The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)--in addition to being the largest federal employee union representing 600,000 federal workers in the United States and overseas--also represents some 4,500 employees working for the District of Columbia government. Workers in many of the city's major agencies depend on AFGE for collective bargaining, legal representation, legislative advocacy, technical expertise and informational services.
The union is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and divided into 12 geographical districts consisting of some 1,100 locals. District of Columbia employees are represented by AFGE District 14. Employees are represented by 14 AFGE locals in such agencies as:
Council 211, comprised of all D.C. local unions, also serves the membership through coordinated activities.
AFGE is committed to D.C. government employees by helping to provide good government services and ensuring that government workers are treated fairly and with dignity. The union strongly believes that in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government services, government employees must be viewed as valuable resources rather than easy targets. That is why AFGE is committed to protecting and enhancing the rights of all government employees and the people who depend upon their services.
AFGE has a right to negotiate wages and benefits as well as the working conditions of D.C. government employees. Thus, bargaining is conducted on two levels. Negotiations for wages and benefits are city-wide and conducted in conjunction with other unions representing D.C. government workers. AFGE collective bargaining experts lead these negotiation efforts. Bargaining for working conditions in each government agency or department is conducted between city officials and local union leaders.
AFGE relies on a comprehensive legislative and political action program to deal with issues that affect city workers. The union's visibility and outspoken advocacy on behalf of D.C. government employees at City Hall and in Congress--which determines how much money will be appropriated to the D.C. government--is unequalled.
AFGE believes that all unions should belong to the house of labor and has been nationally affiliated with the AFL-CIO since AFGE was founded in 1932. At AFGE's national convention in 1997, the delegates took the importance of affiliation one step further, voting for each of its locals to affiliate with their AFL-CIO state federations and central labor councils. This makes AFGE one of the few nationally affiliated unions to have all of its locals affiliated at the state level. D.C. workers are affiliated with the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO.
AFGE is proud to represent D.C. government employees, who are involved in almost every important aspect of life in the nation's capital.