This Black History Month we honor the foundational contributions of Chicagoan James Riley, former sanitation worker and AFSCME member in Memphis who marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1968.

In February we celebrate Black History Month, and AFSCME’s long legacy of standing up for racial justice—from the strike of Memphis sanitation workers 56 years ago this month, to affirming that Black Lives Matter today.

In Illinois, state workers have a strong union voice and robust collective bargaining rights. In Missouri, their bargaining rights are restricted and unions weakened. There's a stark union difference between the two sides of the Mississippi River.

Marlon and his coworkers do essential work supporting individuals with developmental disabilities at state-funded human service agencies. The median wage? Just $12 an hour. AFSCME is lobbying to raise wages and ensure they go directly to workers' pockets!

Staff at the Art Institute of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago voted overwhelmingly to form their union—the Art Institute of Chicago Workers United—with AFSCME Council 31 in mail-ballot elections tallied January 11 and 12.

"We are heartbroken at the loss of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) investigator and AFSCME member Deidre Silas of Springfield, murdered Tuesday while responding to a report of children in danger."

On December 29 Arbitrator Edwin Benn ruled against AFSCME members in the interest arbitration regarding the State’s plan to require COVID vaccinations for employees in IDOC and IDJJ.

We're stronger when we unite together to make our voices heard. These local unions worked together to negotiate fair contracts with their employers.

Members of the Art Institute of Chicago Workers United (AICWU) are seeking the union difference with AFSCME. Their union vote is now underway, with mail-in ballots due in early January. This inspiring video captures the spirit of their organizing drive.

AFSCME Local 981 members at Eastern Illinois University fought long and hard to win a new union contract that protects their jobs and increases their wages.