AFSCME
AFSCME is the largest U.S. public-sector labor union, representing 1.4 million working and retired public service employees across hundreds of occupations. Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., it provides collective bargaining, member benefits, and political advocacy through affiliated state councils and local unions.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1932
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What AFSCME does
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) is the largest public-sector labor union in the United States, representing approximately 1.4 million working and retired members across hundreds of occupations including nurses, corrections officers, child care providers, sanitation workers, library and museum staff, and EMS personnel. Founded in 1932 and headquartered at 1625 L Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., the union is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and operates through a federated structure of state councils and local affiliates (e.g., AFSCME Ohio Council 8, AFSCME Council 31 in Illinois, AFSCME Maryland Council 3, AFSCME Local 1004 in Utah, AFSCME Local 370 in Illinois, AFSCME Colorado). The international union is led by President Lee Saunders and Secretary-Treasurer Elissa McBride.
AFSCME's core offering is collective bargaining representation and worker advocacy rather than technology products or software. Member-facing resources include AFSCME Advantage (discounts and benefits), Student Debt Map (loan-forgiveness navigation), Scholarships, the AFSCME Member Card, the Never Quit Service Award program, the Union Wage Calculator, and the I AM Story Podcast. Strategic initiatives include the Cultural Workers United campaign (50,000+ cultural-sector workers), Staff the Front Lines recruitment, and the AFSCME PEOPLE political action fund.
Revenue is generated primarily through member dues (subscription/recurring model with monthly billing cadence), the amount of which varies by local and state affiliate and is not publicly disclosed. The union's go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: workplace organizing campaigns recruit new members, while large-scale day-of-action events (e.g., the 'No Kings' rally drawing 30,000+ participants in D.C.) and coalition partnerships build political and bargaining power. Marketing channels span the AFSCME.org website, email newsletters, organic social, podcasts and video, national rallies, earned media, and the PEOPLE political action fund.
AFSCME firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AFSCME
- Legal name
- American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO
- Website
- https://afscme.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1932
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- AFSCME is the largest U.S. public-sector labor union, representing 1.4 million working and retired public service employees across hundreds of occupations. Founded in 1932 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., it provides collective bargaining, member benefits, and political advocacy through affiliated state councils and local unions.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AFSCME industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Labor Union Representation
- NAICS
- Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations (813930)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Workforce Compliance & Employment Law Risk Management (Local Labor Law, Tax, Statutory) (BPACAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Global Employer of Record (EOR) Services (BPACAHAA), Onboarding, Offboarding & Employee Lifecycle Administration (BPACAHAL)
Keywords
Where AFSCME is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
AFSCME business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Union Membership Dues: AFSCME generates revenue through membership dues paid by its 1.4 million members. These dues fund union operations, organizing campaigns, political advocacy, and member benefits.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Union membership with dues-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
AFSCME product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) is the largest public services employees union in the United States, representing more than 1.4 million working and retired public service members across hundreds of occupations including nurses, corrections officers, child care providers, sanitation workers, and cultural sector workers. The union provides collective bargaining representation, legal advocacy, political action through AFSCME PEOPLE, and member benefits programs including discounts, scholarships, education, and resources like the Student Debt Map.
Product overview
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) is a labor union providing member representation and advocacy services, not a technology product company. The organization offers a suite of member benefits and resources including AFSCME Advantage (discounts and benefits), Student Debt Map (loan forgiveness resources), Scholarships, Education & Training programs, and the AFSCME Member Card. AFSCME also produces media content including the I AM Story Podcast and Union 411 video series. Key initiatives include the Cultural Workers United campaign (50,000+ cultural sector workers), Staff the Front Lines recruitment initiative, and the AFSCME PEOPLE political action fund. The union provides tools like the Union Wage Calculator and recognition programs like the Never Quit Service Award. The organization's primary offering is collective bargaining representation and worker advocacy rather than technology products or software.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- AFSCME PEOPLE: The union's political action fund that supports candidates fighting for workers' rights
- Staff the Front Lines
- Cultural Workers United
- I AM Story Podcast
Products and services
- AFSCME Union Membership Core union membership offering 1.4 million public service workers collective bargaining representation, legal advocacy, contract negotiation, and workplace protections across hundreds of occupations.
- AFSCME Advantage
Quantifiable outcome
- Unionized workers make nearly $9,000 more per year than non-union workers
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AFSCME
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles4 records
AFSCME technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AFSCME partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, regional and national.
- Protect Utah Workers CoalitioncoreCoalition of Utah public service workers including AFSCME members that gathered over 320,000 signatures (twice the required number) to force a veto referendum on anti-union legislation HB 267, leading to its repeal.
- Los Angeles Labor UnionsregionalAFSCME worked with three major labor unions in Los Angeles to secure agreements that averted civil service layoffs in the city's Fiscal Year 2025-2026 budget, resolving a crisis sparked by a nearly $1 billion deficit.
- AFL-CIOcoreAFSCME is affiliated with the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in the United States. The union participates in joint legislative campaigns such as the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act.
- Labor Union Coalition (UWUA, USW, IAMAW, AFT, CWA)coreAFSCME joined with major labor unions including AFL-CIO, UWUA, USW, IAMAW, AFT, and CWA to support the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act, legislation to eliminate tax incentives encouraging offshoring.
- AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees)coreAFSCME and AFGE have filed joint lawsuits challenging the Trump administration's Fork Directive and other attacks on federal workers. The unions have partnered on legal challenges to protect civil service workers and collective bargaining rights.
- Democracy ForwardcoreDemocracy Forward is a national legal organization representing AFSCME in federal lawsuits challenging the Trump-Vance administration's termination of public health grants and other attacks on workers.
- Cultural Workers UnitedcoreAFSCME's Cultural Workers United campaign has grown to over 50,000 members working within premier museums and beloved libraries nationwide, organizing cultural sector workers.
- Free DCregionalFree DC partnered with AFSCME for the 'No Kings' day of action rally, with Keya Chatterjee, Executive Director of Free DC, speaking at the event.
- Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan WashingtonregionalDr. Laura Meyers, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Metropolitan Washington, spoke at the No Kings rally representing thousands of patients who depend on healthcare services.
- Common DefensenationalNaveed Shah, Political Director of Common Defense, spoke at the No Kings rally representing veterans and military families affected by federal policies.
- State Democracy Defenders FundcoreState Democracy Defenders Fund represented public service unions including AFSCME in lawsuits challenging unlawful mass federal firings and DOGE's access to government data.
- Altshuler Berzon LLPcoreLaw firm representing AFSCME and other unions in legal challenges against federal worker terminations and administrative actions.
- Philadelphia Museum of Art WorkersregionalMuseum workers who went on strike for nearly three weeks and reached a fair deal after AFSCME support, serving as an organizing model for cultural workers.
- AFSCME Maryland, Council 3regionalNearly 5,000 state supervisors employed by the State of Maryland voted to join AFSCME Maryland, Council 3 after three weeks of voting.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AFSCME competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE): AFGE represents 750,000+ federal and D.C. government employees. AFSCME and AFGE are direct partners in joint litigation against federal actions and represent overlapping categories of public-sector workers facing the same political headwinds.
- United Auto Workers (UAW): UAW represents 400,000+ workers in automotive and related sectors. It is a comparable peer as a major AFL-CIO-affiliated union with similar organizing scale and political advocacy infrastructure.
- United Steelworkers (USW): USW represents 850,000+ members across manufacturing, health care, and public-sector roles. It is a comparable peer given its AFL-CIO affiliation and participation in joint legislative campaigns like the No Tax Breaks for Outsourcing Act.
- National Association of Government Employees (NAGE): NAGE represents federal, state, and local government employees across the U.S. and is a direct co-litigant with AFSCME on multiple federal worker lawsuits, sharing similar membership and bargaining structures.
- American Federation of Teachers (AFT): AFT represents 1.7 million members across education, healthcare, and public services, including public-sector workers. It is a closely comparable peer given its focus on public employees, collective bargaining, and AFL-CIO affiliation.
- Service Employees International Union (SEIU): SEIU is one of the largest labor unions in North America, representing nearly 2 million workers in healthcare, public services, and property services — directly comparable to AFSCME in serving public-sector and service workers with similar collective bargaining structures.
- Communications Workers of America (CWA): CWA represents 700,000+ workers in telecommunications, media, and public services. It is a direct co-litigant with AFSCME in federal labor litigation and shares comparable union structures.
- International Brotherhood of Teamsters: The Teamsters represent 1.3 million workers across transportation, logistics, and supply chains. Comparable to AFSCME as a major U.S. union with similar scale, dues-funded revenue, and focus on collective bargaining.
- UNITE HERE: UNITE HERE represents 300,000+ workers in hotels, gaming, food service, and related industries. It is a comparable peer as a major AFL-CIO union focused on service-sector collective bargaining and worker advocacy.
Broad incumbents
- AFL-CIO: AFL-CIO is AFSCME's parent federation representing 60+ affiliated unions and 12.5 million workers nationally. Comparable as the broader umbrella organization under which AFSCME operates and through which it coordinates political action.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AFSCME social profiles
Digital presenceAFSCME financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AFSCME leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
AFSCME subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
AFSCME funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AFSCME M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AFSCME
What does AFSCME do?
AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) is the largest public services employees union in the United States, representing more than 1.4 million working and retired public service members across hundreds of occupations including nurses, corrections officers, child care providers, sanitation workers, and cultural sector workers. The union provides collective bargaining representation, legal advocacy, political action through AFSCME PEOPLE, and member benefits programs including discounts, scholarships, education, and resources like the Student Debt Map.
Is AFSCME a public or private company?
AFSCME is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was AFSCME founded?
AFSCME was founded in 1932. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is AFSCME based?
AFSCME is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does AFSCME make money?
One revenue line is on record: union Membership Dues.
Who are AFSCME's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), United Auto Workers (UAW), United Steelworkers (USW), National Association of Government Employees (NAGE), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Communications Workers of America (CWA), International Brotherhood of Teamsters and UNITE HERE. AFL-CIO is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does AFSCME have an API?
No public API is recorded for AFSCME.
What industry is AFSCME in?
AFSCME's product category is Labor Union Representation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACAHAH, Workforce Compliance & Employment Law Risk Management (Local Labor Law, Tax, Statutory), with a secondary code of BPACAHAA, Global Employer of Record (EOR) Services. Its NAICS code is 813930 and its SIC code is 8600.