SEIU Healthcare 1199NW joins with WSLC

The Washington State Labor Council, AFL-CIO announced today that SEIU Healthcare 1199NW is affiliating with the WSLC, the largest labor organization in the state, representing the interests of more than 500 local unions and some 400,000 union members.

“It is great to have SEIU Healthcare 1199NW rejoin our organization,” said WSLC President Jeff Johnson, who has made the unification of the state labor movement a priority in his administration. “At this point in time, with labor under such attack, it is so important for unions to stand together to work for social and economic justice for workers and for our communities. We look forward doing great work together in strengthening the labor movement.”

“We look forward to this affiliation and the work our Local and the State Labor Council can do together enabling workers in our state, both within our jurisdiction of healthcare and throughout the labor movement, to join unions free of boss threats and intimidation,” wrote 1199NW President Diane Sosne. “We also look forward to working together on a range of programs including legislative, political elections, worker education, community labor alliances and the implementation of healthcare reform in this state so that we truly achieve universal, affordable, accessible, quality healthcare for all.”

In 2005, SEIU and several other international unions withdrew from the AFL-CIO to form a new labor federation called Change to Win. The AFL-CIO created a Solidarity Charter program that enabled local unions outside the AFL-CIO to remain affiliated with AFL-CIO state federations, like the WSLC, as well as local labor councils. Although SEIU local unions in Washington state initially remained affiliated with the WSLC through this program, in early 2007 all SEIU locals left the WSLC.

SEIU Healthcare 1199NW represents more than 22,000 healthcare workers across Washington state who are united for quality patient care and good careers. Learn more at www.seiu1199nw.org.

Get more information about the WSLC and the services the council provides, including why and how your union can affiliate.