American Federation of Government Employees

American Federation of Government Employees

Abbreviation	AFGE
Founded	October 17, 1932
Type	Labor union
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Location	United States
Members	820,000 (2025) [1]
President	Everett Kelley
Affiliations	AFL–CIO
Website	AFGE.org

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is an American labor union representing over 820,000 employees of the federal government and the District of Columbia. ^[1] AFGE is the largest union for civilian, non-postal federal employees and the largest union for District of Columbia employees who report directly to the mayor (i.e., outside D.C. public schools). It is affiliated with the AFL–CIO. ^[2]

AFGE is a federation of local unions, with each local maintaining autonomy through operating under local constitutions that comply with the AFGE national constitution ratified originally during its founding in 1932.

History

Original AFGE logo

AFGE was founded on October 17, 1932, by local unions loyal to the American Federation of Labor (AFL) and left the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE) when that union became independent of the AFL. AFGE's motto was established as "To Do For All That Which No One Can Do For Oneself". Its original emblem was a shield with the stars and stripes and the words "Justice, Fraternity, Progress".

Federal employees' right to organize and bargain binding labor contracts was established in law by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, which AFGE helped to draft, and which states that collective bargaining in the federal sector is in the public interest while also barring the right to strike.

AFGE's 2009 court suits stopped aspects of the George W. Bush administration's "National Security Personnel System" (for DOD) and MAXHR (for DHS), and AFGE also won changes to law that make the contracting out process more balanced^{[ according to whom? ]} in regard to federal employees' interests. In 2010, the Obama administration issued an executive order for the federal government to focus on insourcing federal jobs rather than outsourcing them overseas or to contractors.

In June 2011, AFGE also won the historic largest single nationwide consolidated bargaining unit election of over 44,000 employees of the Transportation Security Administration, part of the Department of Homeland Security. AFGE is working for a change in law which will give them the same collective bargaining rights as other federal employees.

In August 2015, AFGE at its national convention decided its official colors are blue and gold. All future insignia will meet as such.

The current emblem is three workers supporting a globe with a map of the United States and the words "Proud to Make America Work".

Organization

Berniece Heffner was the first national Secretary and Treasurer of AFGE.

Henrietta Olding, pictured here in 1917, was an early vice president of District 2. She was a labor rights and women's rights activist.

AFGE is led by a National Executive Council, made up of National President Everett Kelley, a National Secretary-Treasurer, and National Vice President, Women's and Fair Practices, elected at a triennial National Convention, and 12 National Vice Presidents who oversee geographic districts and are elected at District caucuses.

Presidents

1932: David Glass

1932: John Arthur Shaw ^[3]

1933: Claude Babcock ^[3]

1936: Charles Irwin Stengle ^[3]

1939: Cecil E. Custer ^[3]

1939: James B. Burns ^[3]

1948: James G. Yaden ^[3]

1950: Henry C. Iler ^[3]

1951: James A. Campbell ^[3]

1962: John Griner ^[3]

1972: Clyde M. Webber

1976: Ken Blaylock

1988: John Sturdivant

1997: Bobby Harnage

2003: John Gage

2012: Jeffrey David Cox

2020: Everett Kelley

Secretary-Treasurers

1935: Berniece Heffner

1953: Henrietta E. Olding

1956: Esther F. Johnson

1970: Douglas H. Kershaw

1974: Nicholas Nolan

1986: Allen H. Kaplan

1991: Bobby Harnage

1997: Rita Mason

2000: Jim Davis

2006: Jeffrey David Cox

2012: Eugene Hudson

2018: Everett Kelley

2020: Eric Bunn

Councils of Locals

American Federation of Government Employees ball cap from the 1980s.

AFGE members hold a silent protest to demand that Congress avoid another government shutdown, 2019.

For AFGE, collective bargaining responsibilities are delegated to numbered "Councils of Locals" at major agencies, including the following:

• AFGE DEFCON ^[4]
• AFGE Federal Fire Fighter Steering Committee ^[5]
• AFGE Federal Law Enforcement Council ^[6]
• Federal Protective Service Council
• The Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA) Council
• National Border Patrol Council ^[7]

AFGE rally against Department of Veterans Affair budget cuts, 2012.

