The AFL-CIO is comprised of 51 national and international labor unions representing some 11.5 million workers.

Futhey joins the new AFL-CIO leadership, which is now headed by former United Mine Workers President Richard Trumka, who succeeds John Sweeney. Sweeney, who retired as the AFL-CIO's chief executive officer, served as AFL-CIO president for 14 years. Trumka, nominated by Sweeney, was elevated from his post of secretary-treasurer.

Upon taking office, Trumka issued a tough warning that intra-union raiding would not be tolerated.

Trumka also pledged to make the labor movement appeal to a new generation of workers who perceive unions as "only a grainy, faded picture from another time. We need a unionism that makes sense to the next generation -- young women and men who either don't have the money to go to college or are almost penniless by the time they come out," Trumka said.

Also elected was Liz Shuler as secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO. She formerly was executive assistant to the president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Arlene Holt Baker was re-elected as the AFL-CIO executive vice president.

Representing the UTU at the AFL-CIO convention in Pittsburgh were Futhey, Assistant President Arty Martin, General Secretary and Treasurer Kim Thompson, National Legislative Director James Stem, Bus Department alternate vice presidents Bonnie Morr and Calvin Studivant, Executive Assistant to the International President Tim Secord and UTU organizer Billy Moye.

Pennsylvania State Legislative Director Don Dunlevy also was in attendance as the convention was in his state.

The AFL-CIO also announced that the 265,000-member Unite Here, which represents hotel, restaurant and clothing industry workers, has rejoined the federation four years after departing in a dispute over the direction of the AFL-CIO.

A highlight of the AFL-CIO convention was the appearance of President Barack Obama, who said that "one of the fundamental reasons I ran for president was to stand up for hardworking families; to ease the struggles, lift the hopes, and make possible the dreams of middle class Americans."

Obama emphasized that strong unions are required to build a strong economy and assure a strong middle class in America.

"For over half a century, the success of America has been built on the success of our middle class," Obama said. "It was the creation of the middle class that lifted this nation up in the wake of a great depression. It was the expansion of the middle class that opened the doors of opportunity to millions more. It was a strong middle class that powered American industries, propelled America's economy, and made the 20th Century the first American Century.

"And, the fundamental test of our time is whether we will heed this lesson; whether we will let America become a nation of the very rich and the very poor, of the haves and the have-nots; or whether we will remain true to the promise of this country and build a future where the success of all of us is built on the success of each of us.

"That's the future I want to build," Obama said. "That's the future the AFL-CIO wants to build. That's the future the American people want to build. And that's the future we've been working to build from the moment I took office. "