Community Labor United is a left-of-center advocacy organization based in the greater Boston area that is aligned with local left-of-center advocacy organizations and labor unions. The organization promotes pro-labor union policies and operates campaigns and programs advocating for left-leaning policies at the state and federal level.

The organization is funded by many left-leaning organizations and labor unions including the Massachusetts AFL-CIO, 1199 SEIU, the Chinese Progressive Association, and the Chelsea Collaborative. The organization is an affiliate of the Power Switch Action Network and is a member of the Unmasking Fidelity coalition, a far-left coalition of groups that opposes privacy and anonymity for donors to right-leaning nonprofits. ^{1 2 3}

Background

Community Labor United was founded in 2005 and focuses its activities on the greater Boston area. The organization is closely aligned with organized labor in the Boston area and partners with a multitude of both labor unions and left-of-center nonprofit advocacy organizations. The organization distributes hundreds of thousands of dollars annually to local left-leaning advocacy organizations in the greater Boston area. ^{4 5}

Activity

Community Labor United advocates for a variety of left-of-center and pro-labor union policies on issues including immigration, housing, global warming, minimum wage, and criminal justice. The organization’s 10-year plan attacks “the right wing’s neoliberal agenda” and was formed by agenda committee members that include the Boston Teachers Union, Coalition for Social Justice, Clean Water Action Massachusetts, and the Massachusetts Community Action Network. ⁶

The organization also operates multiple activist campaigns including one opposed to tax cuts in Massachusetts and another dubbed the “Green Justice Coalition” that advocates for left-of-center environmentalist policies and includes several left-of-center activist organizations such as Climate Action Network Boston, Clean Water Action, the Coalition for Social Justice, Green Roots, and Mass Energy. ⁷

The organization also operates the Massachusetts COVID-19 Response Coalition and a public transit campaign called Public Transit, Public Good. ⁸

Organizations Funded

Community Labor United provides grants to a variety of left-leaning community organizing and activist groups in the greater Boston area. Groups funded by the organization include Neighbor to Neighbor, Alternatives for Community and Environment, the Chinese Progressive Association, the Chelsea Collaborative, the Brazilian Workers Center, the Coalition for Social Justice, Third Sector New England, and the New Economy Coalition. ⁹

Unmasking Fidelity Coalition

Community Labor United is part of the Unmasking Fidelity coalition that opposes privacy and anonymity for donors to nonprofits, a free speech provision protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. The coalition specifically has called for Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund to bar individuals from using donor-advised funds to support right-leaning nonprofits. Other center- and far-left activist nonprofits that are part of the Unmasking Fidelity Coalition include the  Muslim Justice League, Political Research Associates, Action Center on Race & the Economy (ACRE), Asian American Resource Workshop, and Resource Generation. ^{10 11}

Leadership and Board Members

Community Labor United is led by executive director Lee Matsueda, who previously was the political director for Alternatives for Community & Environment (ACE), another left-leaning advocacy group located in Boston. ¹²

Board members of the organization include Darlene Lombos of the Greater Boston Labor Council AFL-CIO, Karen Chen of the Chinese Progressive Association, and representatives from several labor unions including the North Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, 1199 SEIU Massachusetts, IUPAT DC35, 32BJ SEIU, and the UNITE HERE joint board. ¹³

1. About.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/about/
2. “Community Partners.” Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massaflcio.org/labor-movement/community-partners
3. “About Us.” Unmasking Fidelity. Accessed Jan. 28, 2022. https://unmaskingfidelity.org/about-us/
4. “About.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/about/
5. “Community Partners.” Massachusetts AFL-CIO. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massaflcio.org/labor-movement/community-partners
6. “10 Year Agenda.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://massclu.org/10-year-agenda/
7. “Initiatives.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/initiatives/
8. “Initiatives.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/initiatives/
9. “IRS Form 990.” Community Labor United. 2019. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/display_990/203404034/02_2021_prefixes_20-20%2F203404034_201906_990_2021020517688957
10. “About Us.” Unmasking Fidelity. Accessed Jan. 20, 2022. https://unmaskingfidelity.org/about-us/
11. Letter to Abigail Johnson. Unmasking Fidelity. 2019. Accessed Jan. 20, 2022. Archived: https://www.influencewatch.org/app/uploads/2022/01/unmasking-fidelity-letter-to-abigail-johnson-2022.pdf
12. “Lee Matsueda.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/team/lee-matsueda/
13. About.” Community Labor United. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.massclu.org/about/