IFPTE's effectiveness as a Union depends on the coordinated forces of the Executive Officers, the Executive Council and the Local Unions. These three forces working together can, and do, improve the lives and working conditions of the membership and, in turn, our society. The Local Unions are on the front line of this team's work to fulfill our Union's primary goal of protecting the rights, and enhancing the working conditions, of IFPTE members. The vital role the Local Unions play in making IFPTE a force for working people cannot be overemphasized. Often Local Unions will form regional or occupational councils within IFPTE to strengthen themselves in dealing with common employers and problem.

IFPTE Regional Councils/IFPTE Occupational Councils:

   • Northeast Council
   • General Electric and Affiliated Locals Council (GEALC)
   • Atlantic Area Council
   • NASA Council of Locals
   • Central States Council
   • California Council
   • National Council of Army Corps of Engineers Locals

The Local Unions are backed by the resources of the Federation and other Union organizations. On the local level IFPTE Local Unions are encouraged to join, and many locals are affiliated with, the State AFL-CIO Federations and the AFL-CIO Central Labor Bodies.

On the national level IFPTE is affiliated with the AFL-CIO and several of its departments. These departments have been created to allow affiliates with common areas of concern to focus and coordinate legislative, legal, and educational activities for the good of the affiliates' Local Unions and members.

IFPTE is affiliated with the Department for Professional Employees (DPE) which provides legislative, research, and public relations support to unions representing AFL-CIO affiliates in their efforts to represent and organize white collar workers in all business sectors. The DPE recently formed a Committee on Engineers, Technicians and Scientists to support organizing initiatives in these occupations.

IFPTE is also affiliated with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions that supports coordinated bargaining among AFL-CIO affiliates with Kaiser Permanente. These AFL-CIO affiliations and others are maintained because of the concentration of our members in these respective areas and because of the general benefits they provide to our union members.

On the international level, IFPTE is affiliated with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) which is the Canadian counterpart to the AFL-CIO for our Canadian brothers and sisters. IFPTE also belongs to the Union Network International (UNI) which is a worldwide organization of 800 labor unions dedicated to advancing the skills and services of its members in the new global economy.

Once again the strength of IFPTE depends on all parts of our organization performing their respective roles at the highest level possible, and then some.