What is the name of the labor union federation that merged with the CIO in 1955?

The American Federation of Labor, often referred to as the AFL, was the prominent labor union federation that joined forces with the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in 1955. Founded in 1886, the AFL primarily focused on organizing skilled craft workers, such as carpenters, plumbers, and electricians, into specific trade unions. Under the long-term leadership of Samuel Gompers, the AFL championed practical goals like higher wages, shorter working hours, and improved working conditions for its members, often through collective bargaining and strikes.

The relationship between the AFL and what would become the CIO began to strain in the 1930s. The AFL's emphasis on craft unionism meant that many workers in the burgeoning mass-production industries, particularly unskilled and semi-skilled laborers in sectors like auto and steel, were largely unrepresented. A group of union leaders, including John L. Lewis of the United Mine Workers, advocated for organizing all workers within an industry, regardless of their skill level, into "industrial unions." When their efforts to change the AFL's policy from within were unsuccessful, they formed the Committee for Industrial Organization in 1935, which later became the independent Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) in 1938, leading to a bitter rivalry between the two federations.

Despite their philosophical differences and fierce competition, both organizations recognized that a divided labor movement weakened their overall influence and effectiveness. By the early 1950s, a desire for a stronger, unified voice for workers, coupled with leadership changes and a realization that their rivalry created a standstill in union membership, paved the way for reconciliation. On December 5, 1955, the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations formally merged to create the AFL-CIO, forming the largest labor organization in the United States and bringing together approximately 16 million workers at the time. This historic merger aimed to combine the strengths of both craft and industrial unionism, creating a more cohesive and powerful force for advocating for workers' rights and interests in the changing American economy.