“This summer I interned at the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C. Being at the national headquarters gave me both a better understanding of the labor movement as a whole and an inside look into how labor policy is created. My position included a variety of different tasks, both doing research and writing for the legal counsel.

“Every Monday morning started out with a meeting at the AFL-CIO with the top lobbyist and representatives from all the affiliate unions. It was during these meetings that the most pressing issues were brought to the table and recent actions were discussed. One of the issues discussed this summer was that of overtime pay. The AFL was fighting hard against the administration’s attempt to restructure the qualifications for receiving overtime pay. The unions lost a key vote early in the summer for an amendment that would protect all workers already receiving overtime pay. But this was only one part of the battle, as the lobbyists continue their attempt to thwart the plan in other ways.

“In the office of the Transportation Trades Department, we focused mainly on the issues of Amtrak privatization, the government’s competitive outsourcing of jobs, and airport safety measures. I was given the tasks of drafting letters to both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees to request the necessary $1.8 billion dollars to keep Amtrak running, and of researching the many different aspects of the administration’s plan to outsource traditionally governmental jobs to the private sector. One of the most controversial of these was the privatization of air traffic controllers, not only because it affects the livelihood of these employees, but also because of the emphasis on airline safety since 9/11. I had the opportunity to attend numerous hearings and markups on the relevant bills, which deepened my understanding of the issues.

“This summer helped bring my classroom experiences alive. The ILR curriculum was an excellent preparation for my internship at the AFL. I drew daily on my knowledge of labor law, labor history, labor economics, and human resource management and was finally able to give this knowledge context in a professional environment. This internship would not have been possible without the help of ILR staff and incredibly helpful alumni who understand that internships are a vital part of our education here at ILR. I look forward to drawing on the knowledge I gained in this internship, both in the classroom and in future jobs.”

—Abigail Becraft, ILR Connections, Winter 2004