartisan
, non-profit organization
which provides workers who are not union members input into the policies, goals, and legislative efforts of the AFL-CIO. It also recruits people to help with letter-writing campaigns, phone banks and other activities to promote causes important to the labor federation.
The organization was founded on September 1, 2003—Labor Day
. A pilot project had been conducted throughout the summer of 2003 in Cleveland, Ohio
, Cincinnati, Ohio
and Seattle, Washington
. The organization was launched nationally that fall.
The organization's executive director is Karen Nussbaum
.
The organization enrolled more than 1 million members by the fall of 2005 and 2.5 million by the fall of 2008.
Working America undertook its first nationwide activities in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. It organized a widely-publicized bus tour of workers throughout the Midwest.
Working America was very active in the 2006 midterm congressional elections. More than 100,000 activists engaged in grass-roots political electioneering. These activists, along with other AFL-CIO and Change to Win Federation
workers, were credited with helping the Democrats
win majorities in the United States Senate
and United States House of Representatives
. Working America activists were credited by the press and Democrats for helping to deliver federal and state victories in Ohio
and Pennsylvania
.
In 2007, Working America began a campaign to build support for health care reform. The group established a page on its Web site on which consumers could post stories about how lack of health insurance or under-insurance led to significant financial, health or other problems. Working America promised to launch a campaign against the organization or corporation which received the most "horror stories." The effort built upon a previous campaign by Working America in mid-2006 in which the organization asked the public to submit stories about "bad bosses."
In 2009, Working America collaborated with the AFL-CIO
on the Unemployment Lifeline, a site for unemployed workers including a zip-code searchable database of unemployment offices, food banks, credit counseling services and other resources.
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
which works to build alliances among non-union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
working people. Working America is a nonpartisan
Nonpartisan
In political science, nonpartisan denotes an election, event, organization or person in which there is no formally declared association with a political party affiliation....
, non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
which provides workers who are not union members input into the policies, goals, and legislative efforts of the AFL-CIO. It also recruits people to help with letter-writing campaigns, phone banks and other activities to promote causes important to the labor federation.
The organization was founded on September 1, 2003—Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
. A pilot project had been conducted throughout the summer of 2003 in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
and Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. The organization was launched nationally that fall.
The organization's executive director is Karen Nussbaum
Karen Nussbaum
Karen Nussbaum , is the executive director of Working America, a community affiliate of the AFL-CIO. She co-founded the organization in 2003 and has overseen the group's climb to over 2.5 million members nationwide....
.
The organization enrolled more than 1 million members by the fall of 2005 and 2.5 million by the fall of 2008.
Working America undertook its first nationwide activities in the 2004 U.S. presidential election. It organized a widely-publicized bus tour of workers throughout the Midwest.
Working America was very active in the 2006 midterm congressional elections. More than 100,000 activists engaged in grass-roots political electioneering. These activists, along with other AFL-CIO and Change to Win Federation
Change to Win Federation
The Change to Win Federation is a coalition of American labor unions originally formed in 2005 as an alternative to the AFL-CIO. The coalition is associated with strong advocacy of the organizing model...
workers, were credited with helping the Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
win majorities in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. Working America activists were credited by the press and Democrats for helping to deliver federal and state victories in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
In 2007, Working America began a campaign to build support for health care reform. The group established a page on its Web site on which consumers could post stories about how lack of health insurance or under-insurance led to significant financial, health or other problems. Working America promised to launch a campaign against the organization or corporation which received the most "horror stories." The effort built upon a previous campaign by Working America in mid-2006 in which the organization asked the public to submit stories about "bad bosses."
In 2009, Working America collaborated with the AFL-CIO
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
on the Unemployment Lifeline, a site for unemployed workers including a zip-code searchable database of unemployment offices, food banks, credit counseling services and other resources.