Last week, 10,000 retired coal miners and their families came to Washington, D.C., to ask Congress to pass legislation that would secure health care for 22,000 and pensions for 120,000 retirees. As the coal industry struggles, some coal companies have been relieved by bankruptcy courts of their obligations to pay health care and pension contributions for retirees. But allowing these benefits to lapse would be not only devastating to the families of the coal miners who worked so hard to keep America out of the dark, it would be the abandonment of a promise made to coal miners in 1947.

Each week, we take a look at the biggest friends and foes of labor. We celebrate the workers winning big and small battles, and we shame the companies or people trying to deny working people their rights.

Seven of the 13 white men on Donald Trump’s economic team are hedge fund managers or Wall Street bankers who made billions off of the housing crisis, and by taking advantage of bankruptcies, and/or investing in companies that price-gauge lifesaving medicines and put workers’ safety at risk. They speculate on risky enterprises and take advantage of government programs designed to repair the destruction left by high-risk lending. Trump’s advisers are focused on maximizing short-term profits for themselves, at times at the expense of the health and well-being of working people. They have shown no interest in developing stable jobs for working people. What kind of an economy can we expect from them?

There’s only one word to describe the executive pay at Mylan.

Outrageous.

Across the country, union members joined together for a national day of action last weekend, filled with canvasses and phone calls for labor issues and pro-worker candidates.

Working people all over the country are calling their members of Congress today to oppose the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. 

Stand with them and call your representative today: 1-855-856-7545. 

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka released the following statement in response to a new Census Bureau report showing the fastest middle-class wage growth on record.

If you haven't figured it out yet, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is wrong for working women. He has made this clear throughout his life and continues to do so with his words and policy proposals this election. He doesn’t support women, and women shouldn't support him. AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler introduces this video that takes a look at Trump's history with women.

In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, some of the smartest minds in the country already were working on ideas on how to memorialize the tragedy. The ensuing discussions led to the design and building of One World Trade Center, which was completed in 2015 as not only the tallest building in the Western hemisphere, but one of the safest and strongest buildings ever built.

The latest video from the Electrical Workers (IBEW) celebrates the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Take a few minutes to watch the video and celebrate the working people who keep our parks clean.

Labor Day, the unofficial fall campaign kickoff, has just passed. So I’ve been thinking a lot about something Mark Twain supposedly quipped: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

On a fall morning 15 years ago, the unthinkable happened and thousands died in the worst terrorist attack to take place on American soil. Within moments, our heroic first responders rushed into action to save lives and prevent further tragedy. But the reach of the terrorists went beyond 9/11 and many of our bravest men and women suffered, and continued to suffer, from illnesses and injuries that resulted from their heroism.

On Sept. 10, local labor movements around the country will lead the largest national day of action this election cycle. Thousands of union members, volunteers and release staff will mobilize as part of the Labor 2016 campaign. A wide range of events in key states will propel working people toward Election Day.

Four hundred Bakery, Confectionery, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers (BCTGM) Local 6 members at Just Born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, unanimously voted to go on strike after rejecting the company’s last offer. Workers began taking their places on the picket line this afternoon.

If you're like me and millions of other Americans, the beginning of the National Football League season is one of the more fun times of the year. Week 1 means that all of our teams are still in contention (at least for one more day). In contention all season, though, are the working people who bring you Game Day. Nearly every aspect of the NFL experience, in the stadium or at home, is brought to you by union members.

On Labor Day, we come together to thank all the American workers who built this great country—and to recognize the millions who wake up every morning to build us an even better future. There’s one group that deserves a special thanks: America’s labor unions.

Each week, we take a look at the biggest friends and foes of labor. We celebrate the workers winning big and small battles, and we shame the companies or people trying to deny working people their rights.

Going on strike was not an easy decision and not something my co-workers and I at the Trump Taj Mahal took lightly. But we knew it was our only option after billionaire Carl Icahn stripped us of our health care and benefits. And we could use your help keeping our fight alive.

We want to wish you a happy Labor Day, from the AFL-CIO, America's working people in unions. 

AFL-CIO officers, Richard Trumka, Liz Shuler and Tefere Gebre, traveled around the country today to celebrate working people and their accomplishments and to discuss the issues we care about most this election season.