SEIU Local 1

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month, Local 1 fam! Pride has always been rooted in the fight for dignity, justice, and the right for every person to live and work safely as their full selves.

At SEIU Local 1, we are proud to stand with LGBTQ+ workers in every workplace and every community. We honor the organizers, activists, and workers who have fought and continue to fight for equality, protection, and freedom on the job and beyond.

The labor movement is strongest when every worker is respected, protected, and empowered to be exactly who they are. This month and every month, we celebrate the power, resilience, and joy of the LGBTQ+ community. 🏳️‍🌈

06/01/2026

ILLINOIS RIDESHARE DRIVERS MAKE HISTORY! 100,000 rideshare drivers statewide now have the right to form a union. For too long, drivers have been exploited with no voice on the job. Today, that changes. President Genie Kastrup and the Illinois Drivers Alliance worked around the clock to get this bill over the finish line. Now, we organize, mobilize, and build a bigger and stronger labor movement with rideshare drivers by our side!

05/27/2026

Hundreds of SEIU Local 1 members and rideshare drivers returned to Springfield yesterday to demand legislators pass the Rideshare Drivers Union Bill!

Once passed, 100,000 Rideshare drivers across Illinois would be able to form a union, collectively bargain, and have much-needed protections in a job that is paying drivers less and less, in comparison to the company’s enormous profits.

Drivers also held a press conference where they shared their stories, and Illinois Drivers Alliance leaders Genie Kastrup and Ronnie Gonzalez, State Senator Ram Villivalam, and State Representative Edgar Gonzalez Jr. spoke up about why they support the bill. Thank you to all of our supporters!

“It is so important to see that people understand the importance of unions. It’s [rideshare union] going to be formed by drivers where we set our own terms, we take back our power, and we take back our voice!” Said Tracy Shaw, a rideshare driver.

05/27/2026

THIS IS WORKER POWER! 70,000+ drivers now have a union and can fight for better wages, safer conditions, and more! Illinois is on deck. 100,000 drivers are fighting tooth and nail to pass the Rideshare Drivers' Union Bill, giving them the right to form a union and collectively bargain.

Congrats, App Drivers Union for leading the way! Together, drivers across the country can and WILL WIN!

Ride-share drivers for app-based companies such ​as Uber and Lyft have unionized in Massachusetts, forming what state officials and labor leaders said was ‌the first officially recognized organization in the U.S. to represent such gig workers.

05/23/2026

SEIU Local 1 would like to extend our heartfelt Congratulations to our Communications Director, Bailey Koch, and her husband Ameen Farwana on their wedding day.

Your SEIU Local 1 family wishes you both a lifetime filled with love, happiness, and many blessings as you begin this new chapter together. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

05/20/2026

RIDESHARE DRIVERS CANNOT WAIT ANY LONGER!! The very people we elect have a simple choice - stand with working people, your constituents, or stand with billion-dollar corporations. The longer our legislature stalls, the more our communities suffer. Vote YES on the Rideshare Drivers' Union Bill.

Illinois Drivers Alliance

05/18/2026

TIME TO TAKE ACTION! Rideshare drivers keep Illinois moving every single day – getting people to work, safely home at night, to doctors' appointments, airports, and everywhere in between. Yet, the people doing this essential work are barely scraping by. Drivers are working longer hours for shrinking pay, dealing with unsafe conditions, unjust deactivations, and rising gas costs just to stay on the road.

While every other worker in Illinois has the right to form a union and collectively bargain, rideshare drivers are still denied that basic right.

Tell your legislator: Vote YES on the Rideshare Drivers' Union Bill so drivers can finally have the right to form a union and negotiate for fair wages, job protections, and the fair treatment every worker deserves!

Your legislator is about to cast a vote, and it’s a choice between standing with working people or siding with billion-dollar corporations like Uber and Lyft! Tell your state legislators: Vote YES on the Rideshare Drivers’ Union Bill, because no worker in our state should be left behind!

05/18/2026

Yesterday, SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup stood alongside Chicago White Sox game day workers and proud SEIU Local 1 members ahead of the Crosstown Series, recognizing the essential workers who truly knocked it out of the park this weekend. From keeping the ballpark clean and game-ready to helping fans safely find their seats and favorite concessions, arena workers stepped up to the plate every inning. Their hard work, hustle, and dedication make every home game possible, helping deliver a winning experience for fans across Chicago.

05/15/2026

SEIU Local 1 would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and recognize the leadership, resilience, and countless contributions of AAPI leaders, members, and workers who continue to move our fight for dignity, equity, and justice forward every day.

Asian American and Pacific Islander workers play an important role in building a stronger labor movement and stronger communities. From organizing in their workplaces to standing together in solidarity and advocating for fairness on the job, their leadership and contributions continue to make a difference every day.

Yesterday, the Chicago SEIU Asian Pacific Islanders Caucus – SEIU Local 1, SEIU Local 73, and HCIIMK hosted a powerful celebration featuring collaborative art activities, an educational discussion, and short films highlighting AAPI leaders, activism, and contributions throughout labor history. The event concluded with a cultural potluck where members and attendees shared delicious dishes, bringing everyone together in community, culture, and solidarity.

The celebration brought together leaders, members, and community allies to honor Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, reflect on the important role AAPI activists and workers have played throughout labor history, and continue building a stronger, more united movement for all working people.

05/11/2026

SEIU Local 1 members showed up powerfully this May Day, standing shoulder to shoulder in solidarity and reminding the world that working people are the backbone of our communities. Together, we marched for dignity, respect, fair workplaces, immigrant rights, and justice for all.

This May Day was more than a moment. It was a reflection of the growing strength of our movement. We are leaving more empowered than ever, knowing that when workers unite across industries, backgrounds, and communities, we have the power to create real change.

SEIU Local 1 President Genie Kastrup said it best: “Justice for all workers. Justicia para todos los trabajadores.”

From the workplace to the streets, we will continue organizing, speaking out, and fighting for a better future for all working families. We are united in this fight, and we will not back down.