The Rhode Island AFL-CIO ( American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations) is the umbrella organization for more than 250 local unions which represent over 80,000 people statewide. Nationwide, more than 13 million working men and women belong to the AFL-CIO.

The scope of the occupations are as diverse as the members themselves ranging from teachers, firefighters, police officers, steelworkers, health care workers, government employees, machinists, musicians, truck drivers, bus drivers, supermarket workers, construction workers, letter carriers, postal workers, manufacturing and textile workers, printers, and many, many more.

In essence, the Rhode Island AFL-CIO is a union of unions, and although we do not directly engage in collective bargaining with employers, at the direction of our affiliated local unions we speak and act as the voice for all workers. Our activities range from legislative and political advocacy to community services; from organizing and mobilizing workers to labor and workplace-based education; from voter registration to programs benefiting dislocated workers. We fight to ensure that labor is represented on all the boards and commissions that set our public policy, especially economic development. Our goal is to use the collective strength of the labor movement to protect and advance the interests of all workers and their families.

Historically, the gains and advancements achieved by the national and state labor organizations have brought numerous benefits, both direct and indirect, to the public as a whole. A few examples of this are higher wages, better health insurance and pension benefits, safer working conditions, employee friendly workplace policies, workers' compensation and unemployment compensation protections, and a strong voice in the legislature. Our mission has been, and will continue to be, improving the quality of life for all workers and their families.