The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO is a local labor federation located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that has more than 100 local labor union member organizations. The organization is a local level affiliate of the left-leaning national labor federation the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and of the statewide Pennsylvania AFL-CIO. The organization lobbies for pro-union policies at the state, local, and federal level and endorses candidates for public office and judgeships in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, typically endorsing exclusively Democratic candidates. ¹

In 2019, one of the presidents of a council member union, the politically powerful union boss John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, head of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 98, was indicted on corruption charges stemming from allegations that he had embezzled more than $600,000 in union dues. ^{2 3}

Background

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO is comprised of over 100 local labor unions in the public and private sectors and the building and construction trades. The member unions of the council have a total membership of more than 200,000. The council’s leadership consists of delegates from each local union, who meet monthly to direct the work of the council. The delegates also elect the executive officers and 35 vice presidents, who complete duties for the council including making political endorsements and decisions on lobbying and election campaign efforts. ⁴

Activities and Advocacy

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO lobbies for left-leaning labor legislation at the local, state, and federal levels. The organization also endorses candidates for public office and endorsed only Democratic candidates during the 2021 primary elections. ⁵

The council is a member of the Fund Our Facilities Coalition, a coalition of left-leaning labor groups and politicians advocating for a several hundred-million-dollar investments in school infrastructure across Pennsylvania. As of January 2021, the coalition is calling for an immediate $200 million investment to fund school building improvements solely in Philadelphia including COVID-related upgrades such as overhauled ventilation systems. ⁶ Members of the Fund Our Facilities Coalition include the A. Philip Randolph Institute, ACLU Pennsylvania, AFSCME 1199c, American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania, the Allegheny Labor Federation, the American Federation of Teachers, For Our Future PA PAC, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, Pennsylvania AFL-CIO, Philadelphia Jobs With Justice, Philaposh, Philly Healthy Schools Initiative, Public Interest Law Center, Seafarers International, SEIU 668, Working America, and the Working Families Partnership. ⁷

Associations with Corrupt Officials

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO and its member unions have received scrutiny in recent years following the multiple indictments of John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty, head of the local electrical workers union IBEW Local 98, a council member, on corruption and embezzlement charges. In January 2019, Dougherty was indicted with five other local union officials for allegedly embezzling more than $600,000 in union funds from IBEW Local 98. In March 2021, Dougherty was arrested again with his nephew, who was allegedly collecting a paycheck as a “no-show” employee on a jobsite. Dougherty’s nephew attacked his boss after his paycheck was reduced and Dougherty allegedly intervened to threaten the employee with “economic harm” if his nephew was not kept on the payroll. ⁸

Dougherty remains the head of IBEW Local 98 and was reelected in June 2021 as the head of the AFL-CIO-affiliated Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council. Council president Patrick Eiding has reiterated his support for Dougherty. The organization also promoted a legal defense fund for indicted Philadelphia Councilman Bobby Henon (D), a former IBEW Local 98 staffer who was indicted after allegedly taking bribes to do Dougherty’s bidding. ⁹

The Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO also hosts an annual Tri-State Labor Day Parade featuring members from dozens of its member unions. One contingent of marchers in the 2021 parade was seen holding a sign urging for the release of Joe Dougherty, the former head of Ironworkers Local 401 (no relation to IBEW Local 98 leader John Dougherty), from federal prison following his conviction on racketeering and arson charges. ^{10 11}

People

Patrick “Pat” Eiding has been the president of the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO since 2002 and was previously the business manager of the Insulators and Asbestos Local Union 14 from 1977 to 2001. ¹²  Eiding first joined the Insulators and Asbestos Workers Union in 1963 and is also the secretary-treasurer of the Philadelphia Building Trades Council; a member of the executive council of the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO; and sits on the general board of the national AFL-CIO as a representative for central labor councils in the Northeast. Eiding is also a board member for the Philadelphia Area Labor Management Committee, the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, the Urban Affairs Coalition, and the National Association of Workforce Boards. He has also been appointed as a Commissioner for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and was appointed to the board of Philadelphia Works, Inc. ¹³ Eiding receives more than $140,000 in annual compensation from the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. ¹⁴

James Gardler is the council’s secretary-treasurer. Gardler is a member of the Communication Workers of America (CWA) union and is the executive president of CWA Local 13000. Among his union duties include being the lead negotiator for union contracts with Verizon. ¹⁵

Ken Washington is the recording secretary for the organization and longtime member of the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA). He began his union career with LIUNA Local 332 and later became involved in politics working as a staffer in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and to two Democratic members of the U.S. Congress. Washington is also the director of government relations for the Laborers District Council of the Metropolitan Area of Philadelphia and Vicinity. He was also previously a shop steward for AFSCME Council 13 while working in the Pennsylvania Auditor General’s Office under now-U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. (D-PA). ¹⁶

1. Reyes, Juliana Feliciano. “Why Johnny Doc’s indictment is a problem for all Philly unions.” Philadelphia Enquirer. February 4, 2019. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/news/johnny-doc-dougherty-indictment-philadelphia-unions-ibew-20190204.html
2. “About Us.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO.” Accessed September 25, 2021. https://philaflcio.org/about-us
3. Watson, Michael. “Feds Charge Powerful Philly Union Boss with Conspiracy.” Capital Research Center. Capital Research Center, February 4, 2019. https://capitalresearch.org/article/feds-charge-powerful-philly-union-boss-with-conspiracy/.
4. “About Us.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO.” Accessed September 25, 2021. https://philaflcio.org/about-us
5. “2021 Primary Endorsements.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Accessed September 25, 2021.  https://philaflcio.org/news/2021-primary-endorsements
6. “Fund Our Facilities Coalition.” Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.pft.org/fund-our-facilities?redirect_count=1
7. “Fund Our Facilities Coalition.” Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.pft.org/fund-our-facilities?redirect_count=1
8. Roebuck, Jeremy. “Labor Leader Johnny Doc Was Indicted Again.” Philadelphia Enquirer. March 3, 2021. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/news/johnny-doc-local-98-indicted-fiocca-20210303.html
9. Mix, Mark. “Forced Union Dues Fuel A Culture of Big Labor Corruption In Pennsylvania” Philly Weekly. July 8, 2021. Accessed September 25, 2021. http://www.phillyrecord.com/2021/09/philly-labor-celebrates-its-might-on-parade/
10. Mix, Mark. “Forced Union Dues Fuel A Culture of Big Labor Corruption In Pennsylvania” Philly Weekly. July 8, 2021. Accessed September 25, 2021. http://www.phillyrecord.com/2021/09/philly-labor-celebrates-its-might-on-parade/
11. Reyes, Juliana Feliciano. “Why Johnny Doc’s indictment is a problem for all Philly unions.” Philadelphia Enquirer. February 4, 2019. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.inquirer.com/news/johnny-doc-dougherty-indictment-philadelphia-unions-ibew-20190204.html
12. “Pat Eiding.” LinkedIn Profile. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://www.linkedin.com/in/pat-eiding-6135097/
13. “Patrick Eiding.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://philaflcio.org/about-us/patrick-eiding
14. Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO, Return of an Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/231580308/06_2021_prefixes_23-23%2F231580308_201912_990O_2021060718273253
15. “James Gardler.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://philaflcio.org/about-us/james-gardler
16. “Ken Washington.” Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. Accessed September 25, 2021. https://philaflcio.org/about-us/ken-washington