Recent federal policy changes have helped AFGE organize more members

Kevin Cooper, National Political Director for the American Federation of Government Employees, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss his career path to the AFGE. He also discussed how government policy has positively impacted organizing over the past few years and how members have reacted to educational opportunities around the election.

Cooper came to his position with AFGE after a career in grassroots and political labor acts. He started his work with the Communication Workers of America, the largest telecommunications union in North America, and assisted in growing their political department. Cooper was then offered a position to work with the Bernie Sanders campaign, where he worked with Local labor unions. Eventually, Cooper joined AFGE as their national political director, and his mission was to make the workplace better for members through political action.

The growth of AFGE over the past two years is due to multiple factors, but Cooper pointed to policies passed under the Biden Administration that helped the hard-working organizers. He said the organizers engaged with their local communities and workers not part of the union to learn what they needed to improve their workplace. Cooper discussed why the policies relating to AFGE having shop stewards in the workplace have improved organizing in the past two years.

Other government policies have also created a workplace that encourages union participation among government workers. Cooper talked about proposed policies from Project 2025 that could reverse all of the positives gained under the union-friendly Biden Administration. In response to the potential threats, he said it saw the highest volunteer participation in educational outreach around an election in 16 years. Cooper attributed the passionate volunteers to their personal experiences under the former Trump Administration and their lives under the Biden Administration.

Listen to the show above for more information from Cooper and the AFGE.