[1] The ACLI were founded in 1944 in reaction to the decision by Catholic trade unionists to take part to the foundation of the unitary Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL).
[2] In 1948 ACLI leaders contributed to the foundation of the Italian Confederation of Workers' Trade Unions (CISL), a Christian-oriented split from the CGIL, which had come under Communist influence.
Gabaglio was criticized by Labor and the ACLI, which suffered the split of the Workers Christian Movement in 1970, were deplored by Pope Paul VI in 1971.
[4][7] Under Marino Carboni (1972–1976) the ACLI made "peace" with the Catholic hierarchy and re-established their "collateralism" with the DC.
More recently, Luigi Bobba (1998–2006) was elected senator for the Democratic Party (PD), the party born in 2007 upon the union of Democracy is Freedom – The Daisy (DL), in which the PPI was merged in 2002, with the DS, while Andrea Olivero (2006–2013) was successively active in Civic Choice (SC), the Populars for Italy (PpI) and Solidary Democracy (DemoS).