Congress of Independent Unions

     The Congress of Independent Unions (CIU) is a labor organization for the new economy, one in which workers and owners work together to define relationships that work for everyone.

     “Independent” means we stand alone, free to adjust to the needs of our members without the cumbersome bureaucracy of "Big Labor." We are not affiliated with AFL-CIO. 

      At the CIU, our members are individuals, not numbers, and business owners appreciate our role.

     The CIU does not have any craft jurisdictional lines or geographical boundaries. We are properly registered with the U.S. Department of Labor and recognized as a labor organization by the National Labor Relations Board.

     We represent the U.S. labor force in various industries such as: building and trades, manufacturing plants, grocery store employees, rail-car restoration, as well as other industries. 

     We offer flexible Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA’s) that are all individually negotiated to fit the specific needs of our members. The CIU does not maintain Health and Welfare Funds or Pension Funds, as those benefits are usually established in the CBA’s through independent sources.

     The CIU does not contribute any portion of union dues collected towards political lobbying, or campaign contributions. Our dues structure is one of the lowest in the country.

     The CIU does not have a Hiring Hall. Unemployment is not a problem with CIU members as a majority of them work for the same contractor on a permanent basis. However, if a member is laid off, we will attempt to find employment for him/her with another CIU Contractor. We also assist our members and their employers to obtain additional and better work.

     We have found that the AFL-CIO Building Trades employ restrictive methods, imposing work rules on contractors that make it impossible for them to exist. Therefore, we offer Membership-At Large to the construction trades and a contract with reasonable work rules, which allows contractors to remain competitive and provide stable employment for their employees. CIU affiliated Contractors are not restricted to specific geographical areas or craft jurisdictional lines.

     Affiliation with the CIU offers aid to Independent Unions which is not available elsewhere and helps such Unions keep their autonomy.

     We assist our members and their employers through the auspices of the National Labor Relations Board if necessary.