Metal Trades Department AFL-CIO

What Metal Trades Department AFL-CIO does

The Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO (MTD) is a non-profit trade department of the AFL-CIO, chartered in 1908 and headquartered at 815 16th Street NW, Washington, DC. It functions as a coordinating federation for 17 affiliated national and international unions and more than 32 Metal Trades Councils across North America. MTD coordinates collective bargaining, organizing, and legislative advocacy on behalf of metalworking and related skilled-trade workers employed in U.S. and Canadian naval and private shipyards, Department of Defense installations, Department of Energy nuclear facilities, national laboratories, and petrochemical plants.

The MTD does not develop or sell technology products; its core "offerings" are union representation, contract negotiation coordination through Metal Trades Councils, legislative advocacy (including defense of the Jones Act and federal workers' collective bargaining rights), member education programs, and periodic conventions such as the 72nd MTD Convention scheduled for October 19-22, 2026 at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas. It has a small staff of 1-10 employees led by President Dale M. Troll, Operations Director Lisa Johnson, and Federal Representative Alana Schaeffer, supplemented by an Executive Council drawn from its 17 affiliate unions.

Its business model is membership-dues based. Workers retain membership in their own trade unions, while Metal Trades Councils under the MTD umbrella conduct unified contract negotiations across federal and private establishments. The organization supplements this with tiered convention sponsorships (Bronze $1,000+, Silver $2,500+, Gold $5,000+, Platinum $10,000+) and revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Reported contract outcomes (e.g., 21.4% general wage increases and retention bonuses up to $6,000 at Electric Boat; 17% year-one increases at Sandia/NTESS; 22% over five years at Hanford/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) indicate MTD-affiliated councils cover more than 100,000 workers, with Metal Trades workers forming a significant portion of the Department of Defense's 700,000+ person federal workforce.

Name

Metal Trades Department AFL-CIO

Legal name

Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO

Website

https://metaltrades.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1908

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO is a non-profit labor federation, chartered in 1908, that coordinates 17 affiliated unions and 32+ Metal Trades Councils to negotiate contracts and advocate for more than 100,000 metalworking and skilled-trade workers across U.S. and Canadian shipyards, nuclear facilities, and federal establishments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Labor Union Federation Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Labor, Social Protection & Occupational Safety Standards Cooperation (BPADANAM)

Keywords

• Labor union federation
• Collective bargaining services
• Workforce advocacy
• Skilled trades representation
• Union organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington, DC

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Union Membership Dues: The organization generates revenue through membership dues collected from workers in affiliated unions. Workers retain membership in their own trade unions while contracts are negotiated by Metal Trades Councils under the MTD umbrella.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Metal Trades Department, AFL-CIO is a labor union federation that coordinates collective bargaining, organizing, and legislative advocacy for 17 affiliated national and international metalworking and related crafts and trade unions. It supports over 32 Metal Trades Councils across North America that negotiate contracts covering more than 100,000 workers in private industry and federal establishments including U.S. Navy and Coast Guard shipyards, Department of Energy nuclear facilities, and major defense sites.

Product overview

The Metal Trades Department AFL-CIO is a labor union organization chartered in 1908 as a department of the AFL-CIO. It coordinates negotiations, organizing, and legislative efforts for affiliated metalworking and related crafts and trade unions. The organization does not offer traditional technology products or software services; its primary offerings are union representation, collective bargaining coordination, worker advocacy, and member support services. Key activities include organizing Metal Trades Councils across North America, negotiating contracts, advocating for federal workers, and hosting periodic conventions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Metal Trades Council Membership and Collective Bargaining Coordination

Quantifiable outcome

• Union members earn $191 per week more than nonunion counterparts
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1908The Metal Trades Department is a department of the AFL-CIO, chartered in 1908 to coordinate negotiations, organizing, and legislative efforts of affiliated metalworking and related crafts and trade unions. The MTD operates under the AFL-CIO umbrella for political advocacy, resources, and organizational support.
• Employee Benefit Systems (EBS) Union College Benefit ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTD has partnered with EBS to offer union members and their families access to educational programs including certificate, associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees. EBS provides a network of colleges and universities offering programs in business administration, criminal justice, human resources management, organizational leadership and management, and more through EDUTrust Network.
• NAGE (National Association of Government Employees)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMTD thanks its affiliate NAGE for work in defending the rights of union members within the federal civil service, including participation in lawsuits challenging Trump administration executive orders affecting federal workers' collective bargaining rights.
• AFGE (American Federation of Government Employees)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFGE worked with MTD and other unions in defending federal workers' rights, including challenging the deferred resignation program and defending collective bargaining rights.
• AFSCMEcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFSCME partnered with MTD in coalition efforts to defend union members' rights and challenge executive orders affecting federal workers.
• Democracy ForwardminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemocracy Forward worked with MTD and other labor organizations in legal challenges to protect federal workers' rights.
• UA (United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUA is one of 17 national and international unions affiliated with the MTD. MTD Platinum Convention sponsor at the 72nd Convention.
• IBB (International Brotherhood of Boilermakers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIBB is one of 17 national and international unions affiliated with the MTD. MTD Platinum Convention sponsor at the 72nd Convention.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• North America's Building Trades Unions: Labor federation of 14 skilled trades unions representing construction workers. Highly comparable to MTD as a coordinating body for skilled craft unions engaged in apprenticeship, collective bargaining, and federal/national infrastructure policy.
• American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE): Largest federal employee union representing 750,000+ workers across DoD, VA, and other agencies. Comparable to MTD's federal workers segment in negotiating federal wage schedules, collective bargaining, and defending federal workers' rights.
• United Steelworkers (USW): One of MTD's 17 affiliated unions representing workers in metals, mining, and manufacturing. Comparable as a large industrial union affiliate involved in MTD's collective bargaining and political advocacy across metalworking trades.
• Service Employees International Union (SEIU): One of MTD's 17 affiliated unions and one of the largest unions in North America. Comparable as a large AFL-CIO affiliate participating in MTD's collective bargaining and political advocacy framework.
• AFSCME: Major public-sector union representing 1.4 million members across state, local, and federal government. Comparable to MTD as a large AFL-CIO affiliate engaged in coalition advocacy on federal worker rights and collective bargaining protections.
• Strategic Organizing Center (Change to Win): A federation of unions including SEIU, Teamsters, and others competing for affiliate influence outside the AFL-CIO structure. Comparable to MTD as a multi-union labor federation providing coordination, strategy, and political advocacy to its affiliates.
• International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT): One of MTD's 17 affiliated unions and a major diversified labor union representing blue-collar workers across logistics, manufacturing, and freight. Comparable as a large affiliated international union within the MTD/AFL-CIO ecosystem.
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW): One of MTD's 17 affiliated unions representing electrical workers across construction, utilities, telecom, and federal facilities. Comparable as an affiliated international union within MTD covering skilled trades at naval shipyards and DOE sites.
• International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW): One of MTD's 17 affiliated unions representing workers in aerospace, manufacturing, and defense. Comparable as an affiliated international union with strong presence in federal shipyards and defense manufacturing — directly overlapping MTD's core membership base.

Broad incumbents

• AFL-CIO: Parent federation of MTD and the largest U.S. labor federation, coordinating 60+ affiliated unions. Directly comparable as the umbrella labor organization within which MTD operates and shares organizing, legislative, and collective bargaining infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/metaltradesafl
• Facebookfacebook.com/Metaltrades
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/metal-trades-department-afl-cio

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Metal Trades Department AFL-CIO