by Zane Markosian
(An updated version of this article will appear in the forthcoming Union Democracy Review 227)
George Gresham, president of 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, faces competition in the union’s April election. The opposition slate, led by Veronica Turner-Biggs, has criticized Gresham’s leadership, citing lavish expenses, his lack of action on understaffed departments, and concerns about his health. She argues for new leadership to address member needs and to defend healthcare jobs from actions taken by the Trump administration. The union represents approximately 450,000 workers, and has an annual operating budget in excess of $200 million.
Ballots for the mail-in election were sent out at the beginning of the month. Voting runs until April 30th. Positions up for election include union-wide offices including President, as well as area-specific posts.
The group “Members First Unity Slate” aims to oust Gresham, who has been the union’s president for nearly two decades. Initially, he ascended to a leadership role in the 1980s and 90s. Alongside his mentor, Dennis Rivera (who served as president from 1989 to 2007), Gresham played a crucial role in revitalizing the organization. Leon Fink’s book “Upheaval in the Quiet Zone” recounts their campaign to reinvigorate what, at the time, was a relatively weak union.
In 2007, following Rivera’s tenure, Gresham was elected president and has since run unopposed. This election cycle is the first time that an organized slate is mounting challenges across the board.
With Gresham leading, 1199 SEIU Healthcare Workers East has expanded its membership and grown its political footprint. The union has the ability to mobilize tens of thousands of members, and to take on political fights. In recent years, Healthcare Workers East has lobbied leaders in Albany to increase funding for New York state’s Medicaid Program, and engaged in broader national campaigns.
However, critics argue that Gresham is not appropriately fulfilling his duties as president, and that the union is weakened as result. According to POLITICO, the union’s contract enforcement department, political department, and dues collection office are all severely understaffed. Gresham has allegedly stalled the process to fill these critical roles. He claims that the union is facing financial challenges and that it would be imprudent to fill these positions at this time.
Under Gresham’s leadership, the union has kept activist Carmen Perez on its payroll for years. Perez co-chaired the Women’s March in 2017 and is a friend of Gresham’s. According to multiple sources, she has not done any political work for the union but was paid a salary of $120,000 in 2024. Additionally, the union has been spending $300,000 annually to rent premier office space for the benefit of Gathering for Justice, a non-profit group founded by another close friend of Gresham. This expense was approved by the union’s executive committee in 2021, but as the fight around un-filled staff positions has come to a head, members have questioned the wisdom of such an arrangement.
Expenses outside the scope of typical union activity have not been uncommon during Gresham’s tenure. For instance, he argued that due to personal health issues, he required a caregiver in order to fulfill his job responsibilities. He contends that employing his daughter is the most cost-effective solution. She typically works for the Montefiore Health System. The union spent $60,000 dollars to cover her expenses while she traveled with him this past year. For years, a production company has received contracts from the union to run events, while also employing Gresham’s son as a DJ. POLITICO reported these stories.
In response to concerns raised about these payments, Bryn Lloyd-Bollard, a spokesperson for 1199 SEIU Healthcare Workers East, stated that the union is fully compliant with its reporting obligations. The Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act mandates that unions disclose their financial expenditures, and sets guidelines on how funds may be used. Andriana Vamvaks, a former regional director for the U.S. Department of Labor (the agency responsible for enforcing this statute) cautions that these expenditures appear excessive and warrant scrutiny. She stated that they “raise red flags.”
Members of the 1199 SEIU executive council have expressed alarm at the recent job performance of Gresham more broadly. In addition to the concern about particular expenditures, members of the executive council have raised concern about Gresham dozing off in recent Zoom meetings. POLITICO reports that they have obtained screenshots corroborating this account.
This ongoing campaign is the first competitive election for union-wide leadership that the organization has seen in decades. Gresham warned that this challenge was disappointing, and cautioned that it would divide the union and detract from the ability to fight against the Trump administration’s attack on healthcare jobs.
In response, challenger Turner-Biggs stated “we can’t afford a divided membership, just like we can’t afford to wait for new leadership.” She heads the “Members First Unity” slate along with Yvonne Armstrong who is running for Secretary Treasurer. Both currently sit on the executive council.
Votes will be counted beginning May 2nd. The process will be supervised by the American Arbitration Association and the results will be announced by the union’s Election Board. The Association for Union Democracy will report on the results of the election in our upcoming Union Democracy Review.
