AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler addressed the 35th Consolidated Convention on Monday, urging delegates to continue leading the union in organizing, political action and worker-led innovation. She said the future of the American economy depends on empowering working people rather than enriching corporations and billionaires.
Shuler said today’s economy has failed to reward the workers whose labor drives its success. While corporate executives earn millions and companies spend billions on stock buybacks, many working families continue to struggle with rising costs and economic uncertainty.
“It's time to build an economy that works for people who actually work for a living,” Shuler said.
She praised the Boilermakers’ leadership and organizing successes, describing the union as an example of what a modern labor movement can accomplish. Shuler noted that the AFL-CIO surpassed its goal of organizing 1 million workers in just three years, well ahead of its original 10-year target, and highlighted Boilermaker organizing victories at Nichiha in Georgia and Trojan Battery in California as proof that workers continue to embrace union representation.
Shuler said workplace organizing must be matched by political engagement. She encouraged delegates to participate in the upcoming midterm elections, saying labor must protect voting rights and elect leaders who support collective bargaining, retirement security and workers’ rights. The AFL-CIO is aiming to mobilize 16 million union voters and deploy 50,000 trained election protectors to safeguard access to the polls.
Looking ahead, Shuler said organized labor must play a central role in shaping emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence. She warned against allowing corporations to introduce AI without worker input and called for safeguards that protect jobs and the right to organize. While technology will transform many industries, she said it should enhance the skills and judgment of trained union workers, not replace them.
Shuler also advocated for strengthening North American manufacturing through investing in domestic supply chains and pursuing an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy strategy which creates union jobs that pay a living wage.
Shuler called on union members to reject efforts to divide working people. Instead, she urged delegates to stand together to confront corporate power and build an economy that puts workers first.
“The billionaires have their money. Corporations have their lobbyists,” she said. “We have each other.”
