Controversies
The SEIU has been accused of endangering hospital patients, attacking fellow labor unions, and utilizing unsavory tactics to achieve its objectives.
See an in-depth view of how former and current employees feel about the SEIU
Violence, Protests, And Conflicts With Labor Unions
On several occasions the SEIU has engaged in violent acts and protests. The SEIU has even attacked fellow labor unions and been admonished by the former president of the union.
Conflict With Fellow Labor Unions
The SEIU has had no issue with attacking other labor unions, including at conferences and with hostile takeovers.
- In 2008, the SEIU bussed protesters into Dearborn, MI, to break up a conference attended by union members. The protesters rushed and broke into the conference center and an SEIU member had a cardiac event and died during the violent protest. The former president of the SEIU called the protest a “violent attack” and denounced the unions tactics.
- In 2009, the SEIU launched a hostile takeover of the United Healthcare Workers union and replaced the entire leadership with SEIU loyalists.
- Legendary labor leader Dolores Huerta accused the union of harassing workers discussing joining the NUHW instead of the SEIU.
Violence And Arrests
The SEIU has been accused of using violence during protests and against people it disagrees with.
- In 2023, nearly 200 people were arrested in downtown Los Angeles after the SEIU staged a protest for state employees.
- In 2014, an organizer with the SEIU was arrested for assaulting a police officer in New York City after a mob attacked him.
- In 2009, an SEIU called a minority a racial slur after he confronted him about being on the wrong side of a political issue before punching the person in the face.
Hospital Strikes
Endangering Patients With Costly Strikes
The SEIU has a history of endangering patients with costly strikes during collective bargaining negotiations.
- In 2021, SEIU members that were protesting a hospital openly admitted that it can lead to adverse consequences for patients residing at the hospital where the strike was authorized.
- In 2023, the SEIU authorized a strike at five hospitals in California.
- In 2023, SEIU Minnesota and Iowa authorized a strike that affected multiple hospitals and Allina Health released a statement detailing the harm it does to patients.
Dirty Tactics
The SEIU has used a variety of dirty tactics to achieve its collective bargaining goals, these include ballot box blackmail, harassment, and signature forging.
Harassment of Private Citizens
The SEIU has had no issue with intimidating and harassing private citizens on private property.
- In 2010, the SEIU led a protest at the home of a lawyer when his child was home alone at the house, the teenager locked himself in the bathroom for fear of his safety.
- In 2017, multiple people claimed they were harassed by pushy SEIU organizers who attempted to intimidate them into pursuing the union’s goals.
Signature Fraud and Blackmail
The SEIU has utilized tactics ranging from ballot box blackmail to signature forging to achieve its objectives.
- A report from 2014 detailed the SEIU’s threat against hospitals to start multiple ballot measures with a $20 million campaign if the hospitals did not concede what the union wanted. Neither ballot measure would have any positive impact on SEIU members.
- The SEIU has been subject to a number of lawsuits that claim the union forged signatures to authorize dues deductions from their paychecks. One lawsuit resulted in the SEIU 775 paying more than $15,000 in damages.
More About SEIU’s History
Poor Leadership
Mistreating Employees
Failing Its Membership
Get involved or donate today to expose the SEIU’s history of intimidation, crime and corruption.