Washington, DC – After 14 years as leader, AFSCME President Lee Saunders is retiring.
Saunders, came to the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees union in 1978 as a Labor Economist. Under his leadership, he brought the Union back to the fundamentals of organizing and ignited a renewed culture of grassroots activism.
He devoted his career to expanding the power of Public Service Workers across the country and ignited a renewed culture of grassroots activism.
Under his leadership, AFSCME met some of the most challenging moments facing working families. He positioned the Union to withstand existential threats, including the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, a ruling designed to destroy unions.
The goal of Janus legislation was to silence working people by undermining their ability to stand together. Saunders responded by expanding organizing and deepening member engagement across the nation.
During the COVID-19 Pandemic as AFSCME members risked their lives to serve their communities, Saunders helped secure emergency funding with the passage of the American Rescue Plan, preserving essential public services and saving jobs and communities across the country.
“It has been an honor to work on behalf of America’s Public Service Workers. Leadership changes hands, but the power stays exactly where it has always been, with the workers. ‘Worker Power’ endures and AFSCME is built for the fights ahead,” Saunders said.
His retirement will take effect at the conclusion of the next AFSCME International Convention in August 2026, where delegates will elect new leadership to carry forward the Union’s mission.
