THE AMAZING AFGE
While there are things that AFGE could do better, it is hard to imagine it or any other federal employee union doing a better job at building membership year after year. In fact, we can’t find another federal employee union that has increased its total number of members every year since 2001 like AFGE has. None! Zero! Zilch! Obviously, there is something special about AFGE’s national leadership—and the culture they have created–that motivates its local officers and stewards to recruit new members. This achievement is especially noteworthy because, given the 15 month freeze on new hires, these additional members must be coming from employees who previously refused to join. So, our hats off once again to former National President John Gage who got this record-setting streak going and to National President David Cox who has kept it going despite the decrease in the number of federal employees. That is great leadership. We have copied the Department of Labor reports showing the total number of AFGE members each year since 2001.
2018 | 332,274 | |
2017 | 325,877 | |
2016 | 319,230 | |
2015 | 306,338 | |
2014 | 301,201 | |
2013 | 299,642 | |
2012 | 289,023 | |
2011 | 280,292 | |
2010 | 265,154 | |
2009 | 248,845 | |
2008 | 235,678 | |
2007 | 229,248 | |
2006 | 226,975 | |
2005 | 226,599 | |
2004 | 204,282 | |
2003 | 200,600 | |
2002 | 198,453 | |
2001 | 197,096 |
That special sauce is the membership rebates. It is hard to say no to free money.