Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union representing about 1.8 million workers in over 100 occupations in the United States (including Puerto Rico), and Canada. SEIU is focused on organizing workers in three sectors: health care (over half of members work in the health care field), including hospital, home care and nursing home workers; public services (local and state government employees); and property services (including janitors, security officers and food service workers).
SEIU is the fastest growing labor union in the United States and has over 150 local branches. It is affiliated with the Change to Win Federation and the Canadian Labour Congress. SEIU is based out of Washington, D.C., and has several internal divisions which include: Communications, Government Affairs, New Media, Organizing, Political, Global Strength, Pension/Benefits, Community Strength, Research, and Legal.
The union states that its top priorities are to stand up for working families to help bring economic relief to millions across the country, fix the nation's "broken health care system," and fight to guarantee workers' rights on the job. SEIU is sometimes referred to as the "purple ocean" at political events because of the union's recognizable purple shirts. The union is also known for its Justice for Janitors program and strong support for Democratic candidates. It spent $28 million supporting Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, making it the "organization that spent the most to help Barack Obama get elected president."
Read more about Service Employees International Union: History, Presidents of SEIU, SEIU International Leadership, Recent Organizing, Notable Locals, In Popular Culture, Controversy, Further Reading
Famous quotes containing the words service, employees and/or union:
“But when with moving accents thou
Shalt constant faith and service vow,
Thy Celia shall receive those charms
With open ears, and with unfolded arms.”
—Thomas Carew (1589–1639)
“I have said many times, and it is literally true, that there is absolutely nothing that could keep me in business, if my job were simply business to me. The human problems which I deal with every day—concerning employees as well as customers—are the problems that fascinate me, that seem important to me.”
—Hortense Odlum (1892–?)
“My paramount object in this struggle is to save the Union, and is not either to save or to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union without freeing any slave, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves, I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone, I would also do that.”
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865)