1199SEIU & SEIU 500 to Collect '07 Organizing Awards

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
This year’s Evening With Labor Organizing Awards will go to 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East for their work to organize DC homecare workers and SEIU Local 500 for their victories for home-based child care providers in Maryland and part-time faculty at George Washington University. More than 200 DC homecare workers voted to join 1199SEIU in July of last year, the first time such workers have organized in the District. Nearly 6,000 child care workers - who take care of some 70,000 children -- voted last year to join SEIU Kids First, which will negotiate with the state for more training opportunities, access to affordable health insurance, and better reimbursements from the state child care assistance program. And 1,200 part-time faculty at GW finally won a union last year after a long, arduous organizing and legal battle by SEIU 500.