Skip to main content

What Central Labor Councils Do

Anne Barnett
Social share icons

We hope that each of you, your families, and coworkers are safe and healthy during these unprecedented times. Many of our lives and plans have been disrupted in in untold ways, but we hope they have also brought opportunities for reflection and closeness with your loved ones.

Before the tornadoes and the coronavirus hit, we were rolling out plans for our big spring fundraiser luncheon to be held on April 23. Obviously, we did not host this event last week! But your CLC has been working hard to build power and create change for working people across Middle TN throughout these crises, and we still need your support, now more than ever! Click here to donate and support our work

Over the next few days we will share stories about our new and ongoing work and ask that you contribute to help keep our Central Labor Council strong. 

  • Assisting our affiliates during times of prosperity and crisis. After the March 3 tornados, we raised and are donating over $10k to union families affected or displaced because of this tragedy. We also created a disaster relief committee to be better prepared to respond to such events in the future. 
  • Responding to and fielding organizing requests. COVID-19 has driven many unorganized workers to seek out resources on unions and organizing, including restaurant workers, dollar store employees, Amazon warehouse and deliver drivers, and health care workers. We have provided trainings, structure, support, and access to legal support for these workers, and connected them to affiliate Locals when applicable.
  • Music City Construction Careers (MC3). In partnership with the Nashville Building Trades, we helped start and lead this free Apprenticeship Readiness program to help build pathways out of poverty.
  • Rabble Rousers U Rank and File Leadership Training Program. This training and education program focuses on the nuts and bolts of organizing, power mapping, and Labor History to train up the next generation of labor organizers and leaders. Over the past two years, we have graduated 31 affiliate union members and 3 community/labor organizers from this powerful program.
  • Connecting Labor with the Community through our work with Stand Up Nashville, NOAH, and other community organizations to organize for equity and inclusion for all working people. 
  • Building political power during election season and beyond through our affiliate member-driven screening and endorsement process, GOTV efforts focused on union members and their families, and ongoing support and partnerships once our endorsed candidates win their elections through resources such as Local Progress and Local Solutions Support Center. 

Our goal was to raise $20,000 from our spring fundraiser luncheon. We are asking that you help us meet this goal, so that we can continue fighting for workers and winning advances for labor during this unprecedented time. Can we still count on you to support our work?Click here to donate online, or send a check to the Central Labor Council of Nashville and Middle TN, PO Box 290153, Nashville, TN 37229.

We thank you in advance for any amount you can donate. We know that, as always, solidarity between working people is what will get us all through this, together!