AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka headlines May 20 luncheon

Richard Trumka, president of the AFL-CIO, will address the National Press Club at a luncheon on Friday, May 20.

Trumka was elected president of the AFL-CIO in September 2009, after serving 15 years as the secretary-treasurer of the nation’s largest federation of unions, with more than 12 million members. Previously, he served as president of the United Mine Workers of American, a post to which he was elected at age 33 in 1982.

Trumka leads his organization at a time when the union movement is facing a number of challenges. Union membership in the United States has been on a steady decline, falling to 11.9% of workers in 2010, the lowest level in 70 years. And in states such as Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana, governors have been trying to curb public-employee collective bargaining rights. Those efforts have produced massive demonstrations and spawned legal challenges and recall campaigns.

Lunch will be served at 12:30 p.m., with the speech beginning at 1 p.m. and ending at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18 for Club members, $29 for guests of members, and $36 for general admission. To reserve tickets, please e-mail [email protected] or call 202-662-7501. Tickets must be paid for at time of reservation.

To submit a question in advance, put TRUMKA in the subject line and email to [email protected] before 11 a.m. on the day of the luncheon.

The luncheon organizer is Rod Kuckro ([email protected]).

Upcoming luncheons:

April 6 -- Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Douglas Shulman

April 19 -- Ted Turner, chairman of Ted Turner Enterprises and CNN founder, and T. Boone Pickens, founder of BP Capitol

May 26 -- Juan Williams, political commentator and Fox News contributor