American Federation of Labor
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The American Federation of Labor or AFL was a confederation of trade unions in the U.S. It was founded in 1886 by Samuel Gompers (1850–1924), its longtime head. A group of industrial unions broke away in the 1930s to form the CIO. After years of bitter rivalry the two re-united in 1955 as the AFL-CIO. Another split took place in 2006, as the AFL-CIO steadily lost membership and influence in the private sector. However it has gained in strength with the public sector unions, and continues to be an influential force for liberal policies inside the Democratic party. --- See also Labor Unions, U.S., History