- From Dr. King's remarks at 1199's Salute to Freedom celebration in 1968.
Healthcare union powerhouse 1199SEIU is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. Founded as a drugstore union in 1932, the Local union had just 5,000 members when it launched its crusade to organize the then-forgotten hospital workers half a century ago. Today, over fifty years spent on the frontlines for justice and peace has resulted in 1199SEIU being one of the country's strongest and most effective political forces--not to mention the largest Local union in the world.
How 1199SEIU got started: Founded in 1932 by progressive pharmacists, drugstore workers and clerks, 1199 and its leaders were guided by the slogan "An injury to one is an injury to all," and an unswerving commitment to social and economic justice. In 1959, union founder Leon Davis and his small drugstore union, comprised of some 5000 mostly male, mostly-white members, set out to organize New York City's hospital industry where a primarily female, primarily African-American and Latina workforce made $32 a week for a 6-day workweek.
Workers from Manhattan's Lenox Hill Hospital picket during historic 1959 strike.
At that time it was illegal to organize hospital workers but, with great sacrifices, Davis and 1199 succeeded. Its first contract, 50 years ago, with the huge Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, set into motion what became a half-century of growth. While the majority of pharmacists that 1199SEIU represents are now in the hospital and clinical setting, 1199SEIU still represents a large number of retail pharmacists and pharmacy workers at outlets such as Pathmark and Rite Aid.
1199SEIU was the first labor union in the country to oppose the war in Vietnam--and the first to oppose the war in Iraq. Dr. Martin Luther King considered 1199SEIU to be the conscience of the labor movement and Malcolm X, a Black nationalist, said that their union--at the time led by a Jewish pharmacist--was the only one he could support.
In this video, 1199SEIU President George Gresham reflects on what makes the union the special organization it is:
"Just like freedom is a constant struggle, improving the lives of workers is a constant struggle," reflects Gresham.
"We have two primary jobs: to protect the gains we have achieved over the years; and to put the resources into building density in areas where we are week; and into political action that can win gains in the legislative arena. We have tens of thousands of homecare workers who still don't have a living wage. We have thousands of nursing home members who have to work two jobs to keep their families in clothing, food and shelter. This is simply unacceptable. We won't stop until we've won security for all of our members and our families."
More details on...
» significant organizing victories of the union through the years
» Its affiliation with SEIU
» Battles over home care and nursing homes
Visit www.1199SEIU.org for more information.
