“Workers United” Affiliates With SEIU

Back in the spring, over 150,000 workers from the US and Canada who work in the laundry, food service, hospitality, gaming, apparel, textile, manufacturing and distribution industries created a new union—Workers United—to put workers first again.

These former members of UNITE-HERE held their first convention on March 21st and through an unprecedented display of rank and file union democracy, voted unanimously to authorize its General Executive Board to explore affiliating with the two million members of SEIU. On March 22nd, the GEB and SEIU leadership held votes for Workers United to become a Conference of and to affiliate with SEIU.

This historic new alliance will strengthen the Union so that it can negotiate better contracts, protect members on the job, and work with other unions to support a pro-labor agenda for better-paying jobs, labor rights, and quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans.

“This is a major victory for workers across our state,” says Doug Collier, president of SEIU Local 205. “Through this partnership, SEIU Local 205 and Workers United members can start to work together on campaigns and issues that will help Tennessee’s working families.”

Brad Rayson, who serves as Director for the Workers United Mid-South region, agrees. “Our union and SEIU have a lot of the same goals and philosophies and we now have a great opportunity to complement each other’s work in Tennessee and throughout the South.”