Washington ? The AFL-CIO is enduring a budget shortfall so severe that its own workers are taking two days of unpaid leave to avoid layoffs, even as the labor federation attempts to mobilize its largest political campaign.

Dubbed “solidarity days,” the days off were agreed to this past summer in contract negotiations between managers and the union representing about 200 workers at the AFL-CIO, an umbrella organization of 64 international unions. Managers also have agreed to take the unpaid time.

AFL-CIO spokeswoman Lane Windham said employees covered by the Newspaper Guild Local 32035 decided they would rather lose pay for two days than face layoffs caused by a “budget crunch.”

Other belt-tightening measures are being taken in response to a dismal economy that slammed many unions with layoffs, and to launch a “do-or-die” election effort next year to defeat a cash-flush President Bush.

The number of potential layoffs was never discussed in the negotiations, said Deborah Weinstock, an AFL-CIO employee and a guild leader.

Windham said that unions had been hit hard by the loss of 2.3 million jobs since January 2001.