Labor Union

Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO

Website:

unionlabel.org/

Location:

WASHINGTON, DC

Tax ID:

53-0025759

Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(5)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $446,648
Expenses: $474,319
Assets: $428,189

Formation:

1909

Type:

Labor Union Coalition

President:

Richard Kline

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The Union Label and Services Trade Department (ULSTD) of the AFL-CIO promotes products created by union members by producing and distributing union labels, shop cards, and store cards. ULSTD also distributes newsletters to AFL-CIO members recommending the purchase of union-made products, organizes boycotts against union opponents, and informs members about union affairs.

Do Buy and Don’t Buy List

Do Buy

The Union Label and Services Trade Department produces a monthly “Do Buy” list of union-produced products from beer and pet food to Halloween supplies. In June 2021, the ULSTD released a list of endorsed U.S. National Parks that employ union members. 1 In 2018, the ULSTD released an app for tracing its approved products. 2

Don’t Buy

ULSTD also produces monthly “Don’t Buy” lists of allegedly anti-union businesses that the AFL-CIO is publicly boycotting. 3

Leadership

Richard Kline has been the president of the Union Label and Services Trade Department since 2008. Kline rose through the ranks of union officeholding at first as a member of the American Federation of Teachers, and then the National Education Association, while also working in communications for the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International Union for 31 years. 4

Non-Union Contractor Controversy

In February 1996, the Washington Post reported that the Union Label and Services Trade Department was using a non-union design studio to produce its monthly newsletter, which informed the AFL-CIO’s 13 million members which businesses to boycott for using non-union personnel. Then-ULSTD president Charlie Mercer said he was “embarrassed” by the revelation and attributed the oversight to a lack of unionization among designers. 5

References

  1. “Do Buy.” Union Label. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://unionlabel.org/do-buy/.
  2. “There’s an App for That.” CNBA. April 24, 2018. Accessed September 27, 2021. http://www.kcnba.org/index.cfm?zone=/unionactive/view_article.cfm&HomeID=684332.
  3. “Don’t Buy.” Union Label. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://unionlabel.org/dont-buy/.
  4. “Union Label and Service Trades Department Executive Council.” Union Label. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://unionlabel.org/ulstd-executive-board/name/richard-kline-1/.
  5. Swoboda, Frank. “Where the Label Wasn’t.” Washington Post. February 3, 1996. Accessed September 27, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1996/02/03/where-the-label-wasnt/46e6f1b2-71b6-49ac-89ef-0479ffc1c43c/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: July - June
  • Tax Exemption Received: September 1, 1978

  • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Jul Form 990 $446,648 $474,319 $428,189 $4,142 N $25,000 $411,554 $10,094 $195,486 PDF
    2018 Jul Form 990 $416,805 $513,390 $436,272 $3,136 N $0 $406,625 $9,630 $195,438 PDF
    2017 Jul Form 990 $448,778 $467,500 $548,350 $4,274 N $0 $434,916 $9,345 $188,520 PDF
    2016 Jul Form 990 $478,901 $472,708 $573,437 $210 N $0 $469,639 $9,262 $178,296
    2015 Jul Form 990 $474,854 $465,726 $559,609 $0 N $0 $465,185 $9,669 $177,155 PDF
    2014 Jul Form 990 $478,302 $479,591 $548,952 $0 N $0 $463,125 $9,939 $182,159 PDF
    2013 Jul Form 990 $473,064 $451,583 $552,258 $3,614 N $0 $460,209 $12,551 $182,743 PDF
    2012 Jul Form 990 $480,241 $461,354 $550,533 $3,583 N $0 $466,905 $12,865 $186,335 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Union Label and Service Trades Department, AFL-CIO

    815 16TH ST NW
    WASHINGTON, DC 20006-4101