Purple Power: The History and Global Impact of SEIU

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a global organization representing over two million workers in various occupations, with women and minority groups making up a significant portion of its membership. This book explores the SEIU's history, key campaigns, and impact on low-wage workers worldwide, featuring interviews with key figures.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: University of Illinois Press

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a remarkable global organization that has been representing over two million workers across a diverse range of occupations since its charter in 1921. This diverse membership includes healthcare professionals, government service workers, custodians, and taxi drivers, among many others. What sets the SEIU apart is its commitment to empowering women, who make up more than half of its membership, and advocating for the rights of minority groups, accounting for approximately forty percent of its membership.

To delve deeper into the history and impact of the SEIU, a collection of essays has been curated by Luís LM Aguiar and Joseph A. McCartin. These esteemed contributors explore key episodes, themes, and features in the union's recent history, offering insightful evaluations of its role as a union with global aspirations.

The first section of the book traces the remarkable growth of the SEIU over the past and present centuries. The authors examine the challenges and opportunities that the union faced during its early years and how it has adapted and evolved to meet the changing needs of its members. They also highlight the SEIU's role in shaping labor laws and policies in the United States and its contributions to the broader labor movement.

The second section delves into in-depth studies of key campaigns that have shaped the SEIU's identity. The authors examine the Justice for Janitors campaign, which aimed to improve the working conditions and wages of janitorial workers, and the Fight for $15 movement, which sought to raise the minimum wage for low-wage workers across the United States. These campaigns not only brought attention to the issues faced by these workers but also led to significant policy changes.

The third section focuses on the SEIU's work representing low-wage workers in Canada, Australia, Europe, and Brazil. The authors explore the unique challenges and opportunities that these workers face in different parts of the world and how the SEIU has adapted its strategies to advocate for their rights. They also highlight the SEIU's efforts to build strong union structures and engage in collective bargaining to secure better working conditions and wages.

To round out the volume, an interview with Justice for Janitors architect Stephen Lerner provides a firsthand account of the campaign's origins, successes, and lessons learned. Lerner's insights offer valuable perspectives on the power of grassroots organizing and the importance of building alliances across different sectors of society.

This collection of essays is a valuable resource for anyone interested in labor studies, social justice, and the ongoing struggle for workers' rights. It sheds light on the remarkable achievements and challenges of the SEIU and provides a roadmap for building stronger and more inclusive labor movements in the future.

Contributors:
Luís LM Aguiar is a Professor of Labor Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and politics. He has been a leading scholar in the field of labor studies for over three decades.

Adrienne E. Eaton is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Janice Fine is a Professor of History at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a leading scholar in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Euan Gibb is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. He has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Laurence Hamel-Roy is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Tashlin Lakhani is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Joseph A. McCartin is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. He has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Yanick Noiseux is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. He has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Benjamin L. Peterson is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. He has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Allison Porter is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Alyssa May Kuchinski is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Maite Tapia is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Veronica Terriquez is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Kyoung-Hee Yu is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the author of numerous books on labor history and social movements. She has been a prominent researcher in the field of labor studies for over two decades.

Dimension: 229 x 152 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780252086809