Service Empleyess International Union: National Organization

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Recommended: The development of labor unions

Service Employees International Union: National Organization The Service Employees International Union(SEIU) is the fastest growing labor union in America. A union, according to Anthony Kownes (2013), “is an organization of workers gathered together to secure better wages , benefits , and working conditions from employers”(p.10). The SEIU’s mission statement declares it is “an organization of 2.1 million members united by the belief in the dignity and worth of workers and the services they provide and dedicated to improving the lives of workers and their families and creating a more just and humane society”(SEIU 2013). The SEIU is an interest group engaged in lobbying strategies to influence policy relating to labor issues and social issues. The political goals of the SEIU extend beyond workers rights and enter into issue advocacy with promotes widely shared goals that are not exclusive to its membership. This paper is going to provide a snap shot of the SEIU as an organization and its lobbying activities in the federal government. First, the formation and survival of the interest throughout the 20th century will be discussed. Following the early formation and the SEIU’s history, the internal dynamics of the organization will be examined followed by their external dynamics. The portrait will conclude with a survey of the SEIU’s influence and success in American politics. The Service Employee International Union has its roots in Chicago at the turn of the 20th century. In 1902, an immigrant named William Quesse organized a union of flat janitors and elevator operators in the Chicago Loop. The 200 member joined forces with an international labor federation but the union coalition collapsed. Quesse attempted to organize several... ... middle of paper ... ...xpand the conflict and engage with the mass public. The SEIU engages in several kinds of election lobbying. They utilize their political action committee, endorse candidates, use their general treasury fund for independent expenditures and PAC contributions, the SEIU endorses candidates and mounts voter mobilization drives to get out the vote on election day. SEIU’s political action committee is called SEIU CORE (Committee on Political Education). SEIU CORE’s membership consists of current SEIU members, organizational staff and SEIU retirees who contribute to the fund. SEIU CORE has increased its political activity and election lobbying in the past 12 years. In 2008, SEIU CORE reported 47 million dollars in expenditures during the 2008 election cycle (FEC 2008). During the 2010 election cycle, the SEIU CORE spent $36,260,831 dollars and contributed $1,855,500.00

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