What I Do
Deborah Cannada, Librarian - West Side Elementary School, Charleston, WV.
The objects and principles of this Federation are:
1. To aid workers in securing improved wages, hours and working conditions with due regard for the autonomy, integrity and jurisdiction of affiliated unions.
2. To aid and assist affiliated unions in extending the benefits of mutual assistance and collective bargaining to workers and to promote the organization of the unorganized into unions of their own choosing for their mutual aid, protection and advancement, giving recognition to the principle that both craft and industrial unions are appropriate, equal and necessary as methods of union organization.
3. To affiliate national and international unions with this Federation and to establish such unions; to form organizing committees and directly affiliated local unions and to secure their affiliation to appropriate national and international unions affiliated with or chartered by the Federation; to establish, assist and promote state, area and local central bodies composed of local unions of all affiliated organizations and directly affiliated local unions; and to establish and assist trade departments composed of affiliated national and international unions and organizing committees.
4. To encourage all workers without regard to race, creed, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability or sexual orientation to share equally in the full benefits of union organization.
5. To secure legislation that will safeguard and promote the principle of free collective bargaining, the rights of workers, farmers and consumers, and the security and welfare of all the people and to oppose legislation inimical to these objectives.
6. To protect and strengthen our democratic institutions, to secure full recognition and enjoyment of the rights and liberties to which we are justly entitled, and to preserve and perpetuate the cherished traditions of our democracy.
7. To give constructive aid in promoting the cause of peace and freedom in the world and to aid, assist and cooperate with free and democratic labor movements throughout the world.
8. To preserve and maintain the integrity of each affiliated union by fostering respect for the established bargaining and work relationships of every other affiliate and providing that each affiliate shall refrain from raiding the established bargaining relationship of any other affiliate.
9. To encourage the elimination of conflicting and duplicating organizations and jurisdictions through the process of voluntary agreement or voluntary merger in consultation with the appropriate officials of the Federation, to preserve, subject to the foregoing, the organizing jurisdiction of each affiliate.
10. To aid and encourage the sale and use of union-made products and union-supplied services through the union label and other symbols and by other means.
11. To promote labor’s print and broadcast media and other means of communications in order to foster worker education and public awareness and support of the labor movement.
12. To protect the labor movement from any and all corrupt influences and from the undermining efforts of authoritarianism, totalitarianism, terrorism and all other forces that suppress individual liberties and freedom of association and oppose the basic principles of our democracy and of free and democratic unionism.
13. To safeguard the democratic character of the labor movement and to protect the autonomy of each affiliated national and international union.
14. While preserving the independence of the labor movement from political control, to encourage workers to register and vote, to exercise their full rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and to perform their rightful part in the political life of the local, state and national communities.