We are a group of more than 575 affiliated unions joined together for the common cause of fairness for all workers. The future of the working men and women of America depends on a strong, united labor movement. The strength of that movement is in our numbers: thousands of men and women united, striving for the same common goals - fairness, justice, and equality in the workplace.

The West Virginia AFL-CIO was created by a convention held in Huntington, West Virginia, in 1957, and was chartered by and affiliated with the national AFL-CIO. At this point, union workers in West Virginia became part of a vast number of union workers from across the nation, now numbering more than 12.2 million workers.

The purpose of this organization is threefold:

(1) To work in the legislative environment to seek recognition and protection of workers' rights under the law, including working for the election of good candidates who will be most likely to make good laws that will enhance and protect workers' rights.

(2) To provide various community services which supply important information for those who are in a situation of temporary need such as operating food banks, providing blood supplies, relief from natural disasters like the Great Flood in West Virginia's Potomac Highlands in 1985, and personal hardships that invariably follow such personal tragedies as losing a home to fire. Aid in securing counseling to help a person cope with various personal problems such as alcoholism, drug abuse, etc., is also among the many programs of the West Virginia AFL-CIO's community services.

(3) To work toward improving the public concept of who union people are and to generally work to enhance a positive attitude toward labor unions and union members in the public mind.