SEIU Elects Mary Kay Henry to Lead 2.2 Million Member Union

Thirty-year veteran organizer vows to unite union around organizing and political efforts to address crisis for workers

WASHINGTON, May 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The 73-member International Executive Board (IEB) of the Service Employees International Union met in Washington D.C. today to elect Executive Vice President Mary Kay Henry the 10th president of the nation's fastest-growing union.

"This moment marks a renewed commitment to our union's core mission: to improve the lives of all workers who are struggling to make ends meet in this economy," Henry said.  "Working people are facing hardships we haven't seen in generations, and we believe SEIU can be an even more effective vehicle for change to help them improve their lives and the lives of the people they serve.

"We will get this done by renewing our commitment to organizing, connecting our members at the grassroots level to our political strength and restoring our relationships throughout the American labor movement – because just like I learned as a little girl in a family of twelve, we can't go it alone. Everything is better when you can organize a group and make a decision to stand and act on behalf of all workers in this country."

Henry is noted for working side-by-side with SEIU members – meeting with them at 3 a.m. on night shifts in hospitals, walking picket lines, leading members in contract bargaining, and helping them discover the strength they have when they stand together.

"Mary Kay doesn't just come by to give a speech. She doesn't just come by to shake hands. She's one of us. She is always in the trenches with us and she's helped us form unions to improve our lives and the care we give to our patients," said Lorretta Reddy Blauvel, an SEIU Healthcare Florida member who has worked with Henry on multiple campaigns.

Union steps up investments in organizing, politics

In a demonstration of the union's commitment to enhance its investment in its organizing and political action, the union made two special allocations of resources:

• SEIU will invest $4 million in an innovation fund set up to reinvigorate private sector organizing throughout the country; and
• SEIU will invest an additional $4 million in campaign work related to gubernatorial races in 2010.

"We will invest in grassroots political action in a sustained way so that we can build a progressive majority from the ground up and link it to the incredible national work of our union.  The best demonstration of this approach was passage of national healthcare reform granting 33 million more Americans access to healthcare," said Henry.  "We want to link our political strength and our organizing program to stand up on behalf of all workers who are being threatened in this country."

Widespread support for election of Mary Kay Henry

Andy Stern, the outgoing president of SEIU, praised Henry's election: "For 30 years, I have worked side-by-side with Mary Kay Henry and witnessed her extraordinary passion for justice and the natural gift that can only be called her way with people.  From her earliest days organizing workers to her partnership in growing the strength of SEIU, Mary Kay's leadership has always been marked by her singular ability to connect with each and every person she meets to bring out their best.  She will be an incredible president of our union, as well as an important and impassioned voice for working people."

Stern, who served as SEIU President from 1996 until today, was named President Emeritus at the meeting.

Said Kristy Sermersheim, CEO of SEIU Local 521 in California: "Mary Kay cares about every single member. She is constantly concerned not just with current members, but people who are yet union members and who long for a voice on the job and better life for themselves and their families."

Background on Mary Kay Henry

Henry, the eldest sister of 10 siblings, grew up in and around Detroit, Michigan.  She credits her innate organizing skill to her years herding her brothers and sisters to school and her commitment to social justice to her Catholic education, particularly two nuns who helped her see first hand through charity work in hard hit communities the importance and dignity of work for all people. 

After graduating from Michigan State with a degree in Urban Policy Planning and Industrial Labor Relations in 1979, Henry joined SEIU as a research specialist.  During a year's training in California, she worked on campaigns for child care and public sector workers.  Assigned next to Minneapolis, Henry learned and participated in all aspects of bargaining, organizing and legislative advocacy.  She has served as Organizing Director for the union and head of the healthcare division.  She has been a strong advocate for immigrant rights, and Henry is a founding member of SEIU's gay and lesbian Lavender Caucus.  In 2004, she was elected as Executive Vice President.

Known best for her organizing skills, Henry's vision and leadership has helped pave the way to groundbreaking agreements between SEIU and hospital chains such as Beverly Enterprises, Catholic Healthcare West, Tenet and HCA that united tens of thousands of members in SEIU.  She played a significant role in creating the national Labor-Management Partnership at Kaiser Permanente, the nation's largest HMO.  She was formerly a labor adviser to and member of the U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops' Subcommittee on Catholic Health Care, and she has played a critical role in the union's fight to extend state health insurance coverage to children.

Mary Kay Henry is the first woman to hold the position international president in SEIU.

The Service Employees International Union is an organization of 2.2 million members united by the belief in the dignity and worth of all workers and the services they provide.  Our union is dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society.

SOURCE SEIU