Sharing and Connecting at the AFL-CIO Convention in Minneapolis

Minneapolis welcomed more than 1,500 labor leaders and union members for the AFL-CIO’s Constitutional Convention in early June, and participants left feeling connected, energized, and ready to take the lessons of Minnesota’s response to Operation Metro Surge home to their communities. Many Workers Confluence stakeholders took part in meetings, panels and symposiums as part of the Convention.

The AFL-CIO (a confederation of 65 affiliated unions representing nearly 15 million workers) holds a constitutional convention every 4 years to elect leadership and set policies to guide the labor movement. Four years ago, Liz Shuler was elected President on the campaign promise that the AFL-CIO would grow by 1 million members over the next 10 years. Instead, it happened in just 4 years, and Shuler was re-elected to another 4 year term at the Minneapolis convention.

For the first time since 2016, a funder track was included in the convention program. Leaders from several foundations, including Workers Confluence partner the McKnight Foundation, took part in panel discussions and connected with conventiongoers. As an organization dedicated to building worker power through strengthening the connections between labor, philanthropy, and community organizations, we at Workers Confluence applaud this “bigger table” built by the organizers of the 2026 convention.

Confluence partnered with grantee CTUL to two powerful events as part of the convention. On June 6th, CTUL’s worker-leaders, as well as the Minneapolis building trades, the Teamsters, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation and the Awood Center welcomed more than 100 leaders from unions around the globe for an afternoon of dialog and solidarity. The hosts shared their thoughts on organizing through Operation Metro Surge and the long-term work of building powerful community-labor partnerships, and guests from nations including Italy, Argentina, Sweden and the Philippines talked about the challenges they face organizing in their communities, as well as some uplifting victories. 

CTUL Construction Committee member Marvin summed up what connects them all: “The root cause of our oppression as workers is corporate greed…As workers, we believe it is essential to empower ourselves by knowing our rights and establishing a safer, more equitable workplace. We also see the exploitation dynamic clearly [in the construction industry] and we know the solution must involve holding developers accountable for the safety of the workers on their jobsites.”

On June 9th, Confluence partnered with CTUL to host a strategy meeting convened by the Worker Power Funder Group to examine the “Minnesota Miracle” as a case study in long-term worker power building. Local leaders including ROC-MN, New Justice Project Minnesota, and UFCW reflected on the interconnected roles of unions, philanthropy, and grassroots community organizations in building the coordinated worker power necessary to achieve the historic wins of the 2023 Minnesota legislative session.

The AFL-CIO convention provided a unique opportunity to connect with labor leaders from around the country and around the world, and to highlight what makes Minnesota’s worker justice ecosystem. Many thanks to the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation and all the other workers and volunteers who came together to stage this memorable gathering!