SEIU President Mary Kay Henry demands good jobs for Federal Call Center Workers at a January 2024 rally. (Screenshot: YouTube/SEIU)
WASHINGTON | Mary Kay Henry, the lesbian president of Service Employees International Union, announced on Tuesday that she will not seek reelection after the end of her term in May, thus bookending her 14-year tenure leading one of the most powerful labor unions in the U.S.
Elected in 2010, she was SEIU’s first LGBTQ and first woman president.
The organization, historically known for supporting Democratic political candidates, represents nearly 1.9 million workers in more than 100 occupations, from hospital, home care and nursing home workers to government employees, law enforcement officers and property services personnel like janitors, security guards and food service workers.
Under Henry, SEIU launched the well known Fight for 15 campaign to push for a $15 minimum wage, though the group has been involved in a variety of political causes — such as the war in the Gaza Strip, which prompted the labor union president to call for an immediate ceasefire in the region last month.
Henry’s partner, Paula Macchello, is a senior strategic organizer for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union representing more than a million blue and white collar workers.
“Henry has delivered countless victories throughout her nearly 14-year tenure, including groundbreaking legislation securing fast-food workers a seat at the table to develop industry-wide working conditions and giving childcare workers the right to collectively bargain,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) said in a statement.
“We are forever grateful for her tireless efforts to empower and improve working people’s lives and look forward to continuing this important work with the next generation of leaders,” he said.
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