Affiliations and labor links  

International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers

In 1999, SPEEA members voted to affiliate with the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE). The affiliation joined SPEEA members with men and women in professional, technical, administrative and associated occupations in every state and Canada. Today, IFPTE represents more than 80,000 professional employees.

The IFPTE is one of 56 unions in the American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). The president of IFPTE is a member of the AFL-CIO Executive Council.

IFPTE is affiliated with the Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) which is the Canadian counterpart to the AFL-CIO. IFPTE also belongs to the Union Network International (UNI) which is a worldwide organization of 800 labor unions dedicated to advancing the skills and services of its members in the new global economy.

The largest local union in the IFPTE, SPEEA's membership gives our union three positions on the IFPTE Executive Council.

IFPTE exists to:

  • Allow thousands of men and women working in professional
    and technical occupations a collective voice on the job.

  • Give our members an effective voice in the legislative process.

  • Advance the issues that affect working families. We assist
    candidates for government who advance those concerns unique
    to our membership.

  • Raise the standards by which all professional and technical
    workers are employed with a secured contract.




“A professional union protects your career and it furthers your career. There are a whole lot of people out there that are successful because they had a union.”

Paul Shearon

Secretary-Treasurer, IFPTE
SPEEA member


AFL-CIO

The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) is a voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions. The AFL-CIO was created in 1955 by the merger of the AFL and the CIO.

The AFL-CIO union movement represents 11.5 million members, including 3 million members in Working America, its community affiliate. We are teachers and miners, firefighters and farm workers, bakers and engineers, pilots and public employees, doctors and nurses, painters and plumbers—and more.


Department of Professional Employees

IFPTE, through affiliation with the AFL-CIO, is a member of the Department of Professional employees (DPE). DPE is one of seven constitutional "trades" in the AFL-CIO. DPE promotes unionization among professional, technical and other highly skilled white collar workers; advocate for appropriate legislation; conduct research and create publications. The Department offers a variety of education and training programs.


The Council of Engineers & Scientists Organizations            

The Council of Engineers & Scientists Organizations (CESO) is an organization of member unions representing nearly 100,000 employees in professional and technical fields. CESO advocates for issues affecting the engineering and scientific communities, and serves as a forum for unions representing professional & technical workers in Washington, D.C. on issues affecting engineering, scientific, technical, administrative and other professional employees.


Labor links                    

  • International  Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE)  

  • American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO)

  • Department of Professional Employees (DPE)

  • Canadian Labour Congress (CLC)

  • Union Network International (UNI)

  • Council of Engineers & Scientists Organizations (CESO

  • Washington State Labor Council (WSLC)    

Want to learn more? Contact SPEEA today!

Contact SPEEA Headquarters at 1-800-325-0811 and ask for April Rebollo, Director of Organizing, or email an inquiry at aprilr@speea.org. We recommend contacting us from your personal email or personal phone. Your email or conversation is confidential and we will walk you through the steps towards negotiating a contract with your employer.