He served as president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, from 1981 to 2012.

[1] After graduating, McEntee became part of American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 33,[2] which was his father's union.

[1][3] In that capacity, he was responsible for negotiating a deal with the state government that encompassed generous health insurance and prescription drug benefits.

He subsequently presided over one of the largest public worker strikes in US history at the time when the state attempted to renege on its agreement several years later.

[1][2] He was later responsible for the AFL's endorsement of Al Gore in 2000, as well as stymieing a 2005 plan by George W. Bush to partially privatize Social Security.

[5] His gross salary of $1,020,751 in 2012, his last year on the job,[6] coupled with his use of $325,000 in union money to charter private jets in 2010 and 2011, became an issue in the campaign to succeed him.