About OCLF
The Orange County Labor Federation represents more than ninety local unions from every sector of the labor movement with a membership of more than 200,000 working men and women. The Orange County Labor Federation strives to better the lives of all workers.
Chartered in 1929 by the AFL-CIO, the Federation is the official regional body that brings together unions from different sectors to fight for decent wages, safe working conditions, strong communities, and upward mobility for our communities.
The Federation’s mission is to build worker power through union organizing, political education, economic development, and training programs to give workers a voice to improve their lives.
The Federation works to build strong coalitions with faith and civil rights organizations, the community, and other allies to advocate and support policies that improve the quality of life for all working families.
In 2008 and every year thereafter, the federation has been honored by the state federation’s Strategic Planning Committee as one of the highest-performing labor councils and was singled out as an “agent for change” by the California Labor Federation.
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
For our Members, Unions and Working People in Orange County
With the united effort of our unions in Orange County, we seek to build a labor movement that will help lead a new wave of political and workplace organizing for worker justice. We are committed to working together and building the Orange County labor movement into an organization that becomes the center of activity for all labor/progressive campaigns. The Orange County labor movement is further committed to building a program that helps our unions grow collectively and individually. We pledge to build our mobilization program and a “Rapid Response” network so that we can use the power of our members to support each other during difficult campaigns. The Orange County Labor Council commits to build an education/action program that every union can benefit from through:
SUPPORT FOR BARGAINING CAMPAIGNS:
Our Federation will support and mobilize for every union in difficult bargaining campaigns to help protect our member’s rights, benefits and wages. We will use our political leverage to involved local elected leaders in discussions with employers, be involved in settlement efforts, lead delegations and promote actions against unfair employers.
SUPPORT FOR ORGANIZING CAMPAIGNS:
Our Council will actively support all organizing campaigns by our unions. Organizing is the most important work our unions are doing to build our strength. Every campaign is important as non-union workers face tremendous forces as they exercise their right to form a union. We will ask all elected leaders to sign a “Right to Organize” pledge to support non-union workers in organizing campaigns. We will further use economic leverage and develop strategies for organizing rights in all projects build locally with public monies and pass ordinances that create organizing opportunities.
POLITICAL PROGRAM TO ELECT CANDIDATES WHO SUPPORT WORKING FAMILIES’ ISSUES:
We will work to elect candidates at every level of government in Orange County who are willing to fight for the rights and economic issues of working families. We will increase the efforts in our political program through our member-to-member and worksite education programs; through using advanced technology to reach voters; through increased and effective voter registration efforts and to work with community allies in our political and legislative action efforts.
COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM:
Communications program that reaches every union, member, and community ally: utilize technology to keep our unions informed, develop a media center for our press work, institute communications training for members and leaders and become the “go to” center for information and news.
TRAINING PROGRAM TO INCREASE THE INVOLVEMENT AND LEADERSHIP OF OUR MEMBERS:
We will work with all partners in developing a training program that will benefit our members to know their rights, advance their political involvement, and build workplace systems for volunteer recruitment and member education for our campaigns.