ABout us
Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO brings together union locals in Washington, DC and five counties in Maryland to advocate, educate, and organize to improve the lives of all working people in our region.
Our 150+ Affiliate unions represent more than 150,000 working people in Washington, DC and Maryland’s Montgomery, Prince George’s, Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary's counties. Our Affiliate unions represent workers in every industry including accountants, educators, athletes, public sector workers, actors, electricians, plumbers, commercial office cleaners, transit operators, postal workers, and many more.
Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO works to connect and unify the labor movement in order to advocate and organize collectively, train new generations of union workers, and support one another during challenging times.
Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO is one of the AFL-CIO’s 50+ Central Labor Councils across the country, each of which is committed to the fight for social and economic justice. The foundation of our movement is the belief that we are stronger together.
In addition to our member Affiliates, we work in close partnership with the Northern Virginia Labor Federation AFL-CIO, Metropolitan Baltimore AFL-CIO, as well as the Maryland State and DC AFL-CIO.
OUR History
Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO was founded in 1896 when 13 local unions petitioned the American Federation of Labor to be chartered as the Central Labor Union, Washington Branch. The charter was granted on August 11, 1896.
Our founding unions included Bricklayers' No. 1, Columbia Typographical Union No. 101, United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners No. 190, American Society of Carpenters and Joiners No. 163, Engineers Union No. 1, Columbia Musicians' Protective Association No. 16, Stereotypers Union No. 19, Cigarmakers' Local Union No. 110, National Brotherhood of Electrical Workers No. 26, Journeymen Bakers and Confectioners' International Union No. 118, Washington Branch Granite Cutters' National Union, Steam and Hot Water Fitters No. 10, and Steam and Hot Water Helpers No. 28.
Above: Washington Teachers’ Union, Local 6 on the picket line in DC in 1979. Photo via Library of Congress.
Above: Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO’s application for founding charter, dated 1896.
During our centennial year in 1996, the Council published a 100-year history of its work and organizing.
Read the 100th Anniversary History of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO
