Wisconsin State AFL-CIO

Background

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO is a state-level chapter of the national AFL-CIO labor federation. As a result, instead of representing workers directly, ¹  it coordinates local labor unions and union members towards supporting left-of-center policies, Democratic political candidates, anti-business regulations, and other pro-union advocacy. ¹

Leadership

Stephanie Bloomingdale is the president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO. She previously worked as the group’s secretary-treasurer and was also the director of public policy for the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). ⁶ In 2024, the branch reported Bloomingdale’s total compensation was $199,054. ⁵

Activism

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has previously promoted left-of-center policies in Wisconsin ⁷ towards areas including criminal justice, the environment, the economy, and infrastructure. ⁸

Second Trump Administration

It criticized labor policies proposed by the 2025 Presidential Transition Project, or “Project 2025,” that was developed by a coalition of over 70 right-of-center organizations organized by the Heritage Foundation. ⁹

During the second Trump administration, the state chapter opposed budgetary cuts and reforms proposed by the administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). ¹⁰

The chapter is a member of the Wisconsin Fair Maps Coalition, a left-of-center network of similar left-of-center groups that supports adding a state constitutional amendment which transfers the Wisconsin legislature’s power over redistricting to independent redistricting commissions. ¹¹

Administration of Gov. Scott Walker

During the administration of former Governor Scott Walker (R), which ran from January 2011 through January 2019, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO began focusing its advocacy efforts towards changing labor policies enacted under Walker.  ⁴ These included Wisconsin’s Act 10, passed in 2011, which limited collective bargaining for most state government and public school district employees, as well as right-to-work legislation adopted in 2015 that ended the requirement that certain private-sector workers pay union fees. ^{12  13  14}

The Wisconsin AFL-CIO was one of several local unions that opposed Act 10, specifically local union Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA) Local 3220. Members of the union, including local members and national union members, protested the passage by occupying the Wisconsin state capitol building in an attempt to block its passage along with similar labor law reforms proposed by then-Gov. Walker.  ¹⁵ TAA’s former president, David Newby, was previously president of the Wisconsin AFL-CIO from 1993 until 2010, as was also a member of the national AFL-CIO Executive Council at that time.. ¹⁶ Despite the occupation by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO and its member unions, it was unsuccessful in blocking the bill’s passage. ¹⁷

Following Act 10’s passage, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO led efforts in 2011 to recall Republican state legislators who had supported Act 10 as well as a recall against Gov. Walker in 2012. The chapter worked with the national AFL-CIO federation along with local organizations including We Are Wisconsin. ^{18  19} A 2012 analysis of recall election spending by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign found that We Are Wisconsin spent $14,435,234 on the 2011 elections and $3,043,286 on the 2012 Walker recall. ¹⁹

Following Act 10’s passage and the unsuccessful recall campaign against Gov. Walker, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO supported for Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Judge Janet Protasiewicz in 2023 to affect the Wisconsin State Supreme Court composition.  ^{3  20} Protasiewicz later defeated Republican state Supreme Court candidate Judge Daniel Kelly and led to a liberal majority on the court.  ³

During the 2025 Wisconsin state Supreme Court election, the Wisconsin AFL-CIO endorsed Susan Crawford, who would later defeated former state attorney general Brad Schimel (R), keeping the liberal-leaning majority on the court. ²

Activities

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO has advocated that its members support Democratic candidates for office as well as the campaigns of nonpartisan left-of-center candidates and ballot initiatives. ²¹ It has previously endorsed political candidates, produced voter guides, and operated get-out-the-vote efforts for local and state-wide elections. ²²

In 2025, it supported the successful reelection campaign of Jill Underly as the Wisconsin Superintendent of Public Instruction. ^{23  24  25  26}

Finances

The Wisconsin State AFL-CIO receives most of its funding from dues paid by its member unions, which remit a portion of each of their members’ dues to the federation. In 2024, it received $1,334,466 in dues, $687,000 in grants and other contributions, $22,800 in revenues from its annual convention, $89,944 in investment income, and $46,800 in rental income. ⁵