We are AFSCME

AFSCME Council 57 is comprised of 26 local unions representing 35,000 members throughout Northern California and the Central Valley. Established in 1963, the Council was formed as a progressive, member-driven labor organization dedicated to empowering and securing dignity and respect for all workers. We work together to improve wages, benefits and working conditions through organizing, collective bargaining and political action. We represent workers in schools and community colleges, transit agencies, public works and services, clinics and hospitals, and water and wastewater facilities. Our members are also the health and social service professionals in corrections facilities across California.

We support our local unions by:

• Providing resources, training and professional services
• Fighting for economic and social justice
• Raising awareness on issues that affect working families
• Empowering members in representation and bargaining
• Mobilizing workers to participate in the political process
• Sharing effective communication and resources
• Organizing unorganized workers

We also partner with other labor organizations, service providers, consumers, the faith community and community-based organizations to:

• ensure the health and vitality of working families and their communities
• seek solutions to critical issues like the healthcare and mental health crisis as well as climate change
• raise awareness of wasteful contracting out of public services
• stop attacks on public sector workers
• fix California’s inequitable tax policies

Council 57 is affiliated with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, a democratic union with 1.4 million members who share a common commitment to public service in our communities. We also encourage our locals to affiliate with their local arm of the AFL-CIO, the Central Labor Council.