 In February 1955, the union began pursuing the "first pension plan ever for U.S. merchant marine officers," which was well underway by November 1955.In 1955, Joseph Curran was named a Vice-President of the AFL-CIO.Due to pressures from the Second Red Scare after World War II the AFL and CIO merged into the AFL-CIO in 1955 under the leadership of John L. Lewis.