• National Council of Prisons Locals (C-33) ^[8]
• National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals (C-45) ^[9]
• Veteran's Administration Council. a.k.a. National Council of VA Locals (C-53) ^[10] The VA Council is the largest and currently accounts for over one third of the federation's membership.^{[ citation needed ]} Alma L. Lee is the current president of the VA council.
• AFGE Council 73 ^[11]
• Transportation Security Administration a.k.a. AFGE TSA Council 100 ^[12]
• ICE Council. a.k.a. AFGE Council 118 (ICE) ^[13]
• CIS Council (119) ^[14]
• Coast Guard Council. (120) ^[15]
• AFGE Council 162 ^[16]
• Defense Contract Management Agency (C-170) ^[17]
• DFAS Council of DFAS Locals (C-171) ^[18]
• AFGE Council 172 ^[19]
• AFGE Council 200 ^[20]
• Midwest Council of Food Inspection Locals (C-202) ^[21]
• the Air Force Materiel Command a.k.a. Air Force Materiel Command Locals (C-214) ^[22]
• National Council of EEOC Locals 216 ^[23]
• National Council of SSA Field Operations Locals (C-220) ^[24]
  • National Council of SSA Field Operations Locals (Atlanta Region) (C-220) ^[25]
• HUD Council. a.k.a. National Council of HUD Locals (C-222) ^[26]
• AFGE Council 224 ^[27]
• AFGE Council 235 ^[28]
• EPA Locals (C-238) ^[29]
• AFGE Council 252 ^[30]
• Council of National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Locals (C-260) ^[31]
• Smithsonian Institution, Local 2463. ^[32]

Other

Labor relations in the federal sector are governed by the Federal Labor Relations Authority, an independent federal agency, and federal sector unions have recourse to binding arbitration and to the Federal Services Impasses Panel to resolve impasses which might lead to a strike in the private sector.

Membership

All union membership in the federal sector is entirely voluntary, as the law does not allow for the "closed shop". Federal employees are barred from being candidates for partisan political office, and no dues money may be spent on partisan political campaigns.

See also

• Organized labour portal

• Barbara Hutchinson, former director of women's department
• United Public Workers of America
• National Federation of Federal Employees
• American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
• National Treasury Employees Union

References

1. "AFGE at a Glance". www.afge.org. 22 April 2015. Retrieved 20 September 2025.
2. "Our Affiliated Unions | AFL-CIO". aflcio.org. Retrieved 30 September 2025.
3. Notable Names in American History. Clifton, New Jersey: James T. White & Company. 1973. p. 557. ISBN   0883710021.
4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-04. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
5. "afgefirefighters.org". www.afgefirefighters.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
6. "AFGE Law Enforcement Committee |". Archived from the original on 2016-02-12. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
7. "National Border Patrol Council - Protecting Those Who Protect Our Borders". www.nbpc.net. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
8. "AFGE - CPL33". afge.org. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2025.
9. "National Joint Council of Food Inspection Locals". www.the-inspector.com. Archived from the original on 22 May 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
10. "AFGE National VA Council » fighting for the jobs & future of federal employees". Archived from the original on 2017-10-12. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
11. "NCFLL". www.ncfll.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
12. "Home - AFGE Council 100". AFGE Council 100. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
13. "National ICE Council - Protecting those who protect America". www.iceunion.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
14. "AFGE LOCAL 1458 - National CIS Council 119 Secretary Treasurer Lopez announces vote tally 1/04/14" . Retrieved 28 May 2018.
15. "Union Facts - Government Employees, Council 120 - United States Coast Guard Council Of Afge Locals - Profile, Membership, Leaders, Political Operations, etc" . Retrieved 28 May 2018.
16. ^[ dead link ]
17. "Afgec170.org - afgec170 Resources and Information". Archived from the original on 2018-03-23. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
18. "Former AFGE171 Main Page". www.afge171.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
19. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-11-23. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
20. "AFGE Local 200 – American Federation of Government Employees Local 200". www.afgelocal200.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
21. "The-Inspector The Meat Inspectors Home Page". www.the-inspector.com. Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
22. "AFGE Council 214". www.afgecouncil214.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
23. "Council 216 Main Page". www.council216.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
24. "AFGE Council 220". www.afgec220.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
25. "Domain Error". Archived from the original on 2016-03-13. Retrieved 2018-09-02.
26. Name, Your. "HUD AFGE COUNCIL 222 Home Page". afgecouncil222.com. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
27. "AFGE - Council 224". www.afge.org. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
28. ^[ dead link ]
29. "My Blog - Just another WordPress site". www.afgecouncil238.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
30. "Welcome to the AFGE Council 252 website!". Archived from the original on 2013-08-21. Retrieved 2016-02-23.
31. "afgecouncil260.org". www.afgecouncil260.org. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
32. "Signing of a collective bargaining agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), Local 2463".

External links

• American Federation of Government Employees
• AFGE National VA Council