Andrew L. Stern

Andrew L. Stern International President, Service Employees International Union

"In a dramatic move on July 25, 2005, Stern led SEIU in a bold new direction, announcing that the union would focus its energy and resources on working with six other unions in the Change to Win Coalition" and would disaffiliate from the national AFL-CIO. He said it was clear that only a fundamental change in strategies will rebuild the labor movement to meet the challenges of the global economy and empower millions more workers at the bargaining table, in their communities, and in the political process.

"The course being charted by the Change to Win Coalition -- which represents nearly 6 million workers and is made up of SEIU, the Teamsters, the Laborers, the United Food and Commercial Workers, UNITE/HERE, the Carpenters, and the United Farm Workers -- draws on SEIU's track record. SEIU now spends half its annual budget to help more workers unite in the union and gain a voice on the job. More than 900,000 new members have joined SEIU in the past nine years, the majority of them women and workers of color. With 1.8 million members, SEIU is the largest and fastest-growing union in North America. It not only represents 900,000 health care workers, but is also helping tens of thousands of child care workers, janitors, security officers, state and local public employees, and other service workers win a living wage, family health coverage, and other improvements.

"Stern also is leader in developing a global perspective for U.S. unions. SEIU now has offices in six countries outside the United States (including France, England, and Brazil) and is funding new efforts to build global alliances and unions.

"A commitment to high-quality, affordable health care led Stern to create SEIU's Americans for Health Care (AHC) project two years ago. In key states across the country, the group is building a grassroots network working to increase access to affordable care and to make health care a key political priority.

"Stern began his union career in 1973 as a state social service worker and rank-and-file member of SEIU Local 668. He become the first elected full-time president of the local, and by 1980 was named at age 29 to the SEIU International Executive Board. In 1984, he began overseeing SEIU's organizing and field services programs, and in 1996 was elected International President.

"He chairs The Center for Community and Corporate Ethics, which, with its advocacy arm, Five Stones, has launched Wal-Mart Watch, a nationwide campaign challenging Wal-Mart Inc., to become a leader in corporate responsibility toward its workers and host communities. Stern also is on the board of directors of the National Academy of Social Insurance, the Aspen Institute, and Rock the Vote. A frequent blogger, he currently contributes to The Huffington Post, an online site for progressive voices."


 * Judge, Since Sliced Bread
 * Director, Economic Policy Institute
 * Board of Governors, Eli and Edythe L. Broad Foundation

Related Sourcewatch articles

 * Media Fund
 * Democracy Alliance
 * Campaign to Defend America
 * Campaign for America's Future - advisor

External articles

 * Jim McElhatton, Obama favorite of outside groups, Washington Times, March 24, 2008.
 * Kip Sullivan, "Should polls matter?", Physicians for a National Health Program blog, December 16, 2009.