1199SEIU is at a cross roads.
Our union is only as strong as we make it. With unions under attack and proposed federal cuts threatening Medicare and Medicaid, 1199 must be ready.
That’s why 85% of the current 1199 leadership—officers with decades of experience—have joined together to form the Members First Unity Slate.
Led by Yvonne Armstrong and Veronica Turner-Biggs, The Members First Unity Slate is the leadership 1199 SEIU members deserve—bold, experienced, and ready to fight for better wages, stronger benefits, and the respect all caregivers have earned.
The Time for Change is Now
We are the bold, experienced, and united leadership that 1199SEIU members deserve. We know what’s at stake—and we’re ready to lead.
Our Plan to Move 1199SEIU Forward
1. Focus on What Matters Most to Members
Invest more resources into safe staffing and building stronger bargaining units
Improve how we handle grievances and enforce contracts
Establish team focused on winning first contracts and improving standards for all members
2. Face Challenges Head-On
Fight back against attacks on Medicare & Medicaid—protect healthcare workers, patients, and access to care
Develop a strategic plan to respond to AI and automation in our workplaces
3. Build Power Across All Regions
Launch listening tours across all regions with members in home care, nursing homes, clinics, and hospitals
Establish regional power committees in Upstate and Western New York, Hudson Valley & Capital Region, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Florida
4. Use Our Union’s Resources Wisely
Right-size our staffing to make sure we have exactly what’s needed to win—no more, no less
Conduct full financial audit to ensure transparency and accountability
What We Plan to Do Differently:
Understand Our Finances: We’ll take a deep look into our finances to make sure we’re planning responsibly. After we complete this, we will share the report with all staff and the Executive Council. Transparency is key, so we will make sure everyone knows what’s going on.
Finance Meetings: We’ll schedule regular meetings with the finance committee to stay on track.
Listening Tours for Accountability: We’ll hold listening tours in every region to hear directly from our members about what matters most to them. These conversations will help us be more accountable by making sure their concerns and needs are reflected in our actions and decisions.
Rebuild Committees: We’ll reestablish all the committees that are required by our constitution. These committees will give regular reports and suggestions to the Executive Council.
Meet with Key Departments: We will meet with the heads of important departments (Political, Communications, Education and Development, Legal, and Contracts) to make sure their work is in line with the overall goals of the union. For example, we will plan for growth and make sure we’re ready for changes like AI and automation at our worksites.
Leadership Convention: We will hold a convention to ratify our union-wide strategic plan.
Settle In-House Staff Contract: We’ll make sure the contract for our in-house staff is settled.
Full Staff Meetings: We’ll schedule staff meetings every two months to keep everyone updated.
1. First 100 Days:
2. Building Toward the Future:
Short Staffing Compliance Office: We’ll set up an office to ensure we are staying on top of short staffing, with support from staffing committee coordinators.
The Vice President of Staffing Enforcement at 1199SEIU will lead efforts to empower staffing committees to address and resolve staffing issues at the facility level. This VP will provide strategic guidance, resources, and training to ensure committees can effectively advocate for safe staffing and hold management accountable. If a staffing committee cannot resolve an issue, the VP will escalate the matter, engaging union leadership and legal teams, and, if necessary, bringing non-compliant employers to the NYS Department of Health (DOH) for enforcement. Additionally, the VP will develop a digital mechanism to track staffing patterns across all hospitals, measuring compliance and effectiveness under the NYS staffing law. Once proven effective, this system will be expanded across multiple states where the union represents healthcare workers, strengthening staffing enforcement efforts nationwide.
Bargaining Unit Compliance Office: We will create an office to protect the integrity of our bargaining units, with help from jobs committee coordinators.
Establish an elected council for our Professional and Technical members so they can truly have a voice in our Union. The council will meet monthly. Professions will include PAs, EMS members, Imaging, Pharmacy, laboratory, surgical, social work, rehabilitation and others. We will Transform current pro tech committees into sub committees of this council.
Right-Size Our Organization: We will make sure we have the right number of staff for the job, no more and no less.
Caucus and Community Allies Office: We will build stronger relationships with our members and community partners by establishing this office.
Contract Standards Role: We will create a role that checks and ensures contract standards and compliance across regions and divisions.
First Contract Committee: We need to win first contracts and build infrastructure for new units faster, so we’ll establish a committee to focus on this.
Grievance Tracking System: We’ll work on rolling out a grievance tracking system across the union to help clear the backlog of pending arbitration.
Chapter Building and Membership Engagement Committee: We’ll create a committee focused on building stronger chapters and engaging members.
Regional Power Committee: We’ll establish a committee to help strengthen the power of each region.
Education and Development: We will prioritize the development of staff and leaders at all levels to build self-sufficient chapters.
Financial Review: We will conduct a comprehensive review of our financial systems and processes to make sure they’re efficient and transparent.
Audit Committee: We will form a committee with staff, members, and officers to do regular audits of our finances to ensure accountability.
3. Accountability and Transparency:
Review Our Constitution and Bylaws: We will go over the constitution and bylaws with the Executive Council and all staff to ensure we are all on the same page.
Regular Finance Updates: We’ll give regular finance updates to the Executive Council to keep them in the loop.
Report Progress: We’ll regularly report our progress on our goals at Delegate Assemblies.
Review Consultants and Donations: We’ll review all consultants and charitable donations to make sure our spending is appropriate and responsible.
Reestablish Our Union as the Conscience of the Labor Movement: We will speak out regularly against the attacks on working people everywhere, prioritizing political fights that threaten our jobs, care, and communities. Our union will lead the charge in holding those in power accountable and standing up for our rights.
Turn Legislative Victories into Real-World Gains: We’ll ensure that legislative victories translate into real improvements in our daily lives. By leveraging the power of our contracts, we will make sure that the wins we achieve in the political arena directly benefit our members and strengthen our communities.