About SCFL - Who are we?

The South Central Federation of Labor is an umbrella organization for labor unions in Dane, Dodge, Sauk, Columbia, Jefferson and Iowa Counties. Currently there are over 97 labor organizations, representing more than 45,000 workers, affiliated with SCFL.

Just as workers join together to form unions because there is strength in numbers and collective action, so too unions join together in Central Labor Councils, like SCFL, for the same reasons. There are 600 Central Labor Councils throughout the United States, each with a specific geographic jurisdiction.

The best unions are democratically run and take their direction from the membership. So too with Central Labor Councils. Hence, SCFL is whatever its affiliated unions, as determined through actions taken by their delegates, want.

Activities

In essence, the purpose of any Central Labor Council is solidarity between unions in a given geographic area. This solidarity takes the form of helping a local affiliate by getting the word out and by turning out union activists from other unions for pickets, rallies, and the like when such help is requested in order to further an affiliate's collective bargaining or organizing efforts with an employer. This solidarity is also displayed when the affiliates agree to speak with one voice on issues of public concern – legislative and otherwise – and on elections for public office (see Political Action).

In addition, SCFL gathers union members from various locals to engage in community service projects (Paint-a-thon, food drives, Martin Luther King Coalition Community Dinner, etc.) and also sponsors various labor education classes, stewards' training, etc. Also, the non-labor community looks to SCFL to provide union representatives to serve on various governmental and non-governmental councils, committees and commissions.

SCFL also served as the driving force behind the creation of the Interfaith Coalition for Worker Justice of South Central Wisconsin and the Workers’ Rights Center.

Annually SCFL sponsors LaborFest, a major Labor Day celebration on the Labor Temple grounds; the Bean Feed, a fundraiser for its political education program; and a scholarship program for union members or their children.

For full reports on SCFL activities in recent years, see Activities '09, Activities '08, Activities '07, Activities '06, Activities '05, Activities '04, Activities '03, Activities '02, Activities '01 and Activities '00.

Governance

The governing body of SCFL consists of the delegates sent by each affiliated union. The monthly delegate meetings consist of information sharing, sometimes taking action on items raised from the floor, and acting on items brought forth from committees. Some committees – such as the Community Services Committee, the Education Committee, and the Labor Day committee – have authority to plan and pursue projects and events without continually going back to the delegates for permission.

The Executive Board acts as SCFL's steering committee. It meets between monthly meetings to prepare policy and program recommendations for the full delegates meeting, sets the meeting agenda, reviews financial reports and engages in long and short term planning.

To read SCFL's Constitution and By-Laws click here.

Union Cities

SCFL was one of the first Labor Councils to endorse the national AFL-CIO's "Union Cities" program. This consists of a set of eight goals designed to strengthen the labor movement from the local level up by placing a renewed emphasis on organizing, holding public officials accountable, developing an e-Activist rapid response network, economics education for workers, and an elevated emphasis on coalition work with others in the community. At the 2001 AFL-CIO Convention, SCFL was recognized as one of the first fourteen central labor councils in the nation to fully achieve the goals of the “Union Cities” program.