In Los Angeles, on September 24, 2024, a significant rally unfolded as hundreds of members from SEIU 721 in Los Angeles County gathered to signal their strong support for an Unfair Labor Practice (ULP) strike authorization vote. This demonstration took place in front of the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration right in downtown Los Angeles. The intensity of the protest was such that a group of SEIU 721 county workers managed to halt a Board of Supervisors meeting for several minutes inside the Hall of Administration. David Green, SEIU 721 President and a long-time Children’s Social Worker with the LA County Department of Children & Family Services, expressed the union members’ frustration by stating, “We have had it with LA County’s attempts at union busting and we are ready to strike.” While some factions of the county workforce have come close to striking, notably in May 2022, when nurses secured a last-minute agreement for improved job conditions, a widespread walkout involving SEIU 721-represented units hasn’t happened in decades. Such a strike today could involve nearly the entire LA County workforce, significantly affecting services across the county’s expansive 4,751-square-mile area.
In a turn of notable events, a major reunion is in the cards nearly 20 years after their initial separation. Just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to begin his second term, two influential unions declared they are coming back together. On Wednesday, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) revealed its decision to rejoin the AFL-CIO, which comprises 60 affiliated labor unions. This reunion will see the AFL-CIO’s membership swell to an impressive 15 million workers.
With Trump’s new administration taking office in less than two weeks, it is widely anticipated that the approach to labor unions will differ markedly from that of the preceding Biden administration. However, leaders from both the AFL-CIO and SEIU emphasized that their decision to unite is not rooted in political motivations. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, during an interview, insisted, “The notion that this is political couldn’t be further from the truth in terms of the election results.”
Despite the political climate, union leaders are bracing to stand firm for workers’ rights as Trump returns to office. Both unions had previously backed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, warning that Trump’s proposed policies would be “devastating” and “anti-worker.” SEIU International President April Verrett expressed a clear-eyed awareness of the potential challenges, stating, “We do not have rose-colored glasses on about the threats that could be coming our way.”
Shuler outlined the unions’ strategy, focusing on leveraging their organizing strengths for a robust defense while simultaneously going on the offensive. “We are the, probably, only institution in the country that has an infrastructure in every city, in every state, in every workplace, that is a mobilizing machine,” she articulated. “And as they say, outside power builds inside power.”
SEIU boasts approximately 2 million members working across various sectors, such as hospitals, schools, and law enforcement. The AFL-CIO’s affiliates include notable unions like the American Federation of Government Employees, the American Federation of Teachers, and the United Auto Workers. These union members are employed across the U.S., working for major corporations like General Motors, Disney, and the U.S. Postal Service.
Shuler and Verrett revealed that the dialogue about reuniting has been ongoing for several years. “This is a key moment, of course, it’s a strong signal, but it’s something that’s been building and something we think is going to really be for the long term,” Shuler noted, adding that since assuming her presidency in 2021, she has been committed to fostering collaboration with SEIU.
Permission for SEIU to engage in more structured discussions with the AFL-CIO about re-affiliation was granted by the SEIU board in June 2023, according to Verrett.
Ken Jacobs, a senior policy advisor at the UC Berkeley Labor Center, commented on SEIU’s announcement, highlighting the strategic importance of their reintegration. He noted that given the anticipated hostile environment towards labor unions from the Trump administration, unity within the labor movement is seen as critically important.
A representative for Trump did not immediately provide a comment on Wednesday evening. Nonetheless, Trump has emphasized intentions to bring back jobs lost overseas and to reinvigorate the American auto industry. Meanwhile, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, leaders of the newly formed nongovernmental Department of Government Efficiency proposed significant changes to the employment structure for government workers, a direction that has sparked union backlash. Despite criticisms, Trump’s ability to sway union workers was evident when the Teamsters, a significant union that has traditionally supported Democratic candidates, refrained from endorsing any presidential candidate.
