Issued May 8, 2026

“Today, the SEIU family, the labor movement, and the global fight for social justice have lost a giant. It is with a heavy heart and profound gratitude for his life of leadership that we mourn the passing of George Gresham, former president of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East.

George was more than a labor leader; he was the moral compass of our movement. From his humble beginnings in the housekeeping department at Presbyterian Hospital to leading the largest healthcare local in the nation, George’s journey embodied the very essence of the union power he spent four decades building. He never forgot where he came from, and he never stopped fighting for those who are too often left behind.

Under George’s visionary leadership, 1199SEIU was a powerhouse for progressive change. He understood that the fight for economic justice is inseparable from the fight for racial, immigrant, and social justice. He didn’t just win industry-leading contracts; he won dignity, respect, and a voice for over 450,000 healthcare workers across the East Coast.

On a personal note, George was family to so many of us. He was a mentor, a brother, and a source of unwavering strength to me and countless others. His wisdom was matched only by his kindness. He taught us that to lead is to serve, and that our greatest strength lies in our unity.

Because George chose to fight, generations of working families will live with greater dignity, opportunity, and security. George has joined the ancestors, but his legacy lives on in every home care worker who now earns a living wage, every nursing home worker providing care in a safer environment, and every hospital worker who stands a little taller because they have a strong union contract.

Our hearts go out to George’s family, his loved ones, and the entire 1199SEIU membership. We honor him today not just with our words, but by recommitting ourselves to the work he loved so dearly.”