You’re staring at the grid, coffee’s getting cold, and you’ve got a three-letter gap for "Largest US labor union." Your brain probably screams AFL. Or maybe CIO. It’s a classic trap. If you’re a regular at the New York Times crossword or the LA Times daily, you know that the answer isn't always the one that makes the evening news.
The truth? The biggest player in the game usually isn't the one people expect.
The 3-Letter Giant: NEA Explained
Honestly, the answer is almost always NEA. That stands for the National Education Association. While people often think of "Big Labor" as guys in hard hats or steelworkers, the teachers have everyone beat on pure numbers.
We're talking about a massive organization. As of early 2026, the NEA holds steady with roughly 3 million members. To put that in perspective, that is roughly the entire population of Chicago paying dues to one organization. They aren't just teachers, either. They represent bus drivers, cafeteria staff, and university faculty.
Why NEA is the Crossword King
Crossword constructors love the NEA because those three letters are absolute gold for "vowel-heavy" areas of a puzzle. You’ve got two vowels and one very common consonant. It fits everywhere.
But there’s a bit of a nuance here that messes people up. Is it actually a union?
Technically, yes, though for a long time it called itself a "professional association." It wasn't until the 1960s and 70s that they really leaned into the collective bargaining side of things. Today, they are the heavyweight champion of the labor world, even if they don't belong to the big "umbrella" groups most people associate with unions.
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The "AFL" and "CIO" Confusion
Sometimes the clue is a bit more specific. If the clue asks for a "Labor federation," then NEA is the wrong answer.
You’re looking for AFL or CIO. Or, more commonly, the combined AFL-CIO.
- AFL: American Federation of Labor.
- CIO: Congress of Industrial Organizations.
- AFL-CIO: The big merger that happened back in 1955.
The AFL-CIO isn't actually a single union. Think of it more like a massive club or a "union of unions." They represent about 12.5 million workers across dozens of different smaller unions like the AFT (American Federation of Teachers) or AFSCME.
If your crossword clue has three letters and mentions a "federation," AFL is your best bet. If it’s four letters, try AFT or SEIU.
Other Frequent Labor Clues You'll See
Crosswords are predictable once you learn the shorthand. If you see "Trucker's union," you're almost certainly looking at IBT (International Brotherhood of Teamsters).
Actually, the Teamsters show up a lot because the word itself has a great mix of common letters. But if it’s a short abbreviation? IBT.
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Then there's the SEIU. That’s the Service Employees International Union. They’ve been growing like crazy lately, especially in healthcare. If the clue mentions "Hospital workers' union" and you need four letters, SEIU is the winner.
Wait, there's more. Don't forget UAW. The United Auto Workers have been in the news a ton lately with those big strikes. They are a staple of the Monday and Tuesday puzzles because everyone knows the name.
Why Do Crosswords Love These Terms?
It’s all about the "glue." In crossword lingo, "glue" refers to the short, common words that hold the big, fancy "theme" words together.
Labor unions provide a constant supply of 3-letter and 4-letter acronyms.
- NEA (Teachers)
- AFT (Also Teachers, but smaller)
- AFL (The old-school craft union group)
- UAW (The car guys)
- UMA (United Mine Workers, though rarer now)
Avoiding the Common Mistakes
Most people fail on the "Largest US labor union" clue because they overthink it. They think about the most "famous" union. They think Teamsters. They think Steelworkers.
But crosswords care about the Department of Labor stats. And those stats say the NEA is the undisputed heavy.
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One thing to watch out for: Check your "crosses." If you put in AFL and the vertical word starts with an 'F' but doesn't make sense, erase it immediately. It’s probably NEA.
Also, keep an eye on the era. If the clue says "Labor leader Gompers' group," the answer is AFL. Samuel Gompers was the guy who started it all back in the late 1800s. If it mentions "John L. Lewis," you’re looking for CIO or UMW.
Your Solving Strategy for Labor Clues
Next time you see a labor-related clue, follow this mental checklist:
- Count the letters first. Three is usually NEA or AFL. Four is usually SEIU, UAW, or Team (for Teamsters).
- Look for the word "Federation." If that word is in the clue, it’s almost never NEA. It’s AFL or AFL-CIO.
- Identify the industry. "Public sector" or "Schools" means NEA or AFT. "Auto" means UAW. "Garment" means ILGWU (that’s a tough one for the Friday/Saturday puzzles).
- Check the "Vibe." Early-week puzzles (Monday/Tuesday) use the big ones like NEA. Late-week puzzles might throw a curveball like WOBBLIES (for the IWW).
The labor movement is a huge part of American history, but in the world of crosswords, it’s mostly a game of three-letter acronyms. Once you memorize the NEA, AFL, and UAW trio, you've basically conquered 90% of the labor clues you'll ever encounter.
Keep your pencil sharp. And maybe grab a fresh cup of coffee. That 11-down isn't going to solve itself.
Your Next Steps for Crossword Mastery
To stop getting stuck on these clues, start a "cheat sheet" in the back of your puzzle book for common 3-letter organizations. Beyond labor, you'll want to jot down things like ERA (Equal Rights Amendment), NRA (National Rifle Association), and EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). These are the building blocks of almost every mid-sized puzzle. Practice identifying the "indicator" words—like "Group," "Org.," or "Assn."—which signal that the answer will be an abbreviation or acronym. Once you recognize these patterns, your solving speed will double.