AFL-CIO ADOPTS IAFF’S RESOLUTION COMMITTING TO NON-PARTISAN POLITICAL EFFORT

CHICAGO, IL – The delegates at the AFL-CIO’s 50TH Anniversary Convention adopted a resolution today that was submitted by the International Association of Fire Fighters, which commits the Federation to “a non-partisan political and legislative strategy that bases labor’s support on union issues and worker issues, not political parties.”

“Our goal and mission in our political and legislative efforts must be to elect a work-friendly majority, not a party majority,” said IAFF General President Harold A. Schaitberger. “We must build relationships with any candidate who is willing to stand with us on our issues, regardless of party.”

The IAFF is one of the most active lobbying organizations in Washington and its Political Action Committee, FIREPAC, is in the Top 25 (1%) of all 4,000 registered PACs. In the last election cycle, while most other unions contributed almost exclusively to Democrats, the IAFF contributed 34 percent of its PAC donations to Republicans.

Under Schaitberger’s leadership, the IAFF has become the most ardent proponent of a non-partisan approach to politics and legislative activity in the AFL-CIO to help the Federation re-gain clout in the U.S. political landscape.

Schaitberger was recently named one of the Top Non-Profit Lobbyists by The Hill. He sits on the AFL-CIO Executive Committee and its Executive Council. Schaitberger was a Co-Chair of Labor 2004, the AFL-CIO’s election committee.

The IAFF, headquartered in Washington, DC, is the 15th largest union among the 57 national unions that makeup the AFL-CIO, representing more than 270,000 professional fire fighters and emergency medical personnel – an 85 percent representation rate in the industry, one of the highest in the AFL-CIO. More than 2,900 affiliates protect nearly 6,000 communities in Canada and in every congressional district in the U.S. The IAFF has experienced 35 consecutive years of membership growth – putting it in the top five in membership growth in the AFL-CIO over the past five years.

Click here for IAFF Press Release Archives