The First Political Action Committee (PAC) is Born

The CIO-PAC became involved in a range of political activities, including campaign contributions, voter registration drives, and mobilizing union members to vote for pro-labor candidates. The PAC’s efforts were particularly focused on federal elections, but it also worked at the state and local levels, especially in areas where labor unions had a significant presence, such as the Midwest and Northeast. The CIO-PAC’s success in influencing elections helped to solidify labor’s political power in the post-war years, contributing to the passage of important labor laws and the continued growth of the labor movement in the United States. 

The creation of the CIO-PAC in 1943 had significant implications for the future of labor politics in the United States. It led to reforms in how labor unions engaged with electoral politics, increased labor’s political influence, and facilitated the advancement of key labor-friendly policies in post-war America. The PAC also sparked internal debates and external criticisms, particularly from the AFL, but ultimately helped solidify the political power of organized labor, especially within the Democratic Party. The CIO-PAC’s success and influence continued for many years, even as labor unions faced new challenges in the second half of the 20th century.