The International Labor Communications Association (ILCA) is a professional organization for

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

publications and media production departments of national, regional and/or local affiliates of the

AFL–CIO The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL–CIO) is the largest federation of unions in the United States. It is made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 12 million ac ...

and

Canadian Labour Congress The Canadian Labour Congress, or CLC (french: Congrès du travail du Canada, link=no or ) is a national trade union centre, the central labour body in Canada to which most Canadian labour unions are affiliated. History Formation The CLC was ...

. It is a

nonpartisan Nonpartisanism is a lack of affiliation with, and a lack of bias towards, a political party. While an Oxford English Dictionary definition of ''partisan'' includes adherents of a party, cause, person, etc., in most cases, nonpartisan refers sp ...

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

which provides resources, expertise and networking opportunities for labor communicators. The ILCA was founded in 1955 as the International Labor Press Association. Its formation was brought about by the merger of the

American Federation of Labor The American Federation of Labor (A.F. of L.) was a national federation of labor unions in the United States that continues today as the AFL-CIO. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in 1886 by an alliance of craft unions eager to provide mutu ...

and the

Congress of Industrial Organizations The Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) was a federation of unions that organized workers in industrial unions in the United States and Canada from 1935 to 1955. Originally created in 1935 as a committee within the American Federation of ...

. The body was established as a means of coordinating the message of the new organization in labor newsletters, newspapers and magazines throughout the labor movements. It changed its name to ILCA in 1985. The ILCA is not a competitor to the Canadian Association of Labour Media/ Association canadienne de la presse syndicale (CALM/acps) (the organization representing labor media in Canada). The ILCA and CALM/acps share the goal of increasing the effectiveness of labor media and promoting the objectives of the labor movement in both nations. Accordingly, both organizations hold fraternal associate membership status in the other, and both organizations have a seat on the other's executive council.

References

*Kling, Howard. "Organizing Media: Toward a National Labor Communications Strategy." ''Labor Studies Journal''. 27:4 (Winter 2003). *McClear, Sheila and Niemeijer, Marsha. "Labor Media: Time for a Revival." ''Labor Notes''. December 23, 2004. *''The New Labor Press: Journalism for a Changing Union Movement''. Fred J. Solowey and Sam Pizzigati, eds. Ithaca, N.Y.: ILR Press, 1992.

External links

ILCA Web siteInternational Labor Communications Association records
at the

University of Maryland libraries The University of Maryland Libraries is the largest university library in the Washington, D.C. - Baltimore area. The university's library system includes eight libraries: six are located on the College Park campus, while the Severn Library, an of ...

Gordon H. Cole papers
at the

. Cole was the first president of the association in 1956. AFL–CIO Canadian Labour Congress Organizations established in 1955 Publishing organizations 1955 establishments in Washington, D.C. {{US-trade-union-stub