The AFL-CIO Executive Council established the Solidarity Charter program in the months following the 2005 disaffiliation of some national unions from the AFL-CIO. The Solidarity Charter program enables local unions of the nationally disaffiliated unions (Carpenters, SEIU, and Teamsters) to apply for and be chartered to be part of the AFL-CIO at the state federation and area and central labor council levels.
In announcing the extension of the program through 2008, AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said, “Solidarity Charters enable the labor movement to remain united at the local level where everyone wanted to stick together. Local unions will be able to continue working together to advance the interests of working families in organizing campaigns, strikes, boycotts and political activities, and that’s a real plus for our movement.”
Since its inception, the Solidarity Charter program has provided the means to maintain a unified labor movement at the state and local level. More than 2,700 Solidarity Charters have been issued.
In order to participate in AFL-CIO state and local bodies, local unions for the disaffiliates must have Solidarity Charters issued by the national AFL-CIO. Solidarity Charter application forms may be downloaded from this website, completed and submitted to the AFL-CIO Office of State and Local Affiliates.