Press Release

AFL-CIO Union Summer Participants Launch Organizing Campaigns Across the Country

[Washington, DC, June 16, 2015]  -- The AFL-CIO’s annual Union Summer program kicked off this week with 40 interns beginning a ten-week effort to assist major organizing campaigns in six major cities.

“From raising wages to securing rights in the workplace, providing a voice to working people helps us all, and that’s why I’m excited to take part in this year’s Union Summer program,” said Ana Jimenez, a Cornell University sophomore from New York City. “This isn’t your ‘make coffee and sort mail’ internship, this is an opportunity to make an impact and that’s exactly what I’m hoping to do.”

The interns, along with their site coordinators, are attending trainings at AFL-CIO national headquarters before heading out to campaigns in six cities. The campaigns include organizing food processing workers and car wash workers in Los Angeles, home healthcare workers in St. Louis, department store workers in New York City, auto workers in Canton, MS, and assisting with immigration reform efforts in Washington, DC.

Running from June 15th to August 14th, Union Summer is designed to introduce young activists to the labor movement and allow them to play a role in building power for working people throughout the country.

Originally created in 1996, Union Summer now boasts approximately 4,000 alumni who have participated in scores of successful organizing drives. For more information on union summer, click here.

Contact: Anthony DeAngelo (202) 637-5018