CIPELC Past and Present
The California Independent Public Employees Legislative Council (CIPELC) represents over 65,000 public employees who are members of independent unions.  Unions that are affiliated with CIPELC represent public employees in cities, counties, special districts, K-12 schools, community colleges, and the University of California.  Utilizing the best experts in governmental affairs, employer-employee relations, and organizing, CIPELC provides both large and small independent unions with the resources necessary to grow and thrive as representatives of public employees.

CIPELC was formed in 1987 by independent and autonomous unions wishing to insure their future against the takeover attempts of major international unions.  Believing that independent unions are better suited to meeting the needs of local government and school employees, the founders of CIPELC built upon a spirit of cooperation a program of legislative advocacy, mutual assistance and political action. 

The roots of CIPELC go back to 1975 when a group of independent public sector labor unions gathered to discuss the need for mutual assistance in the face of the AFL-CIO's threat to dominate employer-employee relations in California.  Calling the council CIPEC, these independents began meeting regularly to discuss mutual problems and aid each other with their common problems. So successful was CIPEC that it began to function, not only as a conduit for information and assistance between and among independents, but as an effective voice in the California Legislature on behalf of all independent public employee organizations.