Braxton Winston, a politician and activist who was defeated in the race for North Carolina Labor Commissioner last year, will now lead the state's largest federation of labor unions.

Winston was elected president of the state chapter for the AFL-CIO at the groups' annual convention in Wilmington last week.

North Carolina is a right-to-work state in which union membership can't be made mandatory for jobs, and it frequently ranks among the states with the smallest percentage of its workforce unionized. North Carolina reguarly ranks as among the best states in the nation for businesses. It also regularly ranks as among the worst for workers.

Winston said a goal of his as the chapter's new president will be to grow labor organizing in the state.

"For too long working people in North Caroli

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