About the RLF

The Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation is a key part of the nation’s largest and strongest labor federation – the AFL-CIO, which unites more than 12 million working women and men of every race and ethnicity, from every walk of life.

More than 100 affiliate unions make up the Regional Labor Federation, representing more than 50,000 union members who live or work in Ramsey, Washington, Dakota and Chisago counties. Elected officers and professional staff members support political, organizing and issue-oriented campaigns by mobilizing – and growing – a network of committed union volunteers.

To bring economic justice to the workplace and social justice to our state and the nation, the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation works to:

  • Build a broad labor movement in the East Metro area by helping workers join and form unions.
  • Support Minnesota workers as they bargain with employers to improve their living conditions and workplaces, as well as their communities.
  • Strengthen the voice of Minnesota’s working families at all levels of government and in a changing global economy.

The Regional Labor Federation is governed by delegates who are elected or appointed by affiliated unions. The delegate assembly meets at 6 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the Saint Paul Labor Center. Delegates elect representatives to serve on the Regional Labor Federation’s Executive Board, its Committee on Political Education (COPE) and the Saint Paul Labor Studies & Resource Center, the nonprofit arm of the Regional Labor Federation.

Four labor assemblies, open to rank-and-file members of affiliated unions, carry out the work of the Regional Labor Federation on the local, grassroots level in Ramsey, Washington, Dakota and Chisago counties. Assemblies meet monthly in each county, providing union activists with opportunities to volunteer in their communities, support local organizing campaigns and screen candidates for local office. Click here to find out how you can get involved!

The Saint Paul Union Advocate is the official publication of the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation. The Advocate is mailed monthly to members of unions affiliated with the Regional Labor Federation. The Advocate also publishes online.

To learn more about the organizational structure of the Saint Paul Regional Labor Federation, read the Constitution.