Public Employee Department

The Public Employee Department was a division of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, bringing together American unions representing government workers.

History

The Government Employees' Council of the American Federation of Labor was founded in 1945. When the AFL merged into the AFL-CIO, the council was maintained, and by 1963 it had more than 20 union affiliates. In 1974, a new Public Employee Department was founded, absorbing the council. On formation, it had 24 affiliated unions, representing more than 2 million public employees.
By the 1990s, the department's focus was on developing a framework for labour and management co-operation. It was dissolved in 1998